The SCR-658 radar was developed in conjunction with the SCR-268 radar

SCR-268 radar

The SCR-268 was the US Army's first radar system. It was developed to provide accurate aiming information and used in gun laying systems and directing searchlights against aircraft....

. It was preceded by the SCR-258. Its primary purpose was to track weather balloons. Prior to this it was only possible to track weather balloons with a theodolite

Theodolite

A theodolite is a precision instrument for measuring angles in the horizontal and vertical planes. Theodolites are mainly used for surveying applications, and have been adapted for specialized purposes in fields like metrology and rocket launch technology...

, causing difficulty with visual tracking in poor weather

Weather

Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...

 conditions. The set is small enough to be portable and carried in a Ben Hur trailer

Ben Hur trailer

The Ben Hur trailer was a 1-ton World War II U.S. Army trailer.-Versions:The Ben Hur trailer was nicknamed after its major Manufacturer, the Ben Hur Mfg. Co. although there were many other producers...

.

Surviving Examples

there is one Known survivor at the Air Force museum in Dayton Ohio

• http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/photos/index.asp?galleryID=4881

External links

• http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/htmls/wea01200.htm
• http://www.gordon.army.mil/ocos/museum/equipment.asp SCR and BC lists
• http://6thweathermobile.org/1949_(part%201).htm excellent pics.
• http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ssd/tstm/html/tstorm.htm

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.