Inquiring if any other Naval IMD Bench repairman on the Awg-10 Radar and AW21 Test Bench?

[John Patterson]

Back in Oct 1971 I was with VF33 F4j squadron. Performing Bench testing on the AWG 10 Radar Maintenance test bench on USS Independence CVA 62. I performed a few high powers at the test stand into a dummy load. I do not recall ever testing for Radiation Leakage. I sat up by the dish while testing. Back in 2019 I had Mri and they found a Arachnoid Cyst right side of my head. about 1inch by half inch . Its causeing hearing issues and tendinititis. Now at age 74 I have slowly been losing my Balance feeling like a Bobble head. At the Xband Frequency I am wondering if all my problems related to working at the test stand. There were no radar shields and we were not required to wear any Special Gear. Just searching out to see opinions and if any other Vets have issues from Radiation Brain Trauma?

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

I don't see a connection.

The most common type of brain cyst, arachnoid cysts are usually congenital, or present at birth... These are not brain tumors, but are rather benign sacs usually filled with clear cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

Any exposure in a radar test stand would be microwave radiation not nuclear radiation. Regardless, these cysts are not cancerous but benign, so its hard to see any causal relationship.

 

[John Patterson]

Thanks for your input. I am trying to setup another MRI to see if it has grown. I tend to try to rebalance myself by Veering to the left for correction. Im thinking it has grown bigger. So hopefully get a MRI up at Ann Arbor Va Hospital. I was not sure about the Xband Transmissions. Being near the Klystrons. While powering into a Dummy Load can. EMFs are powerfull.

 

[BlackBat242]

I always thought there should have been some kind of microwave detector for the radar repair shops.

There was an incident in 1986 with the AIMD radar test bench for the A-6E at H&MS-13 (3 MAW) El Toro, CA - a radar receiver unit was being tested when all 3 personnel in that MMF (Mobile Maintenance Facility) "box" began feeling warm and nauseous. They turned off the test bench and immediately felt cooler.

Upon examining the bench they found that the waveguide between the bench and the unit under test had become detached at the bench end (hidden in the back of the bench). After it was re-attached all 3 went to Medical, but no detectable injury was found.

I lost track with those guys years ago, but always wondered if they had hidden injuries from that.

I worked on the FLIR/Laser system for the A-6E (AN/AAS-33A) and we would test-fire the ranging/designating laser into a dummy load in the bench frequently. We were required to have a semi-annual (and after any suspected direct exposure) mapping eye exam to detect any possible laser-related eye damage, but there was no comparable safety/health program for the radar techs.

By the way, I was deployed to CV-61 Ranger AIMD to support VMA(AW)-121 as part of CVW-2 from Nov 1985 to Dec 1987.