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Directorate of Telecommunications
PUBLICATIONS
By: Steven R Cole
Here you will find a number of publications which the Directorate generated over the years and will give an interesting insight to the function and breadth of the organisation. They represent a tiny fraction of what was published over the years, so spend a while browsing through the archives.
In September 2014 this section was substantially reworked through necessity to simplify site maintenance and hopefully improve user experience. Previously, when established in 2004 many visitors to this site were still using low-speed dial-up and so all documents had been scanned at lower resolution and displayed as gallery album images. Current high speed broadband now enables documents to be downloaded quickly so the galleries have been phased out. Where time permits I may rescan in higher resolution and replace some of the documents, such as the Intercom Magazines.
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1. ANNUAL REVIEWS
 The only copies I have to hand are for the period 1989-1991 and cover the name change from the 'Directorate of Telecommunications' to DTELS. As with any organisation, the purpose of these reviews were to give a statement of how the business had faired during the previous twelve month period and what the management objectives were going forward.
If anyone has copies for other years, could they please get in touch with me via the feedback route.
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2. CAREERS
 During its fifty-five year existence the Directorate recruited staff by various means, often through advertisements in national or regional papers covering the area where the vacancies existed. Sometimes, it would mount stands at recruitment or exhibition events that required additional careers information being published to hand out to persons interested in joining the organisation.
One such example is the six page A5 brochure in the following image gallery that was published in 1979. It was prepared by the Central Office of Information and Printed in England by Her Majesty's Stationery Office.
Recruitment Video (posted 17/12/2008)
During the 1980’s the WARC changeout programme in particular brought about a need to recruit additional staff to meet regional and centralised staffing needs. It is thought that around the middle of that decade the Directorate commissioned an outside agency to produce a recruitment video for presumably showing at career days, seminars and exhibitions.
The video was digitised from an original VHS tape with a protective box marked CFL VISION Chalfont Grove, Gerrards Cross, Bucks. SL9 8TN
Credit
Clive Wankling for digitising the original VHS tape and including his personal comment that from memory the young lady in the video is an actress and the men were staff from London Region or Central Communications Establishment (CCE) Harrow.
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3. EXHIBITION 1971
 Information used in this section are articles drawn from a set of papers produced by the Directorate in 1971 for an exhibition held at Leicester University.
The comprehensive set of papers were intended to provide visiting members of the Police and Fire Services with a record of the talks and topics of then current interest and importance.
- Alarms by Carrier - by S.W Calkin
- AM, FM and All That - a note on modulation/ demodulation systems with a few thoughts on possible developments of requirements and techniques by N Morley CEng, FIEE, FIERE
- Communications Control System for a Central Computer - by P.P.H Smith
CEng, MIEE
- Developing Pattern of Mobile Communications - by E.W Crompton CEng,
MIEE, MIERE
- Emergency Communications - by D.S. Oldnall
- Facsimile Systems - a review of recent and current work in the field by R.E. Glaysher
- Forward Planning “The Importance of Clarifying” - operational requirements by J.L Brook Fire Liasion Officer
- Mobile Radio Services - development of mobile radio services by H.L Collins
- Mobile Teleprinters - by E.B Thomson Grad IERE
- Nickel Cadium Batteries - a survey by A.N. Holdstock
- Old Hat or Food For Thought - general aspects of ground mobile communications systems by J.P Titheradge CEng MIERE
- Personal Radio Systems - by R.G Barrell
- Phase Sensitive Communications Systems (Engineering and Maintenance) - by A.N Holdstock
- Provision of Police and Fire Service Communications Facilities - allied engineering services by G.R.K Richards MA CEng MIMechE
- Police Communications Control Complex - by H Woodmansey
- Post Office '999' Emergency Service - by S.W. Calkin
- Radio Alert System - a modern method of alerting retained fireman by B.J. O'Rouke
- Radio Area Coverage Part 1 - by G.J Mewett CEng MIEE
- Radio Area Coverage Part 2 - by R.G. Barrell
- Speedmeters - by E.B. Thomson
- Telegraph Message Switching - the south east pilot installation by R.E. Glaysher
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4. GUIDANCE NOTES
Guidance notes covering a range of topics were written and published by the Directorate for distribution to personnel who were involved with engineering projects. As far as I am aware, the purpose of these documents was to provide Directorate or Customer personnel undertaking related projects with a source of pertinent technical information.
The documents listed below represent a tiny fraction of what was published over the years and hopefully give an insight to the scope and depth of topics covered.
WARC Aerial
 This document set out general principles of aerial engineering to be used as guidance when planning aerial systems at hilltop sites during the WARC changeout programme.
It was issued in April 1984 by the Radio Mast Design Team, which was then part of the MR4 Group based at Horseferry House London.
Background Information from Peter Bridgeman
“Part of the WARC project was to develop antenna arrays for the new band and one novel design was the turnstile.
There was much development involved, the designs and the turnstile came about because of a haunting seed that Dick Harris (the amateur-cum-professional) planted. He was convinced you could do clever things with hybrids and he used to badger me up at CCE on every opportunity.
After plenty of digging we found a device called the "Butler" matrix and when this gadget was used with a vertical turnstile it was able to combine three VHF main transmitters without loss. They then all had equal priority at the mast top.
The first turnstile antenna had to be tested of course, and the photo (very touched up) shows Charlie Sinclair (Foreman rigger) and Barry Trevors (charge hand) struggling valiantly to rig the very first stacked antenna on the mast at Cheveley Depot.
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MR4 Group Structure as of 1983
The diagram above shows the structure of the Radio Mast Design Team when it was set up by Steven Temple around 1983. I was the team leader and Brian Hill, Lawrie Atkinson and Tony Armstrong planned coverage areas together with the WARC planners. We collectively reported to Pat Tomlinson.
The idea was to supply Field Services with Technical Engineering Requirements and the bits and then they did the rigging. This is where the aerial and ancillaries document came in, it was a vehicle to explain all matters technical to the installers etc. Actually, the antenna design project originated with Paul Smith and Bruce Thompson back in 1974 ... I remember it all well ... as does Bruce”.
Credit
Peter Bridgeman for the supporting text in blue above.
WARC Equipments
This document provided Directorate staff with technical overview and descriptions of the major items of mobiles and fixed equipments that formed part of the WARC changeout programme. The document, which was issued in March 1986 by the Field Services Maintenance Planning Unit located at Weyhill, Hampshire, also contained an overview of the responsibilities and structure of FSMPU.
I believe the document was still being used as a source of reference by engineers involved with Public Safety communications almost 19 years later!
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