https://declassified.library.utoronto.ca/files/original/4cd8cd8dcca25fc1ce4ead59d10020ee.pdf c15a857e7c45d9f812445673b94bc763 PDF Text Text Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur /'acces a /'information *v*V T5 DD/2929 fc^L.<2U The Diplomatic Wireless Service, FOREIGN OFFICE, S.W. 1. August 2, 1962 The following represents our interpretation of the discussions which took place in Ottawa between July 18 and July 20 regarding the introduction of STRAD to the Canadian terminal of the Hydra circuit. We understand that the decision to close down the Hydra terminal at Leitrim arose mainly from a desire to "harden" the signals centre in order that it could continue to function during and after a thermo-nuclear attack. The decision to use STRAD was dictated by the limitations of space available both for equipment and accommodation in the "Hardened" site. There is insufficient space available to house either the torn tape equipment from Leitrim or the staff required to operate this system. You estimate that STRAD will come into service on Hydra in September 1963 and that there will be a saving of approximately 50 in your operating staff once the change over has been completed. PROCEDURE Your officers explained that only marginal alterations would be required in the message headings, the changes would consist of a new first line group to alert STRAD, and a security indicator. All other, routing indicators etc. , would continue exactly as on the Hydra traffic as it now operates. In addition, a special end of message sign would have to be included at the end of each telegram. I am not, in this paper, attempting to spell out the precise signs that would be used since it is obvious that the actual requirements would have to be specified in a Procedure document prepared by your people. MESSAGE PRECEDENCE The proportion of high precedence traffic as handled on the Hydra circuits would seem likely to introduce a number of problems when transferred to STRAD. This was aggravated by the fact that STRAD automatically produces to the Supervisor copies of all messages graded Operational Immediate and above. Your officers made a suggestion that whilst continuing to use the same description of precedence, namely, Routine, Priority, Operational Immediate, Emergency and Flash, that we should in fact down grade each one of these in order to include the pro sign for the Deferred Grading. This would have the effect that the only types of Hydra traffic which would be produced to the Supervisor by STRAD would / be those . Colonel P. D. Smith, Director of the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals, Department of National Defence, Army H. Q. , OTTAWA, 4. Canada. y^^rf -cr"000343 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a /'information li • '••',' K * • >' T *M* 2929 j Vt^^^y /2 be those graded E m e r g e n c y and F l a s h . This p r o p o s a l was made owing to the high p e r c e n t a g e of p r e c e d e n c e traffic handled on the Hydra c i r c u i t s which would have a tendency to flood the S u p e r v i s o r ' s position with a resulting back-log. Your officers made it quite c l e a r that although the production of the traffic to the S u p e r v i s o r would be delayed this would not in any way delay the onward t r a n s m i s s i o n of the traffic through STRAD. Whilst it i s unlikely that this delay would have caused u s any concern on the Hydra link it would unfortunately a l s o introduce delays into the Military c i r c u i t s operating through the other p a r t s of the STRAD installation. This we understood was unacceptable to your people. We w e r e obliged to explain that we could not accept any down grading of m e s s a g e p r e c e d e n c e s used on our traffic since these were d e t e r m i n e d by the o r i g i n a t o r s and dictated entirely by the m e s s a g e content. We could not a g r e e to any down grading in this r e s p e c t nor could we indeed give an undertaking that t h e r e would be any reduction in traffic of this type. Your people undertook to take another look at STRAD with a view to ascertaining whether it would be p o s s i b l e to a r r a n g e for it to produce to the S u p e r v i s o r only those m e s s a g e s on the Hydra circuit graded E m e r g e n c y and above, whilst at the s a m e t i m e leaving the p a r t of the equipment handling the Military traffic connected in such a way that it continued to produce to the Supervising position all traffic graded Operational I m m e d i a t e and above. We await further information from you on this point. During our d i s c u s s i o n s on the introduction of STRAD and T following our own investigations of the s y s t e m , we all a g r e e d that satisfactory operation of STRAD could not even begin u n l e s s we could e n s u r e that the routing indicators were c o r r e c t l y received. In o r d e r to do this E. D. C. equipment would become e s s e n t i a l . Whilst we have some r e s e r v a t i o n s r e g a r d i n g the use of E. D, C. equipment, we undertook to look into the m a t t e r with p a r t i c u l a r r e f e r e n c e to the additional financial c o m m i t m e n t which would fall on the F o r e i g n Office in o r d e r to p u r c h a s e equipment, the r e q u i r e m e n t for which r e s u l t s entirely from the introduction of STRAD. It was a g r e e d that the NSA/GCHQ traffic would be handled outside of STRAD and t h e r e f o r e does not r e p r e s e n t any p a r t i c u l a r p r o b l e m . ALERTS TRAFFIC Bearing in mind our t r i p a r t i t e c o m m i t m e n t for the rapid handling of A l e r t s traffic, we had a number of r e s e r v a t i o n s regarding its working through the STRAD equipment. V a r i o u s types of warning s y s t e m s whereby the S u p e r v i s o r might be warned before any signal e n t e r e d STRAD were d i s c u s s e d . The possibility of some form of automatic warning which would enable d i r e c t connection to be e s t a b l i s h e d with all t h r e e u s e r s was examined. We all a g r e e d that some m e a n s of making c e r t a i n that no A l e r t s m e s s a g e was delayed or p e r h a p s tangled up in STRAD was e s s e n t i a l . Your people suggested that a "black box" might be introduced which would have the effect of a l e r t i n g the Supervisor over and above the n o r m a l a l a r m system i n c o r p o r a t e d in STRAD which b e c o m e s active on r e c e i p t of a F l a s h m e s s a g e . Robin suggested that a device known a s "Mabel" might be introduced which would have the same effect. If "Mabel" suitably modified for the Hydra c i r c u i t s could be made this might be capable of producing a warning signal which could be sent over the existing c i r c u i t s without i n t e r r u p t i o n of traffic. / T h e traffic . . . 000344 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur faeces a {'information e * £'W2929 \ ^ m / /3. The traffic being only i n t e r r u p t e d during the actual t r a n s m i s s i o n of the A l e r t s signal. We all a g r e e d that t h i s m a t t e r m e r i t e d further consideration and Lt. Col. Scott undertook to investigate the possibility of a "black box" and Robin undertook to take another look at " M a b e l " with a view to seeing what could be done to modify the equipment for this p u r p o s e . PICCOLO TESTS You kindly undertook to help u s with our t e s t s of the Piccolo equipment which a r e due to commence in about a month or so. We explained that your testing of Piccolo would form p a r t of a r a t h e r wider s e r i e s of t e s t s , the r e s u l t s from which would d e t e r m i n e whether and to what extent we should introduce this s y s t e m to the D. W. S. c i r c u i t s . We would like to send out an Engineer with the equipment and we would suggest leaving him with you for the first month of the t e s t period. The whole period to l a s t some t h r e e to six months. We had some fairly detailed d i s c u s s i o n s on the Piccolo s y s t e m of signalling, the introduction of which would not complicate the STRAD i s s u e . Robin suggested that it might be possible to produce something like a six channel Piccolo which if used on a long wave c i r c u i t would go a long way to i m p r o v e the reliability of Hydra, LONG WAVE TRANSMISSIONS Long wave t r a n s m i s s i o n s , t h e i r advantages and t h e i r d i s a d v a n t a g e s , w e r e d i s c u s s e d in some detail. Robin was a strong advocate for the introduction of long wave since it was his opinion that it would provide a much l e s s vulnerable c i r c u i t than that at p r e s e n t provided by either the cable or the short wave Hydra c i r c u i t . He considered that an investment in long wave equipment would s e e m likely to be much m o r e profitable than the h i r i n g of further p a i r s in the T r a n s a t l a n t i c c a b l e s . This was based entirely on his f e a r s that the cables might be i n t e r r u p t e d in the event of or immediately p r i o r to a r e a l e m e r g e n c y . We undertook to let you have some idea of the cost of the equipment and a l s o an a s s e s s m e n t of the relative m e r i t s of long wave v i s - a - v i s c a b l e s . EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM The system of a r e a calling a s at p r e s e n t used by the D. W. S. was d e s c r i b e d and we explained that we w e r e actively engaged in modifying this s y s t e m in o r d e r to provide a method of making contact with the r e m n a n t s of D. W. S. following a n u c l e a r attack. The b a s i s of this s y s t e m i s that all surviving stations of the network would listen to c e r t a i n fixed frequencies at fixed p e r i o d s throughout the 24 h o u r s . Any station wishing to contact would call on the a p p r o p r i a t e frequency with previously allocated call signs and any D. W. S. station hearing this call would reply. It will be seen from this brief explanation that by this method any two o r m o r e stations within range should eventually establish a contact. We suggested that it would be to our mutual advantage if your signals c e n t r e could come into this e m e r g e n c y network, bearing in mind its limitations and the fact that it would be operated on hand m o r s e . Your people showed g r e a t i n t e r e s t and we undertook to send out the full detailed scheme when it is complete. To s u m m a r i s e the position c r e a t e d by the introduction of STRAD into the Hydra network (1) NSA/GCHQ traffic will be outside STRAD. (2) The need for special steps to be taken to warn the STRAD S u p e r v i s o r of the existence of an A l e r t m e s s a g e was recognised by both /sides. IT' 000345 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur /'acces a /'information 'X /4. , * ;.. j / 2 9 2 9 s i d e s . We both undertook to take another look at this p r o b l e m . (3) Procedure We a g r e e d that the changes to p r o c e d u r e were m a r g i n a l and saw no g r e a t difficulty in t h e i r introduction. (4) High P r e c e d e n c e traffic We had some difference of opinion h e r e a s we could not a g r e e to any lowering of the p r e c e d e n c e signals on the traffic for which we a r e r e s p o n s i b l e . Your officers undertook to look into the limitations in this respect with p a r t i c u l a r r e f e r e n c e a s to whether STRAD could be made to o p e r a t e at a c e r t a i n level for Hydra traffic and at a different level for Military traffic. (5) We recognised that STRAD could not o p e r a t e effectively unless E . D. C. was introduced to the Hydra c i r c u i t s . We explained that it will be n e c e s s a r y for this r e q u i r e m e n t to be further examined by the F o r e i g n Office. (6) You a g r e e d to join us infesting of the Piccolo system. (7) Robin undertook to examine the possibility of producing a six way Piccolo and a l s o an e s t i m a t e as to the cost of suitable long wave equipment. We also undertook to investigate the relative m e r i t s and reliability of long wave and c a b l e s . (8) You were i n t e r e s t e d in our p r o p o s a l s for an e m e r g e n c y s y s t e m and we undertook to send you a complete scheme as soon as it c o m e s available. Both Robin and I found o u r brief v i s i t to Ottawa most i n t e r e s t i n g and we a r e indeed grateful to you and your staff for the time they spent in d i s c u s s i n g our p r o b l e m s and also in taking us around to see your v a r i o u s establishments. We also v e r y much a p p r e c i a t e d and would like to thank you all for the social activities which we enjoyed. P e r h a p s you would be good enough to let me know if you a g r e e with this l e t t e r which we can then use a s a r e c o r d of our m e e t i n g s . I a m sure you will understand that this l e t t e r i s not intended in any way to indicate a g r e e m e n t or acceptance of the p r o p o s a l s which will have to form the subject of official c o r r e s p o n d e n c e between the F o r e i g n Office and the Canadian Department of E x t e r n a l Affairs. You will of c o u r s e r e a l i s e that we cannot d i s c u s s the m a t t e r formally in the F o r e i g n Office until we have reached / agreement 000346 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur faeces a {'information M /5. DD/2929 a g r e e m e n t on what exactly took place at the m e e t i n g s . Thanking you once again. •i^u—, Si^st*^Xy\ , (W. J. Sharpe) •J7~? 000347 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Hydra Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context HY00310 Title A name given to the resource [STRAD HYDRA Introduction] Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 08/02/1962 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Fixed Communications - Hydra Telegraph Relay System - Relocation of Hydra - Plans and Policy, RG24, S-2723-2, Vol. 2, Library and Archives Canada (LAC) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Department of National Defence Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Canadian Crown Subject The topic of the resource Emergency planning, Emergency communications, EASE, STRAD, DWS, Tripartite Alerts Description An account of the resource Material duplicated in <a href="https://declassified.library.utoronto.ca/items/show/9105" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HY00142</a>. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Canada Declassified Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource en