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CYPHER/CAT A
IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NO 851
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
5 NOVEMBER 1969
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PROPOSED BEACON HILL RADAR STATION.
22)
YOUR SAVING DESPATCH 489 OF 8 AUGUST 1968 CONVEYED APPROVAL FOR A · RADAR STATION SITE AT BEACON HILL, SUBJECT TO AGREEMENT BEING REACHED
WITH THE SERVICES ON THE BEACON HILL SITE AND PROVIDED THAT INTER-
FERENCE WAS NOT CAUSED TO THE CABLE AND WIRELESS EARTH STATION. AS A
RESULT OF SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION IN HONG KONG CONCERNING THE AVOID-
ANCE OF UNACCEPTABLE MUTUAL INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE PROPOSED RADAR
STATION AT BEACON HILL AND THE TAI MO SHAN RADAR, ROYAL AIR FORCE HONG KONG ASKED MOD(AIR) TO ARRANGE FOR TECHNICAL EXAMINATION OF INTERFERENCE PROBLEMS TO BE CARRIED OUT BY HEADQUARTERS 90 (SIGNALS)
GROUP ROYAL AIR FORCE.
2. NOTWITHSTANDING YOUR TELEGRAM 402 OF 17 JUNE 1969, IT IS APPARENT
THAT FINAL CLEARANCE HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN BY MOD, SINCE WE HAVE
RECENTLY BEEN ADVISED THAT THE EXAMINATION REFERRED TO HAS NOT BEEN
COMPLETED AND CANNOT BE COMPLETED BEFORE THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY 1970
AT THE EARLIEST ON ACCOUNT OF HIGHER PRIORITIES.
3. IT IS HOWEVER NOW URGENT THAT A FINAL DECISION IS REACHED AS SOON
AS POSSIBLE AND I SHALL BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WILL SEEK THE HIGHEST
POSSIBLE PRIORITY FOR COMPLETION OF THE EXAMINATION BY 90 SIGNALS GROUP. AS YOU ARE AWARE FROM MY SAVING 197 IN CR.13/951/68 ADDRESSED
TO YOU, I HAVE APPLIED FOR A GRANT FROM THE COLONIAL DEVELOPMENT
AND WELFARE FUND FOR THIS EQUIPMENT. I HAD HOPED TO HAVE RECEIVED A
REPLY TO THIS REQUEST BY NOW SO THAT THE EQUIPMENT DETAILS COULD BE
FINALISED AND AN ORDER PLACED. AS IN THE EVENT THIS HAS NOT BEEN
POSSIBLE, I AM NOW IN THE POSITION OF HAVING TO COMMIT MYSELF TO SPECIFIC EQUIPMENT IN ORDER THAT 90 SIGNALS GROUP RAF MAY BE IN
POSSESSION OF ALL THE FACTS TO ENABLE THEM TO COMPLETE THEIR SURVEY.
HOWEVER IT IS I THINK POSSIBLE THAT I MAY THEREBY PREJUDICE MY
APPLICATION FOR A GRANT. FURTHERMORE IN ORDER THAT THE PROSPECTIVE
SUPPLIERS OF THE NEW EQUIPMENT CAN DESIGN THE ACCESSORIES TO
MINIMISE THE INTERFERENCE IT IS NECESSARY FOR A DECISION ON THE MAIN
EQUIPMENT TO DE CONVEYED TO THEM. THE EQUIPMENT WHICH IS NOW
PROPOSED FOR BEACON HILL IS AN ATCR 4T WHICH IS A PRODUCT OF
SELENIA INDUSTRIE ELETTRONICHE ASSOCAATE S.P.A.
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4. ALREADY THE EARLIEST THAT THIS EQUIPMENT COULD NOW BE IN
OPERATION IS MARCH 1971. FURTHER DELAY BEYOND THAT DATE WILL CAUSE
INCREASING DIFFICULTY IN HANDLING THE CONSTANTLY GROWING NUMBER OF
/CIVIL AND MILITARY.
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