UFO UpDates Mailing List
From: Bob <bob.t@mindspring.com> [Bob Tidwell]
Date: Sun, 05 Apr 1998 11:43:12 -0700
Fwd Date: Sun, 05 Apr 1998 14:55:20 -0400
Subject: PHENOMENON Issue # 5
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PHENOMENON
E-Mail Newsletter A Forum for the
# 5 Strangeness Around us
April 5, 1998
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In This Issue
*** Editor's Notes
*** Meet Our MUFON Editor
*** The True Nature of UFO Radar Reports
*** The Alabama Files ~
~ Strangeness in the Governor's Mansion
*** The Lighter Side ~
~ Alien Humor
*** Newsletter Guidelines
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Quote of the Week
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"Two wrongs don't make a right, three lefts make a right."
Found on the inside of a cap, off of a Mistic Fruit Juice bottle.
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Editor's Notes
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Welcome to Issue # 5.
The real estate business is really booming, and this issue of
PHENOMENON was just barely put together in time. So, starting
with the next issue, PHENOMENON will be sent out biweekly instead
of weekly. Hopefully, this will give me more time to insure that
this newsletter maintains it's present quality.
I would also very much like to have your input as to what type of
articles that you would like read about in future newsletters.
You're also welcome to submit articles for publication. They
don't necessarily have to be about UFOs, just anything strange or
unusual.
I hope that you enjoy the articles in this issue. As for now, I
have to find a 3 bedroom, 2 bath with hardwood floors.
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Meet Our MUFON Editor
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HI EVERYONE!
Please allow me a few lines to introduce myself. My name is Nancy
Lawson. I am the Central Alabama State Section Director for MUFON
(Mutual UFO Network) and a Certified Field Investigator with the
same organization. I'm located in
Birmingham, Alabama.
As Bob mentioned before, I am a part of his newsletter staff and
will be writing about Central Alabama MUFON, it's functions,
meetings and investigations, and I'll also keep you updated on
any information pertaining to our international MUFON headquarters.
Perhaps I can even answer any questions you might have
pertaining to MUFON, our operations and our proceedures. You may
direct any pertinent questions or comments to:
Phenomenon Newsletter at bob.t@mindspring.com attention: Nancy
Or you can contact me directly at either:
adian@alonline.com or adian@zebra.net
Now that all the preliminaries are over (whew!!), here we go.
On Sunday, Mar. 29, 1998, at 1:00pm, MUFON Birmingham met for an
enjoyable lunch at the Pioneer Cafeteria in the Roebuck area.
Afterward, at 2:00pm, an informative, interesting meeting at the
same location, was held. Pat Trott, a member of MUFON and "Field
Investigator Trainee", conducted the meeting. (I was in
Huntsville, Al. attending a class). An open discussion was held
on the subject of nano technology --a most interesting and
intriguing subject-- and the striking parallels between what it
predicts or the future and UFOs as physical craft representing
advanced technologies. Those who were "up" on the subject joined
in with the conversation, and those who weren't sat back to learn
all about it. Members and non members all joined into the
discussion the meetings are open to the general public as well).
More information on this fantastic subject can be read in our
March '98 issue of "The Mutual UFO Network UFO Journal", No.359,
available through MUFON at:
International Mufon Headquarters
Att: MUFON UFO Journal
103 Oldtowne Rd.
Seguin, TX, 78155-4099
Tel:(830)379-9216
FAX:(830)372-9439.
After that discussion, the usual "round robin" type discussions
went on as to who might have a sighting to report, who might have
heard of a sighting, and what happened at the Project Awareness
"Gulf Breeze UFO Conference" the preceeding weekend. (Hope
to give a little insight on this subject also in a week or two.
As usual, I was there.) Needless to say, everyone enjoyed the
info, jokes, laughter (which we never omit) and the like-minded
ways of thinking and viewing such a vast, strange subject as the
UFO phenomenon.
On Saturday, Mar. 29, '98, at 5:00pm, I attented the Huntsville,
Alabama MUFON meeting. It too was informative and fun. We
discussed everything from the movie "Men In Black" (most recent
one) to what it would take to show the ETs we're grown up enough
now to communicate with them--NOT destroy them--to crop circles
and what their meaning might be --if there is a meaning-- and
also the many hoaxes surrounding them.
We had a lot of fun and enjoyment with these topics. All
personality types were present, so naturally every viewpoint
imaginable came through. A delightful evening it was.
Now for a little "nugget" of info.
On Monday, March,30,'98, between the hrs. of 9:45pm and 10:30pm,
a "sighting" was reported to Sue Pitts, our Assistant Alabama
State Director for MUFON, in Huntsville, Al. Since the location
of the sighting occurred in the Central Alabama area, Sue called
me with all the info including the names, addresses and phone
numbers of the witnesses.
I met with all known witnesses and received an indepth set of
reports from all envolved. Interestengly, this was not the first
such sighting they had witnessed in the area. They were extremely
courteous and excited over what they had seen. I enjoyed meeting
them as much as I did hearing what they had to say. They were
cooperative and very helpful.
This has turned out to be a very interesting sighting with much
information that I hope to be able to pass on to you readers in
the future. (Of course, all witness names, addresses, and phone
numbers will be withheld from the article).
The sighting occurred in the Warrior River area, near the
communities of Alliance and Oak Grove.
As always, it would be so helpful if any of you in the general
vacinity between Hueytown and the Warrior River, who may have
seen anything on or near the date and time mentioned above, or if
you know of someone who may have, would get in touch with me. A
y and all information will be held in strictest confidence, if
you so choose. (This has always been the policy of MUFON and
it's investigators).
Well folks, I think I've chattered enough. It's been great
sharing info with you and I hope to have much more for you in the
coming months.
Cheerio,
Nancy (aka ADIAN)
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The True Nature of UFO Radar Reports
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While reading a magazine article that contained a UFO report
regarding a sighting in South Carolina, my attention was caught
by a statement that the local Radar Squadron in North Charleston
had verified the UFO's high rate of speed and sudden turns. Ala
m bells immediately went off in my mind. It just so happens, as
things like this do, that I was once stationed at this particular
radar site, and I knew for sure that what I was reading was not
true.
This started me thinking about other radar reports and their
accuracy. I'm presenting the following article in order to give
the average person a better understanding about the TRUE nature
of how radar "looks" at airborne objects, and what kind of useful
information it can give researchers. I'm not talking about the
military's phased arrays and such (some of these units can follow
UFO's accurately), but the older types that NORAD used in the 60s
and 70s, and the older FAA units, most of which are still in use
today.
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First, let's look at a simplified version of the way radar works.
A radar transmitter sends out a very powerful burst of electronic
microwave energy. This burst of energy, called a pulse, travels
through an enclosed conduit, called a waveguide, to a reflector.
The reflector shapes the pulse into a very narrow beam, whi
h is then directed outward, away from the radar site. If this
pulsed beam of directed energy strikes a suitably reflective
object, it then returns back to the reflector, which is now
acting as a collector, down the waveguide to a receiver, and
displayed n a radar scope.
We usually think of the rotating reflector as an antenna, but the
actual antenna is located at the point where the waveguide joins
to the transmitter, sometimes hundreds of feet away. (This
antenna is usually very small, about the size of a short piece of
larger pencil lead) The waveguide keeps the transmitted signal
from radiating out into the air until it reaches the reflector.
The most common reflectors, those that we are used to seeing, are
the ones that look like a large slice of "orange peak" laid
n a horizontal axis, and rotates in a continuous 360
degree circle. This type of reflector shapes the pulsed energy
into a narrow vertical beam that extends from the ground up to a
very high altitude (usually 50 - 100 thousand feet).
[Note: Bear in mind that we are referring to the radar used to
detect aircraft. Other radar units, such as those used on boats,
and weather radar, work on this same principle, except that the
pulsed beams are shaped differently, and/or setup to detect ot
er than solid objects (such as moisture in the air.]
As the vertical pulsed beam is rotated in a circle, portions of
it may bounce off aircraft and back towards the radar site. The
radar scope that is attached to the receiving unit has an
electronic "line" that moves around in a circle, in the same
manner as a hand of a clock. The line corresponds to the
direction that the radar reflector is presently pointing. This
gives the radar operator the bearing, or direction, of the
aircraft from the radar site. The range, or distance, is
determined by the time that the pulse takes to travel outward
from the transmitter and be reflected back to the receiver. This
type of radar is referred to as search radar.
With this simplified concept of radar in mind, lets look at some
common misconceptions we may have concerning radar reports of
UFOs:
One of several things that determines the maximum distance at
which objects can be "seen" with radar, is the speed at which the
radar reflector turns. If it turns too fast the reflector will
have moved too far to properly focus the returning weak pulses
from the most distant objects back into the waveguide, and to the
receiver. Think of the reflector as making a complete circle
about once every 30 seconds or so.
Once the narrow vertical beam intersects with an airborne object,
the reflected pulse travels back to the receiver and is displayed
on the radar screen as a small dot, called a blip. The radar does
not display another blip until the reflector rotates completely
around and intersects the object again. The speed can then be
determined by comparing the distance that the object traveled
between blips. The radar has no idea at all as to what the object
did in between blips.
In other words, this type of radar cannot determine if the
object is making right-angle turns, or even minor maneuvers. It
can only detect where the object is during the brief instant that
the rotating beam reflects off of it. Only a rough guess of the
light path can be made by plotting out the position of several
blips.
Search radar also cannot show the altitude of an object. To
determine altitude you would need a height-finder radar. But how,
you ask, is the altitude of aircraft normally determined? Mounted
on top of the reflector is a narrow horizontal antenna that se
ds out a coded radio signal, also in a beam similar to the radar
pattern. Whenever the radar detects an airborne object, it also
sends out the coded radio transmission, which is picked up by a
special receiver on the aircraft, which then sends coded info
mation back to the radar's radio antenna. The
receiver/transmitter unit on the aircraft is called a
transponder.
The transponder is connected to the aircraft's altimeter, and
sends this information back to the radar site. The transponder
also contains information about the aircraft's flight plan, what
type of aircraft (military, commercial, private, other...), and
ther useful data. But, the transponder data is not displayed on
the radar scope. It's part of a separate transmitting and
receiving system. So how do radar operators manage to keep track
of all this input? This is were radar gets interesting.
NOBODY IS LOOKING AT THE ACTUAL RADAR RETURNS, and haven't been
since the 1960s. It's all handled by computers. There is an
actual radar scope at the receiving site, but it is only used for
maintenance and testing. Someone could be looking at this scope,
but trust me, this get very boring after a while, and anyone at
the site soon learns to ignore this scope. The actual radar
operators are often some distance away, and don't have access to
an actual radar scope. What they are looking at is a computer gen
rated simulation of a combination of the radar and
transponders returns. More on this later. First, lets return to
the radar site where I was stationed in North Charleston.
The UFO report stated that the radar site had been contacted, and
that the UFO had been confirmed by radar. This couldn't be true,
since anyone rarely ever looked at the actual radar scope. Even
if they were, they wouldn't be aware that a UFO was being
displayed among the many blips being displayed on the scope.
(This site was located next to the Charleston Airport and
Charleston AFB, a very busy MAC base during that time period)
The North Charleston Radar site was an Aerospace Defense Command
site that collected and passed along East Coast radar and flight
data to NORAD. If someone had managed to find a correct telephone
number to contact the site, they wouldn't have been given any
sensitive information, even though there wasn't any information
to give. The radar and transponder information were automatically
fed into a computer, which processed the signals and passed them
along to NORAD via a network that was the forerunner of
oday's internet.
[Note: this is where the internet actually started. The Military
had to have a reliable method of getting this sensitive data
across the country from various radar and information gathering
sites via several different pathways. Research facilities and
certain universities were later added to this Government/Military
network, where their employees began using the network for
business and personal applications. As other institutions were
added, this network eventually got out of control of the
Government, resulting in today' World Wide Web.
There are stories that this was all planned by the Shadow
Government as a means of monitoring and controlling future
civilian communications and transactions. One of the stories
states that all e-mail goes through the Pentagon, and is
monitored by special computers for content.]
Let's go back now to how radar data is monitored. After being
processed by computers, the radar and transponder signals are
then displayed on special screens, to be user by radar operators,
now called air traffic controllers. Instead of blips, a different
symbol is displayed on the screen for various types of aircraft.
A military aircraft, for example, would be represented by a star.
Next to the symbol is displayed an aircraft's ID number and the
altitude.
Any airborne object not sending back a transponder signal would
automatically be considered an unknown by the computer and would
immediately issue an alert to NORAD. An interceptor aircraft
would then be dispatched to make a visual sighting. Most of these
intercepts turn out to aircraft with malfunctioning transponders,
but some of the rest are now part of UFO history.
Another benefit of having computers control radar data is that
the computer program can be controlled so as to ignore certain
aircraft. Black Project crafts could fly around at night without
lights and not be "seen" by any air traffic controllers. (How
many times have mysterious craft been seen by civilian and
commercial pilots and not be confirmed by airport radar?)
Aircraft could also be displayed that are not really there. The
president could leave for a claimed destination, only to divert
to another secret location, with air traffic controllers "seeing"
his plane continue on to the original destination. If duplicate
Air Force Ones were used, no one would suspect that the switch
had occurred.
[Note: This reminds me of the recent disappearance of the
President's plane on radar, which was linked to a New Jersey site
being momentarily shutdown for repairs. I fail to see why a site
would be scheduled for shutdown during a presidential flyover,
and if so, why would there be cause for concern if there were two
backup sites as claimed. There is more to this story, and maybe
more information will be leaked about this disappearance.]
Hopefully this has cleared the air a bit concerning UFO radar
reports. Of course, the military has special types of radars that
actually can detect rapid and unusual UFO maneuvers, but
researchers don't have access to these radars. Remember, the ones
that I'm referring to in this article are the older sites still
being used by the FAA, and the now obsolete and shutdown
Aerospace Defense Command sites used in the 60s and 70s. (They
have since been replaced by airborne radars placed atop special
military aircraft)
~~~ Bob ~~~
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The Alabama Files
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Strangeness in the Governor's Mansion
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Alabama's First Lady, Bobbie James, is reported to have ordered
the removable of certain portraits of Confederate War heroes from
the Governor's Mansion. This was after her spiritual advisor
suggested to her that the paintings were possessed. A portrait
of Confederacy President Jefferson Davis was replaced with a
reproduction of the Ten Commandments. For the full story check
out:
http://rogue.northwest.com/~crt/writ/moore05.htm
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The Lighter Side
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Alien Humor
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Two small aliens have landed their saucer beside the local golf
course. One alien turns to the other and says - "see, I told you
that these Earthlings had strange customs. They put on their
ugliest clothes and then they lay their eggs in those small holes
in the middle of the green circles."
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My favorite "Far Side" cartoon depicted a giant saucer that had
landed on the White House lawn, with a long "stairway" extending
down to the ground. Two bug-eyed aliens are staring down at a
third alien that has just tripped and fallen all the way to the
bottom of the stairs. The caption reads - "So much for instilling
them with awe and wonder!"
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Wouldn't it be something if we discovered that the real reason
that the aliens have been here for so long is that they are lost,
and being mostly males, are too stubborn to ask for directions.
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Newsletter Guidelines
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PHENOMENON is a FREE newsletter
To add or remove yourself from our mailing list, please send an
E-Mail to:
bob.t@mindspring.com.
The purpose of this free newsletter is to provide a forum for
information and discussion concerning the strangeness that
surrounds us in our daily lives. Articles, comments and/or
suggestions are welcome.
Articles may include, but are not limited to:
... UFOs & Ghost Lights
... The Paranormal
... New World Order
... Conspiracies
... Time Travel
... Hidden History
... etc...
We welcome:
... Feature Articles
... Analysis, Commentary or Updates
... Your Own Report of Strange Phenomena
All contributions to PHENOMENON E-Mail Newsletter must be in
English.
We reserved the right to edit for language, grammar and space.
Anonymity will be provided if requested.
Segments or single quotes from articles may be reprinted in other
newsletters, bulletin boards or web sites, with permission from
the Editor, as long as credit is given to PHENOMENON E-Mail
Newsletter and, if applies, to the original source.
Thanks
Bob
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(C) Bob Tidwell, 1998
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