Long2

Author: Li Bosheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: Chapter 5 - Valley Antenna
In the spring of 1969, the Ninth Congress of the Communist Party of China called for preparations for war, and the entire army adjusted its deployment. The People's Liberation Army Navy was also conducting various battlefield preparations, and the "Long Sky 2" project was put on the agenda. A team was immediately formed, with efforts to organize discussions and carry out preparatory work for the project, while also seeking approval from the Central Committee.
Facing the potential outbreak of war, Chairman Mao Zedong proposed a new strategic requirement for national defense projects: to move into the mountains, disperse, and build into caves. While it was feasible to move the transmitter of the ultra-longwave station into a cave, the ultra-longwave antenna required flat land and a wide field of view—making it difficult to move it into the mountains! If the antenna couldn’t go into the mountains, the entire communication station couldn’t go either. Who could design an antenna that could be moved into the mountains? Xu Hong, a veteran general being criticized by the Red Guards, had once been the chief commander of the construction of the Jinbei Ultra-Longwave Station. He had an in-depth understanding of the Navy’s communication technology talents.
China had been established for twenty years, and it was supposed to have its own talent by now. However, the suppression of the Cultural Revolution had led many intellectuals to be labeled with (hats), leaving very few available for use. After careful consideration, Xu Hong recommended to the Navy leadership that Yuan Pingshan, a naval engineer, be transferred to the discussion group. Yuan Pingshan had joined the army as a university student in the early years of the PRC. That year, war broke out on the Korean Peninsula, with the flames of war reaching the Yalu River. Due to the "fall of the lips threatens the teeth" principle, China launched a fervent movement to resist U.S. aggression and aid Korea. Yuan Pingshan, a fresh university graduate with a burning passion, enlisted in the army.
As a communications technology specialist, he was assigned to the Navy’s Communication Corps. Soon after, the U.S., unable to gain an advantage on the battlefield, put pressure on China, sending warships into the Taiwan Strait and occupying Taiwan Island, while blockading the strait. China had to defend its sovereignty, and the Navy became a crucial branch of the military, with many naval officers sent to study in the Soviet Union. Yuan Pingshan was also sent to the Soviet Union to study naval communications. Upon returning after completing his studies, he visited all the Navy’s major and minor communication projects, contributing his efforts to nearly all of them, and also participated in the construction of the Jinbei Ultra-Longwave Station. Over the past decade, he had grown into an expert in naval ultra-longwave antennas. He was young and strong, a self-trained engineer of the new China.
At that time, Yuan Pingshan and other cadres were sent by the "Three-Supports and Two-Empowerments" office to Peking University for military training. Yuan Pingshan received a notice at Peking University and rushed back. He first went to visit his old superior, General Xu Hong. Xu Hong was writing self-criticism at home when he heard the knock on the door. Opening the door, he saw Yuan Pingshan and said, "Come in quickly. I’ve been waiting for you for days. Why did you come back only now?"
Yuan Pingshan replied, "Old superior, I was doing military training at Peking University. The two factions of students started armed conflicts, forcing us to take a stance. If we didn’t, they threatened to lock up the training cadres. The Peking University Work-Study Brigade received a call and organized workers to break in and rescue us. I saw the notice yesterday and returned immediately. Old superior, what task do you have for me?"
Xu Hong said, "Our 'Long Sky 2' project has been approved by the Navy to seek approval from the Central Committee. This communication station is a comprehensive one, including high-power shortwave transmitters, integrated receivers, and high-power ultra-longwave transmitters and supporting facilities. Among these, the ultra-longwave transmitter is the most critical. Its combined power output is twice that of the Jinbei Station and can be considered the world’s"