330-PSA-118-61 (USN 710903):  Navy Develops System for Tracking Homing Pigeons.   A newly developed system which makes it possible for the first time to track a bird through its flight has provided the Navy with a unique research tool.  In the first use of the system, a homing pigeon was tracked during a 20-mile flight to its home loft in the Philadelphia area on May 26, 1961.  The objective of the study conducted by the Office of Naval Research is to learn how birds, together with aquatic and terrestrial animals, are able to navigate with a high degree of accuracy over long distances frequently in areas previously unknown to them.  It is anticipated that this knowledge could lead to new concepts for the development of advanced miniaturized navigation and detection systems.   The bird tracking system, developed for the biology branch of the Office of Naval Research by American Electronic Laboratories, Philadelphia, features a powerful miniaturized radio transmitter carried by the bird on its back.  Weighing less than one ounce including power supply, the transmitter has an output of one thousandth of a watt (one milliwatt) of power. Supplied by three mercury button cells can operate the unit continuously for a least 20 hours.   Attached to the transmitter package (partially shown) is a half wave dipole antenna that trails about 40 inches behind and below the bird.  The first eight inches of the antenna is encased in a fiberglass rod to extend it behind the bird and prevent it from interfering with the bird’s tail feathers which provide control.  Photograph released June 1, 1961.  (9/22/2015).
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