Station T Operations 1944


APPENDIX B

STATION T
MARCH, 1944
I OPERATIONS

(a) RECEIVING CONDITIONS IN GENERAL

Receiving conditions during the month of March were from fair to good on all frequency bands used by this station. No erratic receiving conditions or phenomena were experienced during this period.

(b) EMPLOYMENT OF MEN AND EQUIPMENT IN DETAIL.
A three man four section watch is maintained at this station. Personnel on watch are assigned as follows:
(1) HF/DF Supervisor, Operator and Search.
(2) HF/DF Operator
(3) IF/DF Operator and IF Search.

All operators are required to rotate watches in the HF/DF house and the IF/DF room. One section is assigned an additional operator; this man is now being reported as a prospective loss and it is expected that he will be transferred soon. In view of his long experience at this station he is assigned as a supervisor of the watch, the other members of this crew are made up of the least experienced personnel on the station, in order to afford them the opportunity be properly indoctrinated in HF/DF practices.
One member of the watch in the Field house operates the teletype, (LL20), maintains the Directive and Bearing Report logs, Measures frequencies and conducts a Search watch on the frequency band assigned this station by Net Control. During the slow periods of a watch search on the assigned frequency band is taken over by the DT Operator and a general search of all bands is conducted by this member of the watch section. Net Control is informed whenever local search uncovers a frequency having any activity, which would be of value to the HF/DF Net. Whenever Operating conditions permit HF/DF operators are required to obtain Check Bearings on known fixed stations, in each of the four quadrants. Check Bearings are obtained throughout the day and night watches as permitted by operating conditions. All Check Bearings are logged and any error out of proportion to what is considered acceptable is reported immediately to the Officer-in-Charge. This procedure is strictly adhered to by all hands, and is considered to be the best means of determining that HF/DF is operating properly and that no alien objects have been introduced in the vicinity of the HF/DF site, which may cause DF errors.
The second member of the HF/DF watch mans the DT equipment on a continuous basis.

APPENDIX B

STATION T
MARCH, 1944
I OPERATIONS

(c) EMPLOYMENT OF MEN AND EQUIPMENT IN DETAIL (Cont’d)
The two Chief Radiomen assigned this activity are assigned the following duties:
(1) 1 CRM assigned Material Duties. (Primary). General Supervision and Training of Personnel. (Secondary)
(2) 1 CRM assigned as General Supervisor of DF Operations and Training of Personnel. (Primary). In Charge of Station Working parties, for Maintenance and Upkeep. (Secondary.)

A program of training has been inaugurated and is progressing favorably. All personnel are required to attend school during off watch periods. School periods are of 2 hours duration and are held daily except on Saturdays an Sundays. Only those members of the station complement coming off the Mid-watch are excused from attending training periods. Instruction is provided by the Officer-in-Charge and the Two Chief Petty Officers attached to this station. There are listed below the subjects being covered in the training program:
(1) KANA Code Practice (Includes Kata Kana).
(2) ORANGE Communications and Procedure.
(3) Elementary D/F Theory.
(4) Plotting and Evaluating D/F Bearings.
(5) COMINST –1944.
(6) Practical Factors for next higher ratings.

In addition to the above all radiomen are enrolled in BUPERS Training Courses for advancement in rating.
Radio Equipment assigned this station is installed at the places indicated and used as noted:
(1) HF/DF House Equipment.
(a) Two RBC receivers used for Search and monitoring Net Control Directives.
(b) RAS Receiver used for Radio Communication with Net Control and standby for Search.
(c) LR-1 Frequency Meter used for measuring enemy frequencies on Directives and station transmitter frequencies.
(d) XAB/HRO, Model DT D/F used on West Coast HF/DF Net.


APPENDIX B

STATION T
MARCH, 1944
I OPERATIONS

(b) EMPLOYMENT OF MEN AND EQUIPMENT IN DETAIL (Cont’d)
The IF/DF equipments of the Twelfth Naval District are in a continuous distress Organization. The District IF/DF net is comprised of two RDF groups, Pt. St. George is a member of Group Two of this Organization.
The following radio guards are maintained at this station in the IF/DF room:
(1) 500 Kcs – Continuous (Split Phone (D/F receiver)
(2) 250-500 Kcs – Continuous Search (Split phone)
(3) 375-Kcs – Continuous (Loud speaker)

Communications are conducted on 375 Kcs with Group Two control, and only traffic pertaining to IF/DF operations is transmitted on this frequency.
*Whenever an SOS or SSS is heard by this station all other functions in the IF/DF room are curtailed and bearings are obtained on the station in distress. The station watch quarters and station bill provides that the following action be taken upon receipt of a distress alert, or report of a distress situation.
(1) Notify the O-in-C
(2) *Fully man the IF/DF facilities.
(3) Serve as Distress traffic or intercept station as required by the current situation.
(4) Call the Standby Watch.
(5) Transmit all distress traffic and DF bearings to Radio SanFrancisco (OP precedence) as provided by existing instructions.
(6) Make appropriate log entries to indicate compliance with existing instructions.

The IF/DF stations of the District are also made available to the Commander Western Sea Frontier whenever this command desires to deliver directives to the RDF stations of the District for tracking purposes. Bearings are also furnished to Aircraft of the Air Task Group, Northern Sector, Western Sea Frontier. Naval Air Station, Alameda, guards 375 Kcs and delivers directives to the IF/DF net when bearings are desired. Strategic IF/DF tracking is carried on by the Direction Finder groups in the 250 to 500 Kcs frequency spectrum. Bearings are obtained on all transmissions other than those of fixed known shore stations. Bearings obtained are delivered to Group Two control for delivery to proper authorities concerned.

APPENDIX B 

STATION T
MARCH, 1944
I OPERATIONS

(b) EMPLOYMENT OF MEN AND EQUIPMENT IN DETAIL (Cont’d)
(2) IF/DF ROOM EQUIPMENT
(A) DP-4 IF/DF equipment used for Distress, Navigational and Strategic purposes as provided in District Orders.
(B) RAL-RAK receiving unit used to guard 375 Kcs and 250 to 500 Kcs Search.
(C) RAS receiver used as standby of 500 Kcs and 250 to 500 Kcs Search standby.
(D) RBG-2 receiver used for training purposes. (Copying Kana Broadcast Stations and Circuits)>

(3) RADAR House
(a) 2 Model YJ Racons used for fixing positions of challenging units. 
(b) 1 Model YH Racon (same as above), Out of operation at present.

(c) ABNORMAL INTERFERENCE
No abnormal interference of any kind was noted at this station during the month of March 1944.
(d) HIGH AND LOW FREQUENCY FADING PERIODS
Due to the nature of HF/DF Operations no high and low frequency fading periods were noted.
(e) MISCELLANEOUS
Lease Line Service during the month was very good. Power facilities functioned satisfactorily.