Louwsburg Tropo Comms Traditional Cache

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Projek Ebbehout:

Projek Ebbehout was die kode naam van die kontrole en beheer kommunikasies van al die verdedigings magte. (Weermag, Lugmag, Vloot en Mediese korps)
Tropo-kommunikasie is 'n langafstand skakeling wat van die troposfeer (die onderste gedeelte van die aarde se atmosfeer) gebruik maak om mikrogolwe te stuur. Louwsburg Tropo basis het twee skakels gehad - een na Mariepskop basis en een na Umhlanga basis. Elke skakel het vier seine uitgestuur, een vertikaal en een horisontaal per sender en skottel, met twee skottels in elke rigting. Aan die ontvangkant, skakel die toerusting tussen die sterkste seine van die vier wat ontvang word op die twee skottels, om hoë kwaliteit kommunikasie te verseker. Die uitset van die senders op hierdie basis was 10Kw en het van 'n klystron liniêre-straal vakuumbuis gebruik gemaak om die sein te versterk.

Die Tropo-kommunikasie basisse is nou gesluit en die grond by hierdie spesifieke basis behoort nou aan Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. Die reuse skottels en ander strukture wag nog om afgebreek en verwyder te word. Indien u beplan om Ithala Wildreservaat te besoek, kan u vir die sleutel vir die Horace Rall uitkykpunt vra sodat u die plek van nader kan sien – ons bly in die omgewing en is relatief gereelde besoekers aan Ithala, maar het nou eers uitgevind dat die plek toeganklik is vir die publiek toe ons die skat kom versteek het!

Opregte dank aan "RedGlobe" vir die inligting!

Vroeë Waarskuwing Lugverdediging Radarstelsel:

Die beplanning en ontwikkeling van’n rader netwerk het reeds in die 1950’s begin. Projek NATSEC (National Security) is geloods om ‘n reeks radar stasies langs die land se grense op te rig ten einde ons te beskerm teen moontlike lugaanvalle vanaf die buurstate. Hierdie radar stasies sou optimale dekking bied en is in 1967 deur die Minister van Verdediging, Mnr. P.W. Botha aangekondig.

Die vroeë waarskuwingstelsel het bestaan uit die modernste en mees gesofistikeerde radar netwerk wat vyandige vliegtuie myle buitekant ons grense kon optel en dan Lugmag onderskeppings vegvliegtuie soontoe lei. 75 Persent van die toerusting wat in die netwerk gebruik is, is deur Suid-Afrikaanse industrieë vervaardig.

Die radar netwerk het bestaan uit ‘n beheersentrum met elektroniese toerusting wat met behulp van radio, telefoon, teleks en telemetriese kommunikasie stelsels verbind was met satelliet radar stasies. Daar was stasies op Ellisras, Mafeking, Mariepskop en Acornhoek en sommige van hulle was ondergronds soos die een op Devon.

Die basis op Devon in die Oos-Transvaal was die beheersentrum van die vroeë waarskuwingstelsel. Saam met die ander stasies het dit Suid-Afrika se grense bewaak vanaf Suidwes-Afrika (Namibië) regdeur tot by Mosambiek en is ses maande voordat soortgelyke NAVO installasies in Europa in gebruik geneem is, geïnstalleer. Die stelsel is voortdurend aangepas om tred te hou met die nuutste ontwikkelinge in elektroniese oorlogvoering en saam met moderne vegvliegtuie en grond-tot-lug vuurpyl installasies was dit ‘n stelsel om mee rekening te hou vir enige voornemende aanvaller.

Die skattejag

Wanneer jy by die stopstraat in Louwsburg kom, draai wes en volg die pad teen die berg op. Die padoppervlak is beton en is begaanbaar met ‘n sedan selfs in nat weer. By ruitverwysing 1 sal jy die aanwysingsbord na die Horace Rall uitkykpunt sien – draai noord deur die veehek en volg die pad tot by die skat (Dis waarskynlik die beste pad wat jy ooit in SA tot by ‘n skat sal kan ry!). Op pad sal jy verby die Louwsburg Uitsig skat ry.

Alhoewel dit onwaaarskynlik is dat ‘n moggel jou hier sal sien, moet jy maar tog mooi rondkyk – terwyl ek die skat versteek het, het ‘n wildbewaarder reg agter my gestop. Ek het hom eers gewaar toe hy amper reg langs my staan!!

Project Ebbehout:

Project Ebbehout was the code name for command and control communications of all the defence units (Military, Air Force, Navy and Medics).
Tropo communication is a long distance communication link which makes use of the troposphere (the lower part of the earth's atmosphere) to send microwave signals. Louwsburg Tropo base had two links - one to Mariepskop base and one to Umhlanga base. Each base transmitted four signals, one vertical and one horisontal per transmitter and dish, with two dishes in each direction. On the receiving end, the equipment switches between the strongest signals of the four received on two dishes, to ensure quality communications. The power output of the transmitters on this site were 10Kw using a klystron linear-beam vacuum tube to amplify the signal.

The Tropo communication beses were closed down and this particular site now belongs to Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. The giant dishes and other structures are awaiting demolition and removal. If you are planning on visiting Ithala Game Reserve, ask for the keys to the Horace Rall viewsite to enter the area – being locals and relatively regular visitors to Ithala, we only learned now when coming here to hide the cache, that the place is accessible to the public!

Sincere thanks to "RedGlobe" for this information!

In the 1950’s, the planning and development of a radar network started. Project NATSEC (National Security) was launched to establish a chain of radar stations along the borders of the country in order to protect us from possible aerial attack emanating from neighbouring states. These radars were to ensure optimum coverage and was announced by the Minister of Defence, Mr P. W. Botha in 1967.

The early warning system consisted of the most modern and sophisticated radar network which could detect hostile aircraft many miles beyond the country's borders and then guide air force interceptor fighters to the attackers. South African industries manufactured 75 per cent of the equipment in the network.

The radar network consisted of a control centre, containing electronic equipment which was linked to satellite radar stations by radio, telephone, telex and telemetric communications systems. There were stations at Ellisras, Mafeking, Mariepskop and Acornhoek, and some of them were underground, such as the one at Devon.

The station at Devon in the Eastern Transvaal was the nerve centre of the early warning air defence system. Together with the other stations, it swept South Africa's northern borders, from South West Africa (Namibia) across to Mozambique and was installed six months before similar NATO installations went into service in Europe. The system was modified constantly to keep abreast of the latest advances in electronic warfare and together with modern aircraft and anti-aircraft installations, it was a formidable deterrent to any would-be attacker.

When you reach the stop street in Louwsburg, turn West and carry on with the road up the mountain. The paving is concrete and is accessible with a sedan even in wet weather conditions. At waypoint 1 you wil see the signboard towards the Horace Rall viewsite – turn North through the cattle grid and proceed with the road to the cache (This is probably the best road you will ever get to a cache in SA!) On your way you will pass the Louwsburg Uitsig cache .

Although it is unlikely that you will be spotted by muggles, keep a good lookout – when hiding the cache I was surprised by a game ranger who parked right behind me and I only noticed him when he was practically right next to me!!