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Adventures from the Coldest Part of the Cold War

Join Brian Jeffrey on his riveting journey through the DEWLine, from training in Streator to the Arctic wastelands, with plenty of unexpected twists along the way.

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Adventures from the Coldest Part of the Cold War

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  1. Adventures from the Coldest Part of the Cold War Brian Jeffrey – VE3UU

  2. With special thanks to… • Doug Leach – VE3XK • Bill Barrie – VE3AAS • Brian Martin – VE3IX • Marg & Don Heaslip – VE3EQE & VE3NJH • Lorraine Jeffrey – XYL

  3. Notice: The following program deals with mature subject matter and contains scenes of nudity and coarse language. Viewer discretion is advised.

  4. Tonight’s program… • Why we’re here this evening • Non-technical • A series of short vignettes or stories • One person’s experiences on the DEWLine

  5. What is (was) the DEWLine? • DEW = Distant Early Warning Line • Chain of 54 manned early warning radar stations • Built between 1955 and 1957 • Operational in August 1957 • Morphed into the Northern Warning System in 1983 • Decommissioned by 1994

  6. Personal info… • Graduated from Ottawa Technical HS • Licensed as VE3EBF in 1957 • 1957-8: Electronic Materiels International • Hired by Harry Hayes (callsign forgotten) • Supervised by Bob Knapp VE3CDG (SK) • Earned $1.00/hour • Moved to NRC in late 1958

  7. National Research Council… • Earned $2750/Annum ($1.37/hour) • Maintained the first digital computer sold in NA • FERUT (Ferranti + University of Toronto)

  8. Changing Jobs… • My Mother found the advertisement • Federal Electric Corp wanted technicians • Went to Montreal to write their test • Failed! • Read two books on Radar and rewrote the exam • Passed (Either that or they were desperate!) • Had to resign from NRC • Counter offer • Salary increased from $2750/A to $12,000/A

  9. The adventure begins… • Streator Ill for 12 weeks of training • Non-descript town 90 miles south of Chicago • Billeted at the Columbia Hotel • AKA Tiltin Hilton

  10. In the Middle of a Cornfield… • 12 miles outside of town • Hidden away and out of sight • Was the secret training facility • Decommissioned in 1982 • Now a derelict

  11. Northward bound… • Issued with my Arctic gear in Montreal • Departed Dorval July 1960 for Hall Beach, NWT • 12 hour flight in a DC-4

  12. Hall Beach, Fox-Main… • Celebrated my 20th birthday awaiting transport to my first assignment.

  13. Lateral Flights

  14. Arctic Air Travel…

  15. 1st Home: Pelly Bay… • Code name: Cam-4 • 2 Hours west of Hall Beach (FOX Main) • Typical Auxiliary (Aux) Site

  16. Typical Auxiliary (Aux) Site… Station layout Made up of 25,25’ X 16’ modulesplaced side by side.

  17. The Fishing Expedition… Starring: • Tom Billowich • Brian Jeffrey The Scene: • Pleasant Saturday morning

  18. Other Fishing Expeditions…

  19. Shaving Your Teeth… Starring: • Brian Webb • Brian Jeffrey The Scene: • Saturday night in the Arctic

  20. Brian Webb (sober) Brian Jeffrey (also sober)

  21. Typical bedrooms

  22. Movie Time… • Starring • Brian Jeffrey (alone… very alone!) • The Scene • 1:30 AM, Sunday morning • Recreation module • Watching a movie… alone • A movie called “Psycho”

  23. Recreation Module

  24. Christmas at the Real Pelly Bay • Starring • Father Vandeveld, RC priest • 120 Eskimos (extras) • 5 strangers (From CAM-4) • The Scene • Pelly Bay Mission • World’s largest igloo

  25. Building the world’s largest igloo - 1 35-40 ft

  26. Building the world’s largest igloo - 2

  27. Building the world’s largest igloo - 3 35-40 feet in diameter, holding about 120 people

  28. Truly a Christmas to remember.

  29. Christmas at CAM-4…

  30. Missed Bogie (Target)… • Starring: • Tom Billowich • Brian Jeffrey • The Scene: • 4:15 - 4:30 AM • The public address system came alive • All Hell broke loose

  31. CQ Santa Klause… • Starring: • Brian Jeffrey - VE8SK • A load of happy children • The Scene: • December 1960 • CAM-4’s Emergency Radio Room

  32. Emergency Radio Room • Located away from the Electronic Modules • Contained: • Collins 431-B1, one kilowatt transmitter • Collins 51J4 receiver • 3-Element beam • Rotor frozen in winter- antenna aimed south

  33. Escape from the North… • Waited 12 months • Had gained 30 pounds • Bought some “going home” clothes • 3-piece suit for $29.95 from Sears (mail order) • Somewhat “bushy” • Don’t use the “F” word with your Mother! • Returning North via Winnipeg

  34. 12 Hour flight… 10 Hours of Hell

  35. New Assignment • Sucked in to going to an Intermediate Site (I-Site) • Off to Simpson Lake, CAM-D

  36. Moving the Radio Beacon

  37. Typical Intermediate Site (I-Site)… Station layout Staff: 1- Station Chief 1- Radician 1- Mechanic 1- Cook 1- Eskimo

  38. CAM-D Motley Crew…

  39. Working Around the Clock… • Spring time is airlift time (POL supplies) • Flights operated 24 hours a day for weeks

  40. Happy Landings (Not!)…

  41. Replacing a Klystron

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