Introduce Yourself

I studied physics at Imperial College (1982-1985) and entered the civil service as an engineer on graduation. My career was working (mainly) in research and innovation and I gained chartered status in both physics and engineering along the way. Now thirty-nine years later, it's time for retirement and reflection.

A major ambition in retirement is to write a technology history book for open publication. My history research interests include:

• The development of wireless communications technologies in general (from the heliograph, through electromechanical, to large-scale electronic radio systems)

• Operational Research (and the realisation of the benefits, especially in wartime)

• The philosophy of technology

• Specific receiver technologies, and the development of the superheterodyne in particular (as a game changer)

I was born in Belfast in October 1942. The Luftwaffe, rather than sending congratulations, sent a 1000 kilo bomb. Thankfully, it didn't explode otherwise, I would have had to post via a Ouija board

Having lived in Singapore (dad was CSO) in those days, you went out by sea, so, having seen some of the world, I thought, why not see the rest. I qualified as a Merchant Naval Radio Officer in 1961 age 19. I was all set for a life on the Bounding Main when my girlfriend (sadly my now deceased wife of 62 years) said she wanted a husband 24/7, not one seen fleetingly every few months. So my father who was at Gilnahirk got me the forms, and twelve days after my nineteenth birthday, I went to Bletchley. There I met various characters and, after qualifying as an intercept operator, was posted to Beaumanor. I serve…