Data Net - No 49 - 1971

Magazine Overview

Title: DATA-NET
Issue: Vol. V No. 7
Date: July 1971
Publisher: DATA-NET
Focus: The UFO Amateur Radio Network

Announcements and Editorial Stance

This issue of DATA-NET Report, number 49, dated July 1971, begins with a series of announcements. These include a reward for an authentic photograph of a flying saucer, a "Shop & Swap" service for members, and information about the DATA-NET Research Library and Technical Research Service. It also mentions the availability of a "Magnetic UFO Detector" called "The Saucer Seeker." The publication encourages readers to submit UFO-related information, newspaper clippings, magazine articles, books, and sighting reports, promising to honor confidential requests.

The editorial policy of DATA-NET is stated as believing that sufficient evidence exists to prove that unidentified flying objects are real. Their ultimate purpose is to answer fundamental questions: What are they? Where do they come from, and how? Why are they here?

Research in Progress: A Survey of 322 United States UFO Reports

This section, authored by Josephine J. Clark, presents a statistical analysis of 322 UFO reports that appeared in the DATA-NET REPORT between 1967 and 1970. Cases deemed obviously questionable were excluded, focusing only on reports where the observer felt a need for a more satisfactory explanation.

Geographical Distribution

An initial surprise was the geographical distribution of these reports. While the author initially assumed UFO activity would peak in the central states and decrease westward, the data indicated that the three Pacific Coast states (Washington, Oregon, and California) showed the greatest amount of activity relative to their area, accounting for a total of 81 reports. The Western sector of the United States produced 100 reports in total, even though Nevada and Utah reported none. In contrast, the 14 states along the Eastern seacoast reported a total of 66 cases. The four central states with the highest number of reports (Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, and Illinois) totaled 69, falling slightly below the combined total for the three Pacific Coast states. The author notes that there is no apparent concentration of activity along the Great Lakes or the Gulf of Mexico, suggesting that theories about UFO bases concealed by large bodies of water might warrant further investigation of the Pacific Ocean area.

Annual Distribution

The annual distribution of reports showed a dip in 1968, which the publication attributes to not having a clipping service until 1969, making it difficult to gauge overall UFO activity prior to that year. Even with this limitation, more reports were received for 1967 than for 1968. The article discusses how wire services often do not pick up local UFO reports, leading to a public unawareness of the ongoing phenomenon. It references Harry Reasoner's "Reasoner Report" which noted a lack of flying saucer reports in the newsroom, suggesting the mass media had "killed them off" by presenting them "tongue in cheek," potentially causing people to lose interest in reporting.

Monthly Distribution

The monthly distribution of reports revealed interesting comparisons with previous UFO studies. April accumulated the lowest number of reports (8) for the four-year period, while October had the highest number of sightings (57). These observations, including the peaks in August-October, correlate with preliminary data from Dr. Vallee's tabulation of 1970 United States landing cases. The period from August to December 1968 accounted for 47% of landing cases in a study of Spanish landings. While the Iberian peninsula experienced a landing flap in 1968, the United States data suggests 1968 was a low year for general UFO activity. However, the following year saw a similar increase in US sighting reports from August 1969 through March 1970, with another upsurge in the latter half of 1970, particularly in September and October.

Day of the Week Distribution

A sampling of general UFO activity showed Wednesday as the most active day, with 55 sightings recorded by DATA-NET. Both DATA-NET and Keel's research indicated a minimum of activity on Sunday, while Saunder's minimum occurred on Saturday. This distribution is compared to studies of UFO landing sites, where Friday was often the peak day in the Iberian peninsula, and Sunday peaked in Iberic landings. The DATA-NET findings showed a Sunday low and a Wednesday high, indicating no consistent correlation with other studies, but reinforcing that UFO sightings are not exclusively a "weekend" phenomenon.

The "Law of the Times"

This survey of DATA-NET records supports Dr. Vallee's "law of the times," which suggests that UFO activity follows a fixed time distribution. During daylight hours, UFO activity is low, rising in the evening and reaching a maximum between 8 pm and 10 pm. The report includes a graph illustrating this distribution of cases versus time of day.

Coding Methods and Sighting Report Index

Since 1967, DATA-NET has maintained a card file of UFO reports, coded according to the behavior characteristics described by witnesses. The coding system uses five major type headings, further defined by classes and sub-classes, serving as a preliminary method for compiling statistical studies. The publication expresses hope that this research will contribute to understanding what UFOs are, where they come from, and why they are here.

The Sighting Report Index lists the 322 UFO sighting reports chronologically. Each entry includes the day of the week, local time, coding used, location, witness names (if known), and references the DATA-NET REPORT number where the case was reviewed. The report details the coding system, including types of sightings (landings, erratic flight, hovering, continuous flight, indefinite objects) and classes (e.g., multiple objects, physical appearance alters, optical or mechanical aids).

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout this issue is the systematic collection and analysis of UFO sighting data. DATA-NET aims to move beyond anecdotal evidence to statistical analysis, seeking to understand the fundamental nature of UFOs. The editorial stance is one of open inquiry, believing in the reality of UFOs and striving to answer the core questions about their origin and purpose. The influence of media on public perception and reporting of UFOs is also a significant sub-theme, highlighting the challenges in gauging genuine activity versus public interest.

This issue of the magazine, dated March and April 1971, presents a comprehensive "SIGHTING REPORT DISTRIBUTION MAP" and an accompanying index, detailing numerous unidentified flying object (UFO) and unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP) reports from various locations.

Sighting Report Distribution Map and Index

The core of the issue is a map illustrating the geographical distribution of reported sightings across the United States, Canada, Australia, and England. The map is color-coded and labeled with codes indicating the number of reports from different regions. This is followed by a detailed "SIGHTING REPORT INDEX" for March-April 1971, which lists individual sightings with their respective dates, locations (including state/province and country), day/time, a "CODE" (likely categorizing the type of sighting), and the names of the "WITNESSES." A "D-NR" column is also present, though its meaning is not explicitly defined.

The index covers a wide range of locations, including:

• United States: Numerous states are listed, with specific cities and towns.
• Australia: New South Wales, Victoria, and Western Australia are featured.
• England: Various locations are mentioned.
• Ireland: Both the Irish Sea and Northern Ireland are noted.
• New Zealand: Reports from this country are also included.

Key Incidents and Witness Testimonies

Several detailed accounts of specific sightings are provided, offering more in-depth narratives:

• Bengough, Saskatchewan, Canada (June 1954): R.F., a farmer, reported seeing a flying object that sounded like a Honda motorbike. He described it as transparent, possibly metal or plastic, with two men inside wearing helmets and goggles. The object was estimated to be 15-20 feet high and 50-60 feet in circumference, creating a "suction upward" or "air swirling" effect. He noted it flew from north to south with a constant motor sound, not varying in speed or revs, and had a "one-piece windshield."

• Bladworth, Saskatchewan, Canada (May 25, 1969): B.T. (12) and his father W.T. observed a "funny kind of round thing in the sky," described as reddish with a spinning oval top. It went down, then up and across, appearing smaller until it disappeared. Its size was compared to a penny held at arm's length.

• Penrith to Windsor, NSW, Australia (January 5, 1971): Mr. John Clucas, an insurance salesman, reported a blinding 3ft diameter light in his rear vision mirror that kept pace with his car, sometimes close, sometimes a quarter mile behind. The light illuminated his car's interior.

• Quincy, Illinois, USA (January 18, 1971): A woman and her 3-year-old son were frightened by bright lights and an object running parallel to their car. The craft was described as about 30 feet off the ground, with a narrow, boxy compartment at the top, a misty base, and emitting a bright shaft of light.

• Greenhill, NSW, Australia (March 1971): A 34-year-old man reported seeing a "strange, small saucer-shaped face" at his kitchen window and felt drawn through the glass by an unknown force. His wife witnessed his legs and hips disappear horizontally through the window.

• Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia (March 2, 1971): Mr. Jim O'Donnell reported a white cloud under the moon, followed by a bright orange light, a white vapor trail, and another cloud. The object changed color and disappeared.

• Lowgap, North Carolina, USA (March 13, 1971): Jim Barber and his son Blair observed an object through binoculars, described as car-sized, high altitude, flashing multiple colors, with four windows and a bubble dome.

• Exminster, England (March 16, 1971): Mr. Philip Abbott saw a grey vapor trail described as "like a searchlight in reverse," with a wide base tapering upwards, which broke up and disappeared.

• Deniliquin, N.S.W., Australia (March 17, 1971): About 50 bowlers witnessed a cylindrical object, about 3-4 feet long and 2 feet in diameter, with a white light in the center, hover over the club for about three minutes.

• Linton, England (March 18, 1971): Farmer Ronald Sterry reported a spinning object with a greenish-yellow light that appeared to be coming down to land, hovering before disappearing.

Dr. McDonald's Death

The issue also includes a news item reporting the death of Dr. James E. McDonald, a well-known expert on unidentified flying objects and the supersonic transport plane. He was found dead in the desert north of Tucson, Arizona, at age 51, with the death ruled an apparent suicide. The report notes his controversial stance on UFOs and his criticism of an Air Force report, and mentions his claims about the potential health risks of supersonic transport plane exhausts.

Data-Net and Printed Matter

Information about "The UFO Amateur Radio Network" is provided, listing their address. A section on "PRINTED MATTER" suggests that the magazine may be referencing or reprinting information from other sources.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme is the documentation and reporting of UFO/UAP sightings from around the world, presented in a systematic, data-driven manner through maps, indexes, and witness accounts. The editorial stance appears to be one of objective reporting of these phenomena, providing a platform for witnesses and researchers to share their experiences and data. The inclusion of Dr. McDonald's death, while tragic, also highlights the ongoing interest and controversy surrounding UFO research.