Data Net - No 39 - 1970

Magazine Overview

This issue of the DATA-NET REPORT, Volume IV, Number 9, dated September 1970, is the official publication of the UFO Amateur Radio Network. It is published monthly by the Control Station, WB6RPL, Michel M. Jaffe, and is available via membership for $4.00 per year. The report is copyrighted 1970 by Michel M. Jaffe.

Table of Contents and Key Sections

The issue features a detailed table of contents, including:

• Announcements: Network Schedule, DATA-NET Communication Centers, Bulletin.
• Clipping the News: A section dedicated to following up on various UFO reports.
• Landing Reports: Compiled by Frater Jacobus, detailing numerous landing incidents across different regions.
• Book Reviews: Reviews of "The Silver Bridge" by Gray Barker and "Le Livre Noir des Soucoupes Volantes" by Mr. Durrant.
• Marginal Notes From: "Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects": A critical analysis of the Condon Report.

Editorial Stance and Network Operations

DATA-NET's policy states that sufficient evidence has been presented to prove that unidentified flying objects exist, and their aim is to answer fundamental questions about their nature, origin, and purpose. The network operates through amateur radio, with a network schedule provided for communication. Key personnel include Michel M. Jaffe (Control-Director-Publisher), Mrs. Josephine J. Clark (Editor-Secretary-Printer), Jerold R. Johnson (Assistant Control), and Mark J. Richardson (Research Editor).

Services offered to members include a UFO Library, a Research Service for technical questions, and the availability of "The Saucer Seeker" publication and magnetic UFO detectors. A reward of $25.00 is offered for authentic photographs of flying saucers.

Analysis of the Condon Report

A significant portion of the magazine is dedicated to a critical examination of the Condon Committee's "Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects." The author of the "Marginal Notes" section expresses strong disagreement with the report's conclusions, arguing that potentially significant cases were omitted or downplayed. Specific cases, such as the "Trent photographs" and the "McMinnville" case, are discussed, with the author suggesting that the Condon Report selectively focused on hoaxes and misidentifications while ignoring evidence of genuine unconventional aerial devices. The report's handling of the "Tremonton film" and the Lucci photographs is also questioned.

UFO Sightings and Reports

The magazine includes extensive "Landing Reports" and "Clipping the News" sections, detailing numerous UFO sightings from various locations and time periods. These include:

• Canadian Sighting: A detailed account by Morley Wiltse of Wellington, Ontario, Canada, of a stationary, silvery metallic sphere of light observed for over three hours during a power failure on November 9, 1965.
• Clipping the News: Reports from Walthamstow, England (January 1, 1970) of a "ball of fire," Leytonstone, England (January 5, 1970) of two objects photographed, Bahia Blanca, Argentina (February 12, 1970) of a luminous object ascending rapidly, Porto Alegre, Brazil (March 1, 1970) of a flying disc performing erratically, Wood Green, England (March 3, 1970) of a cigar-shaped structure, St. Ives, England (March 9, 1970) of a fast-moving electric blue object, Loughton, England (March 22, 1970) of an orange-white light, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan (April 4, 1970) of a photographed UFO, Gaylord, Michigan, USA (May 31, 1970) of a circular plate-like object, Renville, Minnesota, USA (June 16, 1970) of a bright object, Corning, California, USA (June 22, 1970) of a strange light, and Oamaru, New Zealand (June 22, 1970) of a slow-moving flying saucer.
• Landing Reports: These cover incidents from Kansas, Virginia, West Virginia, Idaho, and Nevada, dating from 1897 to 1967, describing hovered or landed objects, sometimes with occupants seen.

Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, the critical analysis of official reports like the Condon Report, and the role of amateur radio and citizen investigation in UFO research. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of acknowledging the reality of UFOs and actively pursuing evidence and information, often in contrast to what the magazine perceives as official obfuscation or dismissal of credible cases. The publication emphasizes the importance of detailed witness accounts, photographic evidence, and the collaborative efforts of its members.

This issue of DATA-NET, published by The UFO Amateur Radio Network, focuses on a collection of UFO sightings and incidents reported primarily in July and August of 1970, with some earlier entries from 1967-1969 for context. The publication presents a chronological log of eyewitness accounts from various locations worldwide, including Australia, the United States, South Africa, New Zealand, and Brazil.

Key Sightings and Incidents

June 1970

• June 29, 1970 (Belconnen, New South Wales, Australia): A 15-year-old boy reported a "long black cylindrical object with fins or antennae protruding from it." Members of the Canberra UFO Research Society planned to discuss the sighting. Society president J. Drake noted a comparative frequency of sightings in Canberra and suggested UFOs are associated with extraterrestrial life.
• June 29, 1970 (Bulawayo, South Africa): A woman reported seeing a flashing orange ball, followed by a second one, moving fast from the direction of the Matopos towards Victoria Falls. It had a red flashing light and no sound.

July 1970

• July 7, 1970 (Ballarat, Victoria, Australia): A man reported a UFO about 3:50 pm from a train. He saw a cloud of smoke and a silver object fall to the ground, visible for only a couple of seconds.
• July 7, 1970 (Wooli, New South Wales, Australia): Mr. E. D. Ford and another fisherman witnessed bright lights that appeared as a fiery red flash, illuminating the surroundings. Pink and green lights burst from the main body as it fell, resembling a sky rocket but much brighter. The main body faded and burned out before hitting the ground.
• July 7, 1970 (Byron & Tintenbar Shires, New South Wales, Australia): Hundreds of people saw a mysterious bright light moving through the sky. Shortly after, violent explosions rocked houses. Witnesses described a "terrific light heading straight for us," which fell, then leveled off towards the sea, disappearing with a shower of sparks. This was followed by seven loud bangs and a rumbling sound.
• July 8, 1970 (Mt. Wesley, New Zealand): A resident reported an object that appeared as a bright red light, changed to blue, then brilliant white, revolving as it changed. It was stationary at about 500 ft, then shot vertically to about 1,000 ft before ascending at a 45-degree angle with three flashes of white light.
• July 8, 1970 (Walsingham, South Africa): Golfers and caddies reported a "flying teardrop" or "rugby ball" moving at tremendous speed against the wind. It was described as having a bluish-green transparency.
• July 11, 1970 (Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia): A caller reported seeing "three round objects in the sky, traveling in line," which disappeared mysteriously over the harbor.
• July 12, 1970 (Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia): Two residents reported a "mysterious cylindrical object" moving east-to-north at an estimated 150 m.p.h. at a height of about 1,200 ft. It was described as brownish-orange, cylindrical, open at the aft end, noiseless, and about 15 ft. shorter than a Fokker Friendship aircraft.
• July 15, 1970 (Milwaukie, Oregon, USA): An anonymous correspondent sent a photograph of a flying saucer, resembling the McMinnville photo, with a glowing yellow light on its rear, described as a "glowing antenna."
• July 15, 1970 (London, Ontario, Canada): Mrs. Lucille Harris and her son reported an object that was initially orange-yellow, then changed to a diamond shape with red lights. Police heard "weird and eerie" high-pitched sounds in the area.
• July 20, 1970 (Bismarck, North Dakota, USA): A man reported a "beautiful thing" descending, described as golden silver with a large spherical base and a long pointed tail. A Mandan man reported a "long, silver streak" traveling at high speed.
• July 22, 1970 (Idaho Falls, Idaho, USA): A bright light was seen, appearing as a large star, then showing red and green lights before vanishing.
• July 25, 1970 (Davenport, Iowa, USA): A "saucer-shaped" UFO casting a whitish-purple glow was reported.

August 1970

• August 2, 1970 (Prescott, Arizona, USA): An object was seen moving erratically in the sky over several nights, changing speed, moving up and down, and sometimes standing still, with claims of color changes from red to blue.
• August 2, 1970 (Photo analysis): A photo taken with a five-minute time exposure showed a straight line moving south (thought to be a satellite) and another line moving down and easterly, described as the object in question, which was moving erratically before the photo was taken.
• August 5, 1970 (Yagotin, Russia): A 33-pound chunk of ice crashed into a street, digging a deep pit. Meteorology experts determined it was a comet, not hail.
• July 11, 1970 (Stockton, California, USA): A 14-year-old girl died from head injuries after being hit by an "unknown flying object" that crashed through a car windshield. The object was recovered and its origin was undetermined.
• August 28, 1970 (Pratt, Kansas & Beaver, Oklahoma, USA): Two white-hot chunks of metal, weighing 200 and 300 pounds respectively, fell from the sky. One hit near Pratt, Kansas, creating a hole 38 inches deep. The other fell near Beaver, Oklahoma. Speculation suggested they were unburned sections of a satellite.

Earlier Reports (1967-1969)

• October 28, 1967 (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia): Reports of lights diving, swooping, zig-zagging, and stationary were common for two consecutive evenings.
• August 1, 1968 (Kings Mountain, North Carolina, USA): NICAP was investigating a sighting of a disc-shaped, aluminum-colored object with a plastic-like bubble top, for which a Polaroid picture was taken.
• January 1969 - September 1969 (New Zealand): Various sightings were reported across New Zealand, including a "flying saucer" chasing a car, a "noiseless cigar-shaped object with bright white lights," and a "ball of light" with "arms sticking out from its sides."
• Early September 1969 (Wellington, New Zealand): Wellington radar tracked a UFO for 100 miles, and airline pilots reported seeing a "fluorescent pulsating blue light" moving at 50-60 knots.
• May 1969 (Goiania, Goiaz, Brazil): A photographer confessed to a hoax regarding UFO photographs.
• Prior to May 17, 1969 (Saramenha, Brazil): Six persons reported mysterious low-flying objects, causing a 15-minute blackout. Lights in the area went out and then came back on inexplicably. A student saw an object moving into the darkness, and another person heard deliberate, muted sounds from an enormous object in the air.
• Prior to May 18, 1969 (Belo Horizonte, Brazil): A soldier claimed to have ridden in a flying saucer for 48 hours, piloted by three "sallow-skinned little men."
• May 27, 1969 (Itajuba, Brazil): A UFO flew over the city for about 15 minutes, causing a blackout and disabling a car motor and lights.
• August 14, 1968 & October 1969 (New Zealand): Reports included "landing sites" with dead grass circles, inexplicable indentations, and animal reactions. A farmer reported a "bright light with smaller lights on either side" flying eastwards.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of DATA-NET are the sheer volume and diversity of UFO sightings reported globally, the varied descriptions of the objects themselves (shapes, colors, behaviors), and the occasional associated phenomena such as electromagnetic effects, physical traces, and even alleged physiological effects. The publication acts as a collector and disseminator of these reports, presenting them factually with attributions to local newspapers or sources. The editorial stance appears to be one of documenting these events, with occasional notes from the editor (e.g., regarding the weight of metal debris) suggesting a critical but open-minded approach to the subject matter. The inclusion of the order blank for the "DATA-NET REPORT" indicates a focus on amateur radio networks and information dissemination within the UFO community.