[DoctorBeaver (OP)]

These things are situated not far from where I live. They're between Bloxham & Milton in Oxfordshire. Does anyone have any idea what they are? There are dozens of them spread over an area of at least half a mile square. I estimate their height to be about 40-50'.

(Sorry about the quality, I grabbed them from a video I took)







It may not be easy to see but at the tops there are 3 almost horizontal spars 120^o apart.

[neilep]

Typical British workman to put the wings on the wrong way round !!




Can't say I have a clue though Doc ! (so..what else is new ?)

[syhprum]

It is possible to obtain an overhead view with 'Google Earth' on lat 52.00415 lon -1.362774 but I can only assume they are part of some landing system

[G-1 Theory]

I am just gussing here but as a Ham myself, I would say that they are 1/2 wave inverted "L" antanna for 60meters ham band.
Ed Kerls  call sign "Ke5rls"

[paul.fr]

At first i thought you were refering to the clouds! Tough one this, they do look like ham antenni. But going on the location and quantity i would take a guess at something to do with navigation. As has been mentioned.

[syhprum]

Before satelites were available there were two long distance communication systems 'ionospheric scatter' that used frequencies about 40 MHz and 'tropospheric scatter' that worked on about 2 GHz.
Both systems have long been abandoned but many installations still survive, my guess that theses antenna were for 'ionospheric scatter' communications.

[DoctorBeaver (OP)]

I considered some kind of radio communication system but I thought there were too many antennae for that. I wondered if they could be some kind of radio telescope.

[neilep]

There must be access to them. Is there a gated entrance somewhere where a clue may be found ?

[DoctorBeaver (OP)]

The site is bounded by 2 roads that I know of. 1 of them I go along regularly as that's the way I go to the stables and there are no signs on that road. I haven't been along the other 1 yet. I'll have to have a look some time.

[Soul Surfer]

It looks like a radio receiving station there are loads of yagis and the big triangles look like they have got lots of wires and could be log periodic directional arrays.  Its probably a short wave radio monitiring station that handles lots of channels simultaneously

[DoctorBeaver (OP)]

You all seem to think it's to do with short wave radio so I guess that's probably what it is. Thanks everyone.

[paul.fr]

Have a look for a gate, it may have a sign that reads "Warning - short wave ariels".

[dentstudent]

Nah...someones just taken their washing in to avoid the rain.....

[syhprum]

Studying the Google Earth picture I can identify one log-periodic Yagi and several elevated structures that appear to have wire type antennas strung to their tips I presume these are for HF band transmission while the Yagi is for reception.
I would say this was for communication with aircraft before satellite communication became established.
Heathrow used to have a large Yagi for this purpose

[DoctorBeaver (OP)]

I went on a mission this evening to find out what that installation is.

I went along the road I hadn't been along previously and, sure enough, there's a driveway with a sign identifying it as RAF Barford St John. It's only a short driveway - no more than 20 yds long - and I pulled into it. At the end of the driveway is a gate in a high, razor-wire-topped fence. The gate is similarly razor-wired. There are 2 signs on the gate. 1 says "MOD property", the other says something about the site being subject to the Official Secrets Act and threatens arrest & prosecution. I was going to take some photos but, as it turned out, I'm glad I didn't.

On the site is a fairly large, squat, brick building and there were orange lights on inside. To 1 side of that is what looks like a domed hanger also made from brick.

I got back into my car & decided that as it was nice & peaceful there, I'd eat the packet of crisps I had in the glovebox. I'd barely started on them when a HumV pulled up on the inside of the gate and 2 hefty military types got out, both holding automatic rifles.

A gruff, American accent called out "What are you doing here?". I got out of the car, thought quickly and said that the kids were getting on my nerves so I'd gone for a drive, found the driveway and decided to stop there for a nibble.

In no uncertain terms Mr American Military Person let me know that I was unwelcome while the other 1 started to unlock the gate.

Now, call me a coward if you like, but I don't like guns in the hands of people I'm facing if they don't have my best interests at heart. I hastily apologised, saying I didn't realise I was in a restricted area (I wasn't, I was on an ungated driveway) and that I would leave without further ado. I got back into my car and made full use of its 3 litre engine & sports setting on the gearbox when I drove off.

So, I'm basically still none the wiser apart from the fact that I now know that it's a British Airforce base with American personnel who are a tad touchy about their perimeter.

The plot thickens.

[ukmicky]

Hi Doc
This may help.


RAF Barford St John is an airfield in Oxfordshire, England operated by the United States Air Force.

The three runways are inactive, used instead as a site for several large communications aerials as a satellite of RAF Croughton.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Barford_St_John


RAF Croughton is a United States Air Force communications base in Northamptonshire, England, to the southeast of the village of Croughton. The base is home to the 422nd Air Base Group and operates one of Europe's largest military switchboards and processes approximately a third of all U.S. military communications in Europe. [1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Croughton


PS I TOOK YOUR PICTURES FOR YOU, I DONT THINK THEY SAW ME FROM UP THERE.







UPDATE TWO ME IN BLACK SUITS WALKING PAST HOUSE

[DoctorBeaver (OP)]

That would explain why they're a bit touchy. Thanks, Micky.

[DoctorBeaver (OP)]

Turn right about 200yds off the side of the map where I've put the arrow and my village is half a mile down that road.

The building I've circled is on a farm at the edge of the village.

[ukmicky]

YOU MUST MEAN THIS ONE



Nice place to live Doc

[Karen W.]

Typical British workman to put the wings on the wrong way round !!




Can't say I have a clue though Doc ! (so..what else is new ?)

These look like the new fangled windmills we have here in California and around!LOL..

The others I have tried to look up and am having no luck!