How Do They fit the CMB Into those Little Ovens?

[Anomalocaris]

Because microwave ovens weren't little things back in the early 60's when Penzias and Wilson first figured out it wasn't pigeon shit.

When microwave oven was an esoteric and futuristic concept,  the US decided to build a chain of exceptionally large and powerful radars in the Canadian tundra to warn of the approach of any soviet nuclear armed bombers in the event of WWIII.    The crew manning theses radars found the best way to warm up in their frigid and desolate duty post during long arctic winter was go out from their monitoring sheds, climb up into the radar antenna, and stand in front of the transmitting horn at Thebes focus point of the radar antenna.

[popeyespappy]

When microwave oven was an esoteric and futuristic concept,  the US decided to build a chain of exceptionally large and powerful radars in the Canadian tundra to warn of the approach of any soviet nuclear armed bombers in the event of WWIII.    The crew manning theses radars found the best way to warm up in their frigid and desolate duty post during long arctic winter was go out from their monitoring sheds, climb up into the radar antenna, and stand in front of the transmitting horn at Thebes focus point of the radar antenna.

Once upon a time, I was a Nike Hercules Radar Mechanic. One of the Radars I worked on was the AN/MPQ-43/44 High Power Acquisition Radar (HIPAR). The HIPAR had a peak transmit power of about 10 MW. By comparison, the AN/FPS-19 long range search radars deployed on the Dew Line had a peak transmit power of about 1 MW.

By the 80's we knew better than to stand at the focal point with the transmitter energized, but if you cranked the elevation all the way down the HIPAR would light the fluorescent bulbs in the ready building every time it swept it.

[Jackalope]

I didn't work on radar guided ordnance but I was trained on it at Redstone. Yeah, we knew better than to be anywhere near the focus of such radar sets. I expect one could heat a MRE in seconds, if that. We stuck the entrees in the engine compartment of whatever vehicle was handy.

Didn't improve the flavor.

[Succubus]

By the 80's we knew better than to stand at the focal point with the transmitter energized, but if you cranked the elevation all the way down the HIPAR would light the fluorescent bulbs in the ready building every time it swept it.

I sooo want to believe that. But I'm sooo not going to. And I'm sooo not going to Google it in case my suspicions are confirmed.



Your crew members, what were their names?

[popeyespappy]

I sooo want to believe that. But I'm sooo not going to. And I'm sooo not going to Google it in case my suspicions are confirmed.

Fluorescent bulbs being lit by a high frequency radiation source of power during radar research. (Photo by Andreas Feininger/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images)

[Fireball]

Not just RADAR, but CB radios can light up fluorescent lamps if in close vicinity with a 100W linear amplifier.

[popeyespappy]

I didn't work on radar guided ordnance but I was trained on it at Redstone.  Yeah, we knew better than to be anywhere near the focus of such radar sets.  I expect one could heat a MRE in seconds, if that.  

Which system?

Our company has the garbage collection contract at Redstone. The laydown yard, the place they park the trucks and store the extra containers, is on Hipar road.