'Sir,
Dr H Motz, in his article 'Britain Can Lead In Communications' states that microwaves were first used in radar'.
So starts a letter written 50 years ago this year, published in Electronics Weekly's edition of September 21st 1960.
The letter continues:
'In fact, the world's first introduction to microwaves, then known as "micro-rays", took place well over a quarter of a century ago in March 1931 when Standard Telephones and Cables Ltd and their associates Le Materiel Telephonique of Paris, demonstrated telephone and teleprinter links between Dover and Calais.'
'The experimental equipment demonstrated operated on a wavelength of 17.6 cm (1,705 Mc/s) transmitted in a 3-degrees beam from a 3-m parabolic reflector, with a power output of a fraction of a watt.
The experimental equipment was followed in 1934 by the establishment of the first commercial microwave radio service between the civil airports at Lympne in
The letter ends:
'The telephone and telegraph link, supplied and installed by STC and their French associates, was operated jointly by the British and French Air Ministries to speed up transmission of essential traffic messages between the two countries, and it remained in regular operation until after the outbreak of war.
Yours faithfully
J. Read.'
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