Sparker's Talk

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RNTE SHOTLEY [HMS GANGES]

The first time that I have seen a sparker's badge on a duck suit, this would have been pre 1927.

Caption reads 'Undated - Boys drawing rations from the Galley.'

This and many more Ganges photos, over 7800, can be found in the Galleries at - https://pbase.com/hms_ganges_museum/pro ... vKfOJJPH7E

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These 2 photos are pre 1927 and are captioned "Portable Wireless Instruction." Source I.W.M.

For those not familar with Ganges the building in the background is the Signal School and in photo 2 one of the Martello towers, signal station and mast can be seen - from there one had a good view of Harwich harbour.

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FOR GANGES BOYS - YOUR HISTORY

See - http://www.godfreydykes.info/GANGES_NAV ... ITORS.html
We already have many of these photos via the IWM on PBase - https://pbase.com/hms_ganges_museum/pro ... vKfOJJPH7E - but not the full explanations.

The latest of which cover the KBR of 1948.
Note the flag above the truck of the training mast, which will be attached below.
BZ Jeff!

Also from a fellow 49er who wrote a great article for the HMS GANGES ASSOCIATION GAZETTE
See - http://www.godfreydykes.info/john_eilbecks_page.htm
RIP John.

I corresponded with him whilst he was in S.A. A real gentleman.

[Pelican]

FOR GANGES BOYS - YOUR HISTORY

See - http://www.godfreydykes.info/GANGES_NAV ... ITORS.html
We already have many of these photos via the IWM on PBase - https://pbase.com/hms_ganges_museum/pro ... vKfOJJPH7E - but not the full explanations.

The latest of which cover the KBR of 1948.
Note the flag above the truck of the training mast, which will be attached below.
BZ Jeff!

Also from a fellow 49er who wrote a great article for the HMS GANGES ASSOCIATION GAZETTE
See - http://www.godfreydykes.info/john_eilbecks_page.htm
RIP John.

I corresponded with him whilst he was in S.A. A real gentleman.

AND

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HMS COLLINGWOOD
HMS Collingwood Heritage Collection Talk

See:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpILOFj ... C2rEeel_Z4
And go to 3.19 minutes.

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Early Days of Telegraphy

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Royal Navy to use satellites to geolocate radio signals

Kleos Space Ltd, a space-powered Radio Frequency Reconnaissance data-as-a-service company, has confirmed that the Royal Navy have signed an evaluation contract for Kleos data.
Under the contract, the Royal Navy will have access to Kleos’ geospatial data product: Guardian Locate for evaluation purposes.

“The product delivers geolocated radio frequency transmissions collected over key areas of interest by Kleos’ satellites to complement existing datasets enhancing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.”

Kleos’ Senior Military Advisor, Air Cdre Pete Round commented, “we welcome the opportunity to work with one of the world’s oldest and greatest blue water Navy’s and look forward to a positive outcome to the evaluation period”.

Kleos’ satellites collect data that is used to detect and geolocate radio frequency transmissions, enhancing the detection of illegal activity, including piracy, drug and people smuggling, border security challenges and illegal fishing.

Its global activity-based data is sold as-a-service to governments and commercial entities, complementing existing commercial datasets.

Source - https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/royal-n ... qbgYaBtHUc

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GOLLY GOSH!

Navy Lookout
Contract awarded for phase 1 of RN’s Maritime Electronic Warfare Programme(MEWP)
£100M contract with Babcock, Elbit & QinetiQ for equipment to provide "simultaneous detection/identification of radio signals over a greater frequency range than currently"
https://gov.uk/government/news/100m-inv ... pabilities
https://twitter.com/NavyLookout/status/ ... 1417333760

P.S. - https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/uk-spen ... YmnzKaGtCs

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It will be interesting to know what the 'experts' think?

A massive antenna in China can use Earth itself to send signals to submarines thousands of miles away

The biggest antenna on the planet is up and running in central China, opening up long-distance communications with submarines as well as civilian applications, according to engineers and scientists involved in the project.

The exact location of the facility has not been revealed but is believed to be somewhere in the Dabie Mountains, a protected natural reserve straddling Hubei, Anhui and Henan provinces.

From space, the antenna, which is formed by a network of cables and pylons much like those in ordinary power lines, would look like a giant cross more than 100 km (62 miles) long and wide.

Continues at - https://www.businessinsider.com/chinese ... &r=US&IR=T

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In order to assist the Editor of F.A.A. BOYS, various volumes I posted the following question on a couple of sites. Can anyone assist further please?

"RO1(G) 5K1 and 6J2".
Can some member please confirm the rate of an RO1[G] in relation to ORD TEL, TEL, LDG TEL Etc.? Assume the other 2 groups are Mess locations on big ships, perhaps carriers?
A pre 1960s Sparker, Ta.

The many responses boil down to the following but none answer 5K1 or 6J2:
I think I'm right in stating that a RO1(G) was a Telegraphist who'd passed for the Ldg Tel rate but had not yet been rated up. In my day that meant you could wear the branch badge with two stars which would then be supplemented with the Killick's badge on the left arm after your B13 was issued and you'd been to the 'Table'.

And:
All I can say, David, is that whereas you remember ‘Sparkers and ‘flag wagers’ , at some point in time (before I joined up in 1966) it was decided to combine them both into the “Radio Operators” branch. You would still have those who used flags and light, which would be RO(T) for tactical. And you would still have those that sat in a nice warm BWO drinking cocoa and wearing slippers. I mean, those who tuned and used the Radio receivers and transmitters, and did the bulk of the Morse CW stuff. They would be RO(G) for “General”.
In fact, new trainees were trained in ALL skills. I mean everything.
They would serve time at sea as a RO(U) “Unspecificed”. Upon return to HMS Mercury, they would undergo a ‘Subspec’ course, wherein the had to achieve a certain proficiency in their chosen path. And they would pass out as an RO(G) or a RO(T). Everyone would be wearing the ‘Sparkers badge’ of ball with wings and a lightning flash through it.
What were the advantages?
Well lots of skills were common to both:-
Typing. Be it on an Olivetti typewriter or a Teleprinter.
Morse. CW at 20 to 30 WPM. Light at 10 WPM
Message handling.
Crypto.
Radio theory.
Etc etc
The ‘Sparkers’ both used radio themselves, and plugged it through to the Ops Room, Bridge, and other positions where other branches used voice radio circuits.
THAT is what a (G) did.

Can anyone add anything useful please?