Thsi is the page for Tidbinbilla stories.
Here’s a start –
From Lance Peters (Tidbinbilla 1965/66 and 67/70 and Honeysuckle 1970)
DC-3 experiements
Experiments were conducted where a DC 3 of the RAAF was used to try and fly through the main beam whilst tracking Mariner 4 to see if there was any impact on the received signal.
An S-band test transmitter was fitted to the aircraft with a very small yagi antenna. This was tracked with the acquisition antenna to try and get the aircraft through the main beam.
A bulls-eye was painted on cardboard and fitted on the dish surface around the main feed.
The navigator stood on his seat and called the pilot onto the target visually. There were a few successful passes and it was decided that there wasn’t any impact on the signal. This went on for a couple of days.
I flew in the aircraft to turn the S-band signal on and off. I still have the RAAF souvenir headset.
Cigarette commenrcial
A TV/Theatre commercial for Marlboro cigarettes was shot at TID. We all had to join Actors Equity and the cost of membership was taken out of our pay check from the cigarette company. The thing was that most of the people in the commercial were non-smokers.
More stories to come!