Well done Adam for finding an actual WW2 site! Radar in SA has a fascinating history but little is known because of the secrecy attached to it. None other than Jan Smuts got involved from the early days, realising the importance of this new (at the time) technology that promised to be a game changer. It was at his insistence that Dr, Schonland of Wits University developed a functional radar set which after further improvements was later successfully deployed to East Africa. Amazing to think that SA had operational radar before the US! Smuts was instrumental in the creation of the SSS (Special Signals Services), an independent branch of the SA military. Consisting mostly of women, the SSS operated their JB (for Johannesburg) -series sets on the mountain tops surrounding Cape Town. The JBs were later supplemented by more advanced units from the UK when these became available. Post-war further development was done by the CSIR (and others) resulting in many successful concepts and other related products - think speed gun, CAT scan....

My father built and worked those old radars in the war. He was a civil engineer with really bad eyes, so no good for active service, unlike his 3 brothers. He retired to a house directly below the radar station at Slangkop, Kommetjie. I went up the old donkey path to that radar station often. Starts at the fire break just before the lighthouse.

@mogamedfakier3592

5 ай бұрын

That's probably the one I'm talking about thanks for sharing

On top of Karbonkelberg there is another radar station. You can walk up from Hout Bay. According to rumours, it was the first radar station in the Southern Hemisphere. I was there a few years ago and it was in the same state as this one.

That tiled room used to be a large battery room, old style lead acid large capacity batteries !

@AdamSpiresWannabeVlogger

5 ай бұрын

No way!!! Makes total sense with all the holes for wires!!! Thanks for that!

You are great .I am an Afrikaner and really proud of my country's infrastructure .Imagine transporting the building material in the day ."Nouse dae bly ek beneuk vir elektrisiteit en plaaslike regering betaal "😂

“… except these towers worked!” 😂😂😂

This is too cool!! Please explore other provinces too, history element is so interesting

I think there's another one on the mountain above Kommetjie/ Ocean View I was there once and didn't know what to make of it,would be cool if you guys checked it out thanks for sharing I really enjoy your vids

@Galactic-Jack1978

5 ай бұрын

The last time there was a fire on the mountain near red hill it exposed another old installation on the ridge behind that big 9.2inch gun - the building was in surprisingly good condition. I guess that's the only perk of these horrible mountain fires is that it often exposes long forgotten structures.

@georgebence5662

Ай бұрын

I used to collect old shot bullets at that one. (I am guessing they were from the officers that stayed in the building). almost 30 years ago now hmmm

you should do metal detecting there imagine what you will find.

An early ADM (Advanced Development Model) of the type of radar used was on display at the upper station of the funicular at Cape Point.

@AdamSpiresWannabeVlogger

5 ай бұрын

History is insane!

Hi Adam, where did you find the map of all the old radar stations? I'm keen to record these sites from a drone - at least those outside of SA parks areas.

@AdamSpiresWannabeVlogger

5 ай бұрын

I saw it on Google maps, but I knew there were radar stations in that area so went to explore. :) It's just above Klienmond.

@BobyourUncle

5 ай бұрын

Here's a list of WW2 chain oversea low radar stations from the book "Sweeping circles in the sky" a history of SA radar by Maj-Gen TGE Cockbain: 1) Mount Tabor 27deg 00min S 32deg 46min E, 2) Mainhlami 0deg 55min S 31deg 52min E, 3) Amanzimtoti 30deg 01min S 30deg 55min E, 4) Cape Hermes 31deg 38min S 29deg 35min E, 4) Overton 33deg 06min S 27deg 47min E, 5) Seaview 22deg 59min S 25 deg 23min E, 5) Silversands 34deg 21minS 18deg 49min E 6)Yserfontein 33deg 21min S 18deg 09min E. There are a few more locations listed without coordinates so if you're really interested try and get hold of a copy of the book. Have fun! :)

@Galactic-Jack1978

5 ай бұрын

@@BobyourUncle cool, thanx very much for the info.

Sick!

@nicoarnold2200

5 ай бұрын

Pretty healthy I would say 🙂

I hiked up Table Mountain a while back for the 1st time and my I’m glad I did. Majestic up there. Got my hike on my KZread channel. Come discover St Francis bay sometime

Excellent. I just dont know where in CPT you were

@AdamSpiresWannabeVlogger

5 ай бұрын

Its just above Klienmond!

@Deontjie

5 ай бұрын

Just go to Google Earth, activate the photo layer. Then find the photos that starts with *D,* or *Deontjie.* Especially in the Kogel Bay mountains.

Close to Langebaan. I think they also used it to intercept transmissions from Angola during the bush war. Thats what I was told. Not really 100% sure

@AdamSpiresWannabeVlogger

5 ай бұрын

Yes, there was also one in Yzerfontien!

@stevewayne1359

5 ай бұрын

Unlikely. By the time the bush war was going, we had the same radar that NATO would get. We also had the satellite radar stations at 1SRS Mariepskop, 2SRS Ellisras, 3SRS Mafeking, 70 MRU (Mobile Radar based in Petersburg but deployed to required locations in the combat zones) and the main radar command centre at Devon called NADS (NORTHERN AIR DEFENCE SECTOR). The command centre was a nuclear bombproof facility located 13 stories underground). From Ellisras we could "see" into the Indian Ocean and the Southern part of Angola. Today, NADS Devon is a prison, 1SRS Mariepskop is abandoned and totally derelict, 2SRS Ellisras (Domestic base Inside the town) is used by the SAPS and the radar station on the mountains outside the town was abandoned for years but appears to have been recommissioned. 3SRS was abandoned and demolished apparently, with no traces of it's existence remaining. The equipment from 70 MRU was at one stage setup at the Snake Valley AFB but I don't know what happened to it or the present state of the SADF radar "capabilities".

Dude found a thing on a map, claims to have discovered it. Also i didnt watch this video

@luciatheron1621

Ай бұрын

Discovered for himself and shared it. 😊