I Found A Former Secret Government Listening Post

[@mikeselectricstuff]

That lamp looks more like neon than LED, though could be a LED replacement made to look the same as older neon ones.

[@douro20]

Certainly neon; those things can last several decades.

[@ReallifeBambiDeerattheFarm1]

That's Neon for sure. KZbinr photonicinduction has one and lit it up. Was very bright.

[@StubbyPhillips]

Yep, neon. You can see the discharge going down towards the cathodes. Likely made in Wembly by Claudgen.

[@erikmutthersbough6508]

It looks like a neon bulb to me Lewis

[@paulstubbs7678]

@@ReallifeBambiDeerattheFarm1 If photoinduction lit one up, he probably 'overclocked' it to the blazes. (his terminology)

[@RCAvhstape]

How do they change the bulb? Simple, disconnect all the cables, unbolt the tower from the pedestal, tip it over with a crane, unscrew the bulb, then reverse the process. Easy peasy. I should add that this only works on older towers. Newer towers, when the light burns out you just throw the tower away and buy a new one.

[@nikf3188]

Made me giggle! I'm one of the nutters who climbs these things....really do wish they were all tilt overs haha

[@MidlifeRenaissanceMan]

You should make yourself a subscription service. Take the tower away when they don’t pay the bill…like they did in Alabama to WLJX 😉 wink wink.

[@RCAvhstape]

@@MidlifeRenaissanceMan Like Netflix used to do, send you a new tower in the mail. NetTower.

[@GamingKing545]

@@MidlifeRenaissanceMan i could just see someone watching their stations tower fly away via helicopter

[@YouTube-Security]

One of the few channels, where the creator actually "dark-modes" the blinding architecture plans. You cant imagen how much I appreciate that!

[@eadweard.]

Cannot tell what you are trying to say.

[@wzpu3283]

​@@eadweard.@2:38 The drawing is in "dark mode" because the background is dark and the lines are light in color.

[@Woffy.]

Great camerawork and composition, it is so refreshing to have this source of quality information. Thank Lewis.

[@Kisara556NATO]

That CB antenna on the brick hut looks like one I had in the 80s. It was called a Starduster.

[@mikekokomomike]

check out the antennas WWV Colorado uses for their HF time station. Fancy Stardusters with 9 radials

[@simonwinwood]

❤ love this channel. Many thanks x

[@davidsradioroom9678]

I don't know how you get all your information, but I am glad you do. Yes, more please!

[@Guieno]

Hello dear author. Each of your videos is close in spirit and perception. Before the war, I was an ILS engineer. Now I am forced to temporarily live in Bulgaria. There is a Kraxx channel on KZbin, but it is about construction and reconstruction in Sofia. But the drones and music remind me of your channel. I'm realy appreciate it. My regards, take care. Geno UR3QX

[@paulsradiohacks]

Dunno how you find out these gems but please dont stop, love your channel.!

[@yanmetcaluire]

Hello you; I'm french but enjoy so much british antenna histories... thank you

[@Driver-UK]

Hi from Manchester England 👍👍

[@yanmetcaluire]

Nice ! @@Driver-UK

[@aldo5428]

@yanmetcaluire haw hee haw hee haw, sorry I’m a numpty and also love british antenna histories…

[@yanmetcaluire]

@@aldo5428 those are « niches » stories…. I used to be interessed in when I was a teenager and discover them back here in a interesting way !

[@AdamSWL]

Really interesting look with your awesome drone footage Lewis! But you better be careful as I think you may have been spotted. A plane reverses back for a double take at 7:30 so your cover is likely blown.

[@Hiram8866]

Thanks for this video Lewis. I love the analysis of commercial radio masts.

[@JClark2600]

Are those crows nests made out of wood?!?! Holly mother of god! I can't begin to tell you how unsafe that tower is. I worked for many years in my youth as a cell site technician where I climbed towers (anywhere from 60ft up to 320ft, free standing or monopole / lattice tower). I've been on mountaintops where the wind would gust to hurricane strengths or in places where ice had formed on the climbing surfaces and I used a rubber mallet to free it so I could continue to climb. Anyways climbing these towers is already super dangerous and that's before you're asked to climb one made out of wood. How could you ever trust the wood to hold your safety line in the event you fell, subjecting the beam to highly dynamic kinetic forces.

[@jongmassey]

Bloody crows, absolutely no knowledge of structural engineering

[@Teknofobe]

😂​@@jongmassey

[@davelowe1977]

Is this a joke?

[@scottdavidson526]

That's why you guy make the big $$

[@gorak9000]

Probably aluminum extruded planks (like you find in bleacher seating), just covered in moss

[@arthurtwoshedsjackson6266]

It would be good to see inside some of this buildings that are next to the masts to see what they look like inside with all the kit. You need to make friends with someone from NATS etc

[@SimonWilton]

I'm loving the planes in reverse.

[@flatlyna2223]

More fascinating content that’s of a really high quality in information and videography. You must spend a lot of time researching and I really enjoy the way you present it. Thanks Lewis.

[@G0RXA]

Great video Lewis. Keep them coming, interesting journey across the county.

[@ntdfmaverick]

Extremely fascinating how this infrastructure evolves over time. I appreciate the excellent video!

[@misterbacon4933]

Very interesting vlog and perfectly edited! Chapeau!

[@jamesw5584]

ive changed a few of those air craft warning bulbs out. They are normally neon and cost a fortune, i think they were about £300 each so didnt want to drop it. wasnt on those masts though but not too far away.

[@rksg2003]

What is the pay for changing these bulbs I know it depends on tower height etc?

[@Woffy.]

The RAF Aerodromes had so very impressive Neon approach beacons some several meters high and wide, as you say they are costly but are reliable. Do you have any in your home.

[@jamesw5584]

@@Woffy. i have a couple of old ones somewhere from a retrofit i did in cumbria. not they are much use and dont weigh anything so not even a good paper weight just an oddity to own

[@Woffy.]

James, thanks for reply. We all collect what seem insignificant things from our work life but in later years they prompt good memories. I expect you remember wet chilly days changing out lamps. I love the look of Neon and remember as a lad (1960's) the bright lattice neon beacon from I think RAF Stanton, the clouds would defuse the flashing beacon for miles. Look after your lamps James. May I steer you to a channel Miggete1 Peter has just turned 80 and has an great collection of old lamps which are interesting.

[@CAL1MBO]

How much do you earn for replacing one of those lightbulbs?

[@robinwells8879]

Short of dabbling in CB radio in the eighties I am shamefully ignorant of much of the technology that you speak of. How therefore do I find it such compelling viewing?😂 I love the irony of a government that does so much listening knows so little about fulfilling our needs and desires 😂

[@DifferentGearTV]

I would recommend trespassing one of these sites and get a Meshtastic node up there.

[@russellzauner]

At this point, you'd be surprised how much access you can get sometimes just for asking...

[@gorak9000]

You need a self contained box with magnets in it that you can just slingshot at the tower and get to stick!

[@jhonsiders6077]

Use a small power bank with a solar panel to keep everything charged I’ve came up with a way to water proof one with a plexiglass vented cover so the whole thing is protected and will not over heat in the summer hope to get mine up soon and will put it up on my 85 foot tower used for my wisp have to hire the boom truck my old self cannot climb any more broke a ankle .

[@burnettmurray209]

@@russellzauner I used to take teachers around West Drayton Air Traffic Control but that was beacause I knew someone and pre-9-11!

[@patrikkrispler5239]

2:08 Did anybody notice that the video "reverses" for a moment? :-D :-D Also at 7:28...

[@paulstubbs7678]

Yep, would have been better to sync it to the music

[@rambo1152]

Always wondered what would happen if a pilot uses the thrust-reversers in flight!

[@patrikkrispler5239]

Normally nothing, because 2 different valves are mechanically isolating the hydraulic fluids from being pushed into the cylinders that activate the reverser doors... The "Weight - On - Wheel" switches as well as the radio altimeter, which have to sense correct values prevent them from activating too...

[@DUKE_of_RAMBLE]

​@@patrikkrispler5239_"Normally nothing"_ Although at the rate they're going... Boeing undoubtedly will 'accidentally' _(through negligence)_ answer this question, and probably sooner, rather than later. 😮‍💨😒

[@patrikkrispler5239]

And YES, there have been cases, where the hydraulic isolation valves HAVE failed and sadly caused the death of all passengers, for example on the Lauda Air Flight 004 at May 26 th 1991...

[@liquidusblue]

Makes me want to bust out the Kraftwerk. There is something really hopeful about a clear blue sky and a bright white antenna.

[@spacecat7247]

It's always interesting to see what is going on with our infrastructure. Antennas and towers of various types are always interesting..Thanks for your time and info.

[@dw7920]

As always - thorough, informative, entertaining and beautifully shot and edited. 👌

[@jplacido9999]

Those sites have special barbed wire plastic garbage catchers.....😂😂😂😂

[@alfredbatchelor1954]

Spent my younger days supervising antenna installations at a lot of these types of sites, at one point I needed a little black book with all the alarm codes for so many sites, and plus a large of bunch of keys. Powering down the sites was a struggle because you were never sure if the operator at the NOC had done it or they got the right unit. Never liked turning the power off, just in case the dam thing never came back up again.

[@ianmichael5768]

Beautiful stuff man. From a State Side viewer and listener.

[@JDWatkins]

I've changed a few of those here in Alberta Canada in my younger years. The very first was on top of House Mountain. Just a short one at about 500ft if memory serves correctly. 40+ years ago.

[@paulmann1440]

Will see if I've still got photos of the insides/setup at "The Beacons" bunker up at Frodsham, as I spent a lot of time there years back, when it served as the Cheshire Emergency Planning standby centre.

[@RingwayManchester]

Great cheers!

[@davemcdonald219]

Lol, backwards airplane at 2:12 😂

[@jplacido9999]

At 14:20 we can see the antenna for birds air traffic control....😂😂😂

[@mlprd]

grooving on that background music on the drone shots

[@MidlifeRenaissanceMan]

So much room for more Meshtastic nodes

[@jam-etc]

this is a bit of an odd comment but: I love that so much of these videos are vibes. Love that cool b-roll, some nifty music, it's very chill, and it familiarizes you with the subject right away. I really like it.

[@RingwayManchester]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@mindblast3901]

These Monitoring Units where used to knock of Pirate radio in London that Hertfordshire one there was one south of London too Thanks Lewis great video

[@anymancandoitwiththerightools]

I'm loving this music!

[@smorrisby]

I used those mast lights on all my structers. They were made by a company in Rugby. I never had one fail.

[@Sideshowbobx]

Interesting, we had a similar building a block away with the same antenna set on the roof, but eventing in plain view. Little picket fence around and brass door platte with something like "federal postal and telecommunication agency" on it. It closed down now and the antenna is gone.

[@KarlWitsman]

Another well-researched program. Looks like you are getting use out of those new binocular/recorders too.

[@joohop]

Great Work Lewis Bless Up Fella

[@dougle03]

Nice to still see Denzo tape being used on the connectors...

[@barrieshepherd7694]

Yes brilliant stuff , nasty as hell to work with but boy does it last!

[@MM0IMC]

​@@barrieshepherd7694I've still got some on a roll.

[@nikf3188]

We still use it - but prefer butyl mastic roll. Sh*ts all over your hands way less than Denso when you're climbing

[@barrieshepherd7694]

​@@nikf3188 I agree that the self amalgamating tape is a LOT easier to work with but do wonder about the longevity. Back in the '70s I was involved in some work in the train shed at Kings Cross station. It involved removing the catenary wires that held PA speakers above the platforms - thoughts were that the installation had been in place probably before the end of the war. One of the construction crew called me over after removing the Denso (or whatever the older equivalent was) from some of the shackles . Underneath it was still bright galvanised wire - after years of exposure to steam, soot, diesel fumes etc. Later in my career I was involved in antenna installations along the railway in Australia - the riggers used self amalgamating tape overwrapped with UV stable insulation tape - within 6 months the cockatoos had feasted on it all leaving all the joints exposed! Replacement with Denso discouraged the cockatoos - I guess it did not taste that good!

[@nikf3188]

@@barrieshepherd7694 No Self amalg here. Proper butyl mastic on a roll (3M 2212). That stuff lasts forever. Denso is still bloody good though :) As for using insluting tape (as I call it).....hell no. Not ever. Its shite.

[@brandonha]

If the radio towers here had wooden platforms up top like that theyd be full of hunters come deer season 😂

[@Milcom34]

Awesome Video RM*** Great Stuff. Thanks. Take Care and Radio On*******

[@IndependentNewsMedia]

Nice historical look at radio sites, God bless.

[@rkaag99]

@ 15:10 ... they set their graviton emitters to a given intensity creating a hyper-dimensional rift. they then reach through and change the bulb much like changing one in your living room lamp. a bit expensive but hey, it's only tax dollars being spent. love all your videos (prefer the radio reviews). take care and be well

[@4X4-RADIO]

The CB type antenna maybe(?) for the POCSAG "Off-Site" Paging that operated around 26.550MHz / 26.605MHz / 26.705MHz + Others ..??

[@AceBlaggard]

That would be my guess, can't think of any other commercial use for that part of spectrum, not in the UK anyway.

[@defizr]

The technical manager at Baldock taught me morse code when I took my Radio Officer's ticket to go to sea.

[@richardwillson101]

Of Note, Chelton and Cobham are one and the same. So those antennas you mention are pribably identical in every way apart from the data plate branding. Chelton was bought as part of the "FR Group" which was born out of Flight Refuelling Ltd, this was then branded as "Cobham Group" with all of its constituent companies keeping their original names. Eventually, in the 2010s Cobham group decided that all of its companies should be under one brand, "Cobham" with a subtitle to each company. The group was then bought by a US venture capital firm and broken up, with "Cobham Amtennas and systems" being the last company to keep the "Cobham" Name. Which I think is now Thales instead. A very confusing timeline of company names, made even more complicated by the breaking up of Cobham. Sir Alan Cobham, who founded Flight Refuelling Limited was an aviation pioneer and strong leader.

[@Taylor7668US]

Loving your videos hope you are well lewis in-am off facebook … more time to play radio

[@RingwayManchester]

Hope you’re ok too! Speak soon

[@jhonsiders6077]

Nice countryside you have We have a few odd towers around here. Our wisp bought two ex AT&T microwave stations for next to nothing I have a 85 foot tower on my farm as a hop for it to others is wisp for internet popular in country areas in the UK ? We use air fiber radios in the 15 gigahertz range mostly .

[@murcuryvapor]

Is there an all-digital AM possibility? There's special license granted to at least one AM in Virginia, to use an IBOC protocol MA3. Surely Mondiale full digital could be utilized, no?

[@DarkSitesChannel]

I know one day I will tune in and you will cover the Nats TX station 15 minutes from my house.....eventually.

[@RingwayManchester]

Which one ;)

[@DarkSitesChannel]

@@RingwayManchester Winstone TX near Cirencester.

[@greenbriar07]

Nice little interlude @ 2:21 for the Virgin Atlantic A330 flying by~

[@TonyLing]

If Dibnah were alive today, he'd be rigging those towers.

[@ukrainiansubarer7767]

Quite a detailed analysis of purpose, where these towers placed, including coordinates... Haven't you been questioned by some secret service or other similar institutions? I can't imagine if this is acceptable at all to provide such data in public.

[@jamesport3984]

Im amazed and the amounts of wood used in the small towers and if your ever in kent etchinghill mast is interesting think it was a microwave link to france once

[@namelesswon]

Really beautiful photography

[@chrisbarnes5016]

Great video mate. I would love to know what inside those buildings looks like

[@williamwofford4919]

@2.14 plane decides to go in reverse ;) as always though brilliant videos!

[@RingwayManchester]

I’m glad I caught it on film!

[@manxusa]

Great video as always. I was interested in Kelsall TX. I’m sure this is a new mast that has replaced and old CAA wooden mast in the last 8y or so? I was out here in 2013 and recognised the old mast as similar to one that was on Snaefell Isle of Man in the 1980’s. I just know was a CAA now Nats tower. In a more recent visit to the area I noticed the mast had changed shape! clearly a new build. I’m actually staying close by in Tarvin for the next month due to work. Can anyone shed anymore light on the former Kelsall TX tower? Tia.

[@petint]

Gotta love the bouncy plane at 7:30

[@davidcovington901]

At 1:01, commercial planes do not go as high as "66,000 feet," but this is the limit for many military jets. (Only commenting for channel engagement.)

[@Zadster]

Concorde regularly cruised at 60,000ft, and was capable of flying higher if the atmospheric conditions allowed. Ah the good old days!

[@philsharp758]

English Electric Lightning could go to 88,000 feet and once caught an SR-71 (Blackbird) , much to the Americans annoyance.

[@gsoulracing566]

The edit at 7:30-7:35 is just brilliant

[@jplacido9999]

At 15:18 there is a internet via satelite for main acess or backup (similar to Viasat)

[@namelesswon]

Music and sounds great too

[@grahamcooper6476]

Chelton/Cobham? Chelton in Marilow became Cobham and has since reverted to Chelton again !

[@franklinwerren7684]

How about the different ham repeaters in the UK ??? What is your limits on power for them… Here in the USA we have a 400 watt limit on 6 meters and up for FM, but most repeaters are 50-100 watts out. Our standards sometimes make duplexers a bit expensive especially for 2 and 1.25 meters, 70 cm is real easy for a 5 MHz split but 2 meters is the most popular!!! 73’s DE N2JYG

[@m3hnl]

excellent stuff lewis as always. keep up the good work 73,s m3hnl

[@jjcoolaus]

Why don’t the old analogue mobile sites still house mobile phone antennas today? I realise it’s a rural area but more coverage is always good

[@daveg8htfadlibaudio250]

Good drone work Lewis, and also very interesting stuff, are you doing any pirate radio Vid's soon. Regards Dave.

[@RingwayManchester]

Must catch up soon Dave!

[@nrgfalt]

OMG that is an amazing LandRover

[@Driver-UK]

No Poly Bags to enter this site !!

[@gorak9000]

I would expect those "monopoles" are actually 1090MHz ADSB antennas

[@RingwayManchester]

They’re not…

[@gorak9000]

Hmm you went into a lot of detail as to what those antennas are on the Tx site, so maybe not, but I'd expect there to be ADSB antennas somewhere.

[@paulsengupta971]

There isn't much in the way of commercial ADS-B receiving at the moment, only on some military sites. Civil ATC mostly still use Secondary Surveillance Radar with Mode S.

[@NULL-sq6on]

I wonder if they still use AOA for direction finding when its been proven that TDOA is considerably more accurate?

[@imark7777777]

Curious what the legal allowances are for taking pictures of towers. I'm not thinking drone. I'm in the US and there's this one particular tower it was near that makes noise on windy days and I would really like to get a recording of it. Probably should go over to read it but I thought I'd drop the question here while I was thinking about it.

[@RingwayManchester]

There’s no law on general radio towers. Sticking your camera into ministry of defence sites might get you questioned, but if it can be seen from public it’s fair game. People photograph our secret service buildings In London daily as a tourist attraction.

[@imark7777777]

@@RingwayManchesteryeah the tower I'm referring to is in a state park but it's also on the edge of the park and it's the County tower, 911 and County communications. So I feel it falls under the same in the visible spectrum being that there's only a gate across the road and a fence around the building and tower. I did some work up there for somebody who how should I put this unpolitely gave himself more permissions than he had and got kicked off because he's a "ham radio operator and can do whatever he wants" which includes not making things tidy or informing people that Group was putting an NVIS antenna up there within the fence and if it just shows up it'll stay right.... wrong. Yeah the UK seems a little bit more forgiving about things it's sad in a way how things are going in the US right now, Then again it might just be this town. I was up there on a windy day as there were three of us in the group that were working on cleaning up the place over various days and one of the prospects was to take down some old antennas eventually and in exchange after that was done the group might have access to the tower more than just reusing an antenna for a 2m repeater. And then apparently the county had an inspector go up there and things got complicated.

[@philsharp758]

As ever, an informative video. Please continue to keep away from grassy knolls and open windows. :-)

[@Playerpool]

🎉

[@sonosus]

13:20 I didn't know they used radio for the analogue phone network. Interesting

[@vanpenguin22]

What's with the shredded plastic all over the barbed,wire?

[@Boodieman72]

What did you want to know about the first RX system for aircraft?

[@RWBHere]

That's a Neon lamp.

[@Stainless316L]

ZA760 Low Intensity Obstruction light (Neon)

[@HA05GER]

I never knew Hutchinson had orange before yhe french bought. Now im sure are aware that Hutchinson is now owner of three aka Hutchinson 3g.

[@markharpen7417]

Fantastic Video!

[@pd1jdw630]

Well, I can tell you this. It’s not me. Cause I ain’t going up there.

[@eleypvr7294]

Hello, would it be possible in a future video to talk about smartwater in a little more detail? You spoke about it having to do something with UV light in an older video but i'm still confused as to what it does/is. Have a wonderful day !

[@paulcharlton4788]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SmartWater

[@eleypvr7294]

@@paulcharlton4788 thank you very much

[@burnettmurray209]

The smartwater has a unique code or post-code spec in it that sticks to the body for at least a week. It is difficult to wash off. This is evidence that you have been on site, it shows up in UV light in a darkened room and you better have a good alibi!

[@eleypvr7294]

@@burnettmurray209 thank you very much ! Very well explained

[@nickaxe771]

Isn't Pale Hight and the Kesall that same site Lewis....next to delemere.

[@RingwayManchester]

They’re not the same no they’re a couple of miles apart. Kelsall TX is on waste lane Kelsall Pale heights is the top of delamere forest

[@Djzleite]

wonderful video

[@bob_mosavo]

Thanks 👍

[@markssmith77]

Great video as always, though could I ask when you say 'Police Airwave', is this different to the Airwave I use in my ambulance job? AFAIK it was supposed to be one network for interoperability after 7/7? Cheers

[@RingwayManchester]

It’s exactly the same

[@markssmith77]

@@RingwayManchester Thanks for this, though we have been waiting a few years for the ESN that is supposed to be replacing it!

[@RingwayManchester]

@@markssmith77 you’ve got a long wait yet mark too haha

[@MattyEngland]

​@@markssmith77 Respect to all the ambulance crews out there. Thanks for all you guys do 👍

[@markssmith77]

@@MattyEngland Thank you very much, I'll pass your thanks around!

[@myriaddsystems]

What's all shitty plastic waste caught on the fences? I bet the remainder ended up in the ocean

[@Zadster]

Probably black plastic sheeting farmers used to cover their soil, it forces the weeds through early and warms the soil for the crops. Makes an absolute mess of the countryside in doing so.

[@MM0IMC]

​@@ZadsterI thought it more likely to be bale wrap.

[@alandavidpryce5459]

Tidy camera work, as per usual - I grew up in a newsagents shop near to the Baldock radio transmitter site, all the guys that worked there had very thick horn rimmed glasses and smoked capstan untiped cigarettes

[@Graeme_Lastname]

Always interesting. I'd like to know more about those "stubby" vertical antennas. Things like do they have a broad bandwidth. That's the only reason I can think of for being so 'fat'. 🤔👍🏽🇦🇺

[@TonyLing]

15:12 Is that really LED? It looks like some sort of discharge fitting to me. But I'm no expert.

[@pbsa1979]

anyone else here for DnB at the end?

[@MattyEngland]

Yes yes. 👊 Just enjoyed the latest Dom whiting mix too.

[@itechflagstaff]

Thanks!

[@RingwayManchester]

Thank you so much

[@jesphillips2193]

​@@RingwayManchesterHi Lewis, I was wondering if you could make a video about paging systems as I have been interested in these lately. Not sure if you have already made a video on this

[@StreakyP]

Bear with me on this.. almost cut a grape in half, open it up so it looks like a pair of boobs & put it in a microwave & watch the sparks... It is accidentally the size of a half wave dipole for the oven & damages itself with all the energy it absorbs .. Now 300MHz mil ATC is about 1m wavelength so a half wave is about 50cm ... Now how big is your drone?... If those folded monopoles had been transmitting 1.5kW your drone could have gotten a bit smoky... just something to be careful of.

[@johnnorth9355]

I have got to stop watching these Lewis - I get insane tower and antenna envy !