Subj : Hedie LaMar [sp?]
To   : JAMES BRADLEY
From : TOM WALKER
Date : Sun May 08 2005 09:09 am

JB>All this talk about torpedo propulsion, and acoustic isolation got me to rec
JB>some news that Hedie LaMar [sp?] donated a acoustic torpedo guidance system
JB>that was reportedly in use to the day it was reported about. Do you have any
JB>knowledge about about the system in brief?

 Been a long time since I have ran across that pone. BUT yes she did
 "invent" some sort of a device that improved upon the Submarine
 Torpedo. That was back in the 40's so I doubt it was anything to do
 with Acoustic Tropedos becasue it would many years beflre they were put
 into use. In fact as I recall they didn't get used in WWII very much if
 at all. They were just shoot and pray the ship didn't suddenly turn and
 you missed.
They of course in most cases shot a spread of three or Four to try and
anticipate and sudden change in course.

Just jumped over and did a Google Search and did come across her
Invention. It was foe a system of Guiding a Torpedo form a partol plane.
It used a "Frequenct Hopping" system, WELL ahead of it's time, to make
the signal fairly jam proof. IT was based o na system of synchronizing
Player pinaos and other self plating instruments the Co Inventor with
edy developed i nthe 20's. The radio system even used 88 different
frequencies just like the 88 piano keys. It even used player piano rol
s i nthe synchroizing system.
It was never adapted by the military being rejected by the hard headed
Military Brass.

After the patent for the system expired it was taken and further
developed by Sylvania Electronics Systems using electronics instead
of piano rolls. It became a basic tool for Secure Military
communications and was installed o nships and first used i nthe Blocade
of Cuba in 1962. The concept still lives and lies behind Anti-Jamming
devices used today. An example is the "MilStar" Defence Communications
Satellite system.
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