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Tech tycoon breathes fresh life into giant Cold War radar on Norfolk Broads

23 13
05.06.2025

This weekend, residents across the county may start spotting a new Wi-Fi network appearing on their phones.

Called 'Chidziva Array - T84 Radar', it is part of a tech trial based out of the decommissioned RAF Neatishead radar station near Horning.

The site has been silent for decades - but over the past two years tech entrepreneur William Sachiti has been transforming its iconic Type 84 radar into the hub for a new kind of internet.

The former Cold War radar at RAF Neatishead in Norfolk which will be used as a new public communications network. (Image: Sonya Duncan) “We’ve taken a Cold War radar that once scanned the skies for bombers and adapted it to serve the public," Mr Sachiti said. "And it now forms the backbone of a resilient communications network."

The project uses long-range (LoRa) radio technology - a low-power, high-range system already used around the world in emergency response and by hobbyists.

While typical LoRa set-ups use small, rooftop aerials, the Chidziva Array taps into the power and range of the radar's antenna, which are capable of picking up faint signals from miles away.

Using a mesh network architecture, signals bounce between low-cost nodes - small devices anyone can buy and install - before reaching the master antenna at RAF Neatishead.

The system is designed to continue functioning even if mobile networks fail, offering a........

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