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October, 2002 Newsletter

by Jim Sawtell

50th Anniversary Open House and the 40th Celebration of Alouette 1:

The Open House at CRC on October 4 and October 5 was very successful. Many Labs were open and displays were set up throughout the campus. Congratulations to the campus for organizing such an overdue event.

The Canadian Space Agency obtained funds at the last moment and a buffet and celebration was arranged for the "Space Pioneers". Thanks to the Space Agency for honouring our Space Pioneers as without them the Space Agency probably would not exist.

Lost:

A ladies belted moss green ‘gaberdine’ full length size 10 Fall coat was missing from the coat rack outside the conference room after the Space Pioneers Reception. In its place was a man’s size 40 coat in a similar color. If you picked up the wrong coat please contact Charlie Geier at the Canadian Space Agency at (613) 998-2044.

Congratulations:

Congratulation to Millie McDonald who celebrated her 90th Birthday on September 29, 2002.

Projects:

The High Speed Internet Project:

Friends of CRC have been invited to assist in a CRC "Rural High Speed Internet Project". This was planned for the past summer but has been delayed due to lack of funds. We are now looking for a couple of Friends of CRC in the Constance Bay area to participate in this wireless internet project.

Update on SMARTscope as of Oct. 12, 2002

Since the last note on SMARTscope in the Friends newsletter, much has been accomplished. The formality of getting the agreement signed that covers the details of the relationship between CRC, Friends of CRC and RASC for purposes of this project has been signed by all parties. It is to be noted that this formality did not delay construction, and work got started on the site well before all signatures had been formally collected. At this time, the building construction is essentially completed. The site was dug down to bed rock, about two feet down, with some very welcome help from CRC's backhoe, and concrete columns to support the building were poured. The concrete pier for the telescope was a major job at this point; 30 inch diameter column about ten feet high with lots of embedded reinforcing steel, and anchored to the bedrock. Two major building bees by our volunteers on the August and September holiday weekends got the construction of the observatory structure done. Continuing smaller scale efforts have completed the electrical work, and interior insulation and vapour barrier installation. The purchased dome that had been previously assembled and tested in the Friends lab space in Building 27 was also taken apart and re-assembled on top of the observatory structure. The site backfilling and general cleanup has also been done. Installation of the interior wall board in the warm room, and a number of other minor finishing items remain. A pictorial summary of this summer's work can be found on our web site, "smartscope.ca". On the equipment installation side some things have been done. The 200 pound steel pier for the telescope that stands on top of the concrete pier has been put in place. We have also recently received the precision robotic telescope mount, which had been on order for two years, and this is now installed on top of the steel pier. Over the next two or three weeks we expect to instal the telescope, the microwave link to Building 2, the computers and miscellaneous other items, and begin initial testing of the basic operations. After over two years of planning, discussion of alternates, fund raising and equipment ordering, it is a great relief to actually have something physical on the site and to be within sight of operation. Further updates will be provided as we work our way though more software development and testing and full implementation of the planned operation over the web.

Al Seaman

E-mails:

From: Turcotte.Gerry@ic.gc.ca >To: crc-announce@crc.ca Subject: Cospas-Sarsat Anniversary Celebration / Cééléébration du 20e anniversaire du Systèème Cospas-Sarsat Cospas-Sarsat Anniversary Celebration Twenty years ago a small plane crashed in a remote part of B.C. The three injured survivors made history as they became the first to be rescued using the Cospas-Sarsat System which had just become operational. This satellite-based system was implemented by Canada, France, the U.S., and, at that time, the Soviet Union. It continues in operation with more satellites and updated technology, and has contributed to rescuing over 14,000 lives. Last evening at the celebration of this 20th anniversary, Canada's major contribution to the Cospas-Sarsat System was acknowledged. Among the leading pioneers and innovators presented with certificates from the National Search and Rescue Secretariat were: CRC employees Ted Hayes and Jim King, and former CRC employees Bert Blevis, Harvey Werstiuk and Alan E. Winter (currently Chair of CRC Board of Directors). Congratulations to these and many others at CRC, DND and in Canadian industry who contributed to making SARSAT the wonderful success it has become.

From Roy and Jean Cunningham:
Jim,
Please convey our thanks to the members of Friends of CRC for the wonderful idea to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Alouette I. We appreciate all the time and effort you put into this trying to contact everyone involved. It was so good to see all the "old buddies" on such a happy occasion. You deserve much credit for all that you do in this organization. Thank-you from the bottom of our hearts.
Roy & Jean

Deaths:

Michael Edward Psutka Thursday, September 19, 2002.

For November 28, 2002 our Talk will be "Aspects of Space Technology" by Joe McNally.

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Afternoon Talks

There are some interesting talks coming up so we invite everyone to join us. We encourage you to arrive about Noon, purchase a lunch, and join us in the cafeteria and chat with friends. Spouses/partners and friends are welcome. If you are attending for the first time, stop at the Guard House and explain that you are attending a Friends of CRC talk and you will be issued with a visitor's badge.

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Video Tapes of Talks

I am including a list of the "Video Tapes of Friends Thursday Afternoon Talks". They are available to Friends who would like to view them. If you request a tape, we will mail it to you. It is your responsibility to return it to us. Some video tapes have already been requested and we are in the process of mailing them out. Here is the list of the tapes we have so far:

1. "Travel" by Doris Jelly and Joe Lackner

2. "Retirement Planning and Positive Outlook on Aging" by Hubert Frenken

3. "The Temples of Angkor" by Stu McCormick

4. "Radarsat: Past, Present and Future" by Rolf Mamen

5. "Wireless Internet Access" by Luc Boucher

6. "Canada Science and Technology Museum" by Dr. Randall Brooks

7. "Long Term Wealth and Investment Behaviour" by Glenn Laforet

8. "Bob Warren 42 Years in Space" by Bob Warren

9. "Digital Photography: Are We There Yet?" By J. J. Brebner

10. "Confessions of a Fairly Successful Wood Butcher" by Doug Burns

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Deaths

21 March, 2002 Eldon Fiagenwald

28 March, 2002 Jeff Else

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Correspondence

We believe that some of the letters and e-mails we receive should be included in the newsletter as it is a good way to keep in touch with Friends of CRC. With this in mind this new section called ‘Correspondence’ is included.

Dear Jim,

Back in the 1953-56 era F Section of the Electronics Laboratory of DRTE was responsible for the design of the Fuse for the Velvet Glove guided missile. CARDE did the aerodynamics, etc. - Gerry Bull was in charge of this - an interesting story in itself. A number of the missiles were produced, although the production was subsequently canceled. In research for a recent talk I came across some pictures of the missile which I have in electronic form. If there's any interest I'd be glad to forward them to someone. Roy Dohoo can provide further info on this project and era.

Regards, Paul Wittke


NOTE: Photos of the Velvet Glove, from the RCAF Memorial Museum in Trenton, Ontario are shown here. Thanks for the lead, Paul.

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Subject: CRC 50th Anniversary.

I joined DRTE Radio Physics laboratory on
December 10 1948. The group of nine personnel consisted of the following staff. Frank Davies, Rita Richard, Jim Scott, Jim Cox, Amour Warwick,Clair McKerrow, Jim Scott's analyst named Dave - I cant remember his last name, and the machinist named McQueen. Six of us had office space in the Armed Forces Headquarters Building A on Elgin Street Ottawa. Warwick, McKerrow, and McQuean were located in the machine shop building located on the Rideau River near the arboretum. About 1950 a small building was constructed beside the machine shop and the Radio Physics staff moved in. I have a photograph of the building taken in 1951. At this period in time, additional staff were employed. To name a few; Jack Meek, Dr, Percy Field, Marion Phillips, Ms. Fowler, Everett Stevens. An early phone book would provide a complete listing. I believe that I, at 87, am the oldest living member of the original RPL staff.

Regarding photographs for the fiftieth anniversary, I have on hand pictures of the many projects that I was personally involved with. I am available to meet with someone to make a selection. Some oldies such as (1) RPL building 1951 (2) Camera advance mechanism for C2 ionospheric Recorder. (3) 10 ft. parabola made of wood and mounted on 50 ft safeway towers. Various Mobile power plants. (4) The automatic unattended 500 mhz station at Petawawa. (5) Various receiving sites such as Mount St. Patrick, Cobourg and Quiet Site. (6) 90 degree opposed dipole antenna. (7) Log periodic antenna pointed at Peggy's Cove Nova Scotia. (8) Canada's first Mobile Satellite receiving Station. (9) Many satellite receiving sites in the High Arctic Resolute Bay Eureka Frobisher (10) Polar Continental Shelf project at Alert and the Robson channel. (11) Transporting complete Mobile Satellite station by RCAF Hercules aircraft to the High Arctic. I would be happy to provide any item you would consider to be suitable.

Gerald E. Poaps.


NOTE: Some of Mr. Poap's photos are now shown in Gerald Poaps' Scrapbook.

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Dear Sirs:

You wanted a list of the names of the employees that were present when we moved out to Shirley Bay from Prescott Highway.

I was certainly there as I was responsible for getting the work benches to the proper rooms and the elevator broke down and we had to carry them up the stairs. What a job but things were different in those days. I am fairly certain that the people I have listed were there at the time.

J.A. Warwick, Phil Thompson, D.R. Hansen, Jack Bateson, Claire McKerror, Jim(?) Wiskin, Larry Mairs, Earl McDonald, Harold Serson, Jack Petrie, Gordon Brackenbury, Jack Belrose, "Sandy" Brackenbury, George Jull, G.E. Moss, Jack Griffen, Len Bode*, Jack Meek, Allan Craig, Dr. R. Langille, Don Graham, Clare Collins*, E.L. Hagg, Bill Campbell*, Edna Salter*, Mike Zay*, Rita Richard, W.L. Hatton, G.E. Poaps*, Dr.Straker, Stan Mills*, Percy Field.

If I recall Rita became Dr. Langille’s wife. Don Graham was the site electrician. The Brackenbury boys were the machinists. Earl McDonald was photographer. I hope that this will help you with an accurate list.

Yours truly,
Everett E Stevens

P.S. I have shown the symbol * after certain names that I am not absolutely certain of. Of course there may be others that I have forgotten.

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Annual Meeting
and a talk
"A Trip In Myanmar"
by
Stu McCormick
Thursday, April 25th , 2002 at 1:00 P.M.

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"Physical Fitness for Good Health,
Especially for Seniors"

by
Heather Johnson

Thursday, March 28, 2002 at 1:00 P.M.

Heather Johnson is a ‘Senior Trainer’ with the Civil Service Recreational Association’s (RA’s) Life Fit Program. She is very knowledgeable about physical fitness and how best to develop fitness programs for seniors as well as younger people. The Life Fit Program is available at the RA, Riverside Drive and is world class. Be prepared to ask questions as how to set up a program for yourself.

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DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY. ARE WE THERE YET?
by
John Brebner
Presented by The Friends of CRC
CRC Auditorium. Thursday, January 31, 2002 at 1:00 P.M.