Link Room V .. ASV2

Update from the Link Room – ASV2 ……

In 1936 with Chain Home radar experiments progressing Dr E G Bowen was given the task of developing Airborne Radar. With CH using 350 ft mast and many kilowatts of power it was a daunting task. A higher frequency would allow much smaller aerials, and it soon became clear that around 200 Mc/sec (11/2 Metres) was the highest frequency at which available valves would generate sufficient power. In addition, simple rod aerials could be used, similar to the old-fashioned TV.

As it developed ASV was given two aerial systems, Search and Homing.

Search The search mode used a transmitting aerial on top of the aircraft and used receiving aerials along the fuselage looking sideways giving a discovery range of 8 miles on a surfaced submarine and approximately 20 miles on a surface vessel such as a destroyer. Hence search patrols swept tracks 16 miles apart and if returning after about an hour forced any submarine to dive and probably remained submerged.

Homing The homing aerials, both transmitting and receiving were mounted on the nose of an aircraft which used these aerials looking ahead to discover and home in on targets for the attack.

ASV2 was probably the most widely produced radar of WW2 being also built in America and copied in Germany from captured sets.

We have both the Receiver and Display unit on show (photos below).