Data Net - No 50 - 1971

Magazine Overview

Title: DATA-NET
Subtitle: -- The UFO Amateur Radio Network --
Issue: REPORT NUMBER 50
Volume: Vol. V No. 8
Date: August 1971
Publisher: DATA-NET
Address: 7900 Harvard Drive, Ben Lomond, California 95005
Established: January 1967

Content Summary

This issue of DATA-NET Report Number 50, published by The UFO Amateur Radio Network, provides a comprehensive look at UFO phenomena through various reports, articles, and resources. The publication is edited and published by Mrs. Josephine J. Clark, with Michel M. Jaffe serving as Control-Director.

Announcements

DATA-NET offers several services to its members. A reward of $25.00 is posted for an authentic photograph of a flying saucer. Members can list items for sale, trade, or wanted FREE OF CHARGE. A research library with UFO books is available, and technical research services are provided. The "Saucer Seeker" magnetic UFO detector plans are also available.

New Books

• The "New Books" section lists several recently published titles related to UFOs and related topics, including:
• "Gods From Outer Space" by Erich von Daniken
• "Invisible Residents" by Ivan T. Sanderson
• "God, Man and the UFO's" by Ernest P. Moyer
• "The Age of Flying Saucers" by Paris Flammonde
• "Flying Saucer Viewpoint" by Rex Dutta
• "Visitors From Lanulos" by Harold W. Hubbard & Woodrow Derenberger
• "Intercept--But Don't Shoot" by Renato Vesco
• "Project Blue Book Special Report #14" (4th Edition) edited by Dr. Leon Davidson
• "UFOs - Myth and Mystery" by Stanton T. Friedman
• "Flying Saucer Energetics" by Stanton T. Friedman
• "UFO's & Diamagnetism" by Eugene H. Burt

UFOs & Diamagnetism by Eugene H. Burt

Eugene H. Burt, a science educator, offers insights into his book "UFO's & Diamagnetism." He discusses the challenges of distinguishing between concepts in physics and suggests that accelerators currently being built at Enrico Fermi Laboratory and CERN could potentially test his hypothesis regarding positive ionic current and diamagnetic characteristics. He believes this could lead to a discovery within the decade if sufficient interest is generated.

Geographical Location of 322 U.S. UFO Reports

A map illustrates the geographical distribution of 322 reported UFO sightings across the United States, with numerical indicators for specific locations.

Sighting Reports

The issue features several detailed firsthand accounts of UFO sightings:

• Australia, May 8, 1971: Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Thurlow of Cabramatta, N.S.W., observed a bright blue and white pulsating object described as a "double sphere" or figure eight, which remained stationary for about five minutes.
• California, June 18, 1971: Mrs. Josephine Clark and Mrs. Minna Thompson of Ben Lomond reported an electrical disturbance followed by a large, sparkling orange ball hovering between trees. The object was described as "like a hoop" and disappeared suddenly. An ozone odor was noted, and a power failure affected thousands of customers.
• Canada, October 20, 1968: Mr. "O" from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, reported an orangey-red, star-like object spinning and darting with a whirring noise. It was seen through binoculars with a halo effect and appeared to descend.
• Canada, May or June 1967: Mrs. "O" from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, saw a much larger, bright object that grew in size and turned a pinkish-golden hue before disappearing rapidly.
• Canada, August 17, 1969: Mr. "K" from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, observed a disc-shaped object, elliptical and tapering, moving at jet speed. It reflected sunlight, appearing like aluminum foil.
• Canada, August 13, 1969: John Gaudio, a police constable from Regina, Saskatchewan, reported a bright orange, cigar-shaped object that later changed to a glowing orange ball and disappeared. He later observed another object resembling a bright star.

Some Further Thoughts on the UFO Enigma by Jeff Moore

Jeff Moore argues that the best approach to understanding the UFO enigma is through the intelligent application of logic. He posits that UFOs possess the ability to manipulate human perception, affecting sensory centers to create illusions of "sounds without sound waves" and "sights without refraction or reflection." Moore suggests that by a process of elimination, we can determine what UFOs are not, thereby getting closer to understanding what they are. He also notes the overlap in terminology and concepts with psychic phenomena.

Sighting Report Distribution Map (April 1971)

A map displays the distribution of UFO sightings across the United States, Australia, England, Ireland, and New Zealand, with a total of 16 reports indicated for the US and 42 for other countries.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around detailed eyewitness accounts of UFO sightings, the physical characteristics of observed objects, and the potential explanations or hypotheses for these phenomena. The editorial stance, as indicated by the "POLICY" statement, is that sufficient evidence exists to prove the reality of UFOs, and the network is dedicated to investigating their nature and origin. The publication emphasizes the importance of logical analysis and the collection of firsthand information, offering various services to its members to facilitate this research.

This document is a "SIGHTING REPORT INDEX" for April 1971, detailing numerous reports of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and related phenomena. It includes a comprehensive coding system for classifying sightings, a table of reported incidents with dates, locations, witness information, and a section for news clippings about significant events. The issue also features commentary and opinions on UFOs, including discussions on the Condon Report and the views of prominent scientists.

Sighting Report Index

The core of the document is a detailed index of UFO sightings from April 1971. Each entry provides a date, location (country and specific place), time of day or night, a code indicating the type and characteristics of the sighting, the names of witnesses, and a D-NR (Data-Number) identifier. The coding system is extensive, categorizing sightings into:

• Type 1: Landings and Near Landings (tree height or under 100' maximum).
• Type 2: Unusual or Erratic Flight Pattern.
• Type 3: Stationary or Hovering in the Sky.
• Type 4: Continuous Flight.
• Type 5: Indefinite Objects.

These types are further broken down into classes (A, B, C, D) and sub-classes (a, b, c) describing specific characteristics such as investigating vehicles, multiple objects, physical appearance alterations, borderline objects, optical or mechanical aids, photographs, and effects on humans, animals, or the environment. Special notations like '$' (landed or submerged), '#' (occupant seen), and '%' (traces - residue, marks) are also used.

Notable sightings listed include:

• April 5: Sea, nr Urenui, Taranaki, N.Z. (Type 3 - Light out to sea).
• April 5: Hamilton, Auckl., N.Z. (Type 5 - Noise like a saucer).
• April 5: Kaihu, Auckl., N.Z. (Type 4-C - Bright round light).
• April 6: Hawera, Taranaki, N.Z. (Type 5 - Skyflash).
• April 10: Cockermouth, Engl. (Type 2-B - Spinning objects).
• April 12: Workington, Engl. (Type 1 - Bright flash).
• April 12: McLain, Mississippi (Type 1-c - Weird smoke ball), resulting in significant damage to a house.
• April 12: Belfast, Ire. (Type 4 - Bright object sighted).
• April 20 & 21: Ironwood & Ashland, Wis. (Type 2-B - Strange lights).
• April 30 to May 2: Clare, Mich. (Type 2-A - Eerie ghost light).

Clipping the News

This section provides summaries of significant UFO-related news reports from early 1971:

• February 1, 1971 (Dublin, Ireland): Desmond Finnegan reported a bluish, bulbous object moving at "colossal speed."
• February 16, 1971 (Vanwyksvlei, South Africa): A large meteor, described as blue-green and white, passed over at a 90-degree angle north.
• February 18, 1971 (Prestatyn, England): Mrs. H. M. Bate and her daughter reported a "flying globe" described as brilliant electric blue with an orangey tail.
• February 18, 1971 (Malpas, Cheshire, England): Dr. Desmond Norton and his wife observed a strange blue-green "ball of fire" over three counties, described as tadpole-like.
• February 18, 1971 (Barrow, Ireland): Numerous reports of a bright object, varying in description from blue-white to green, traveling northeasterly.
• February 22, 1971 (North Lincolnshire, England): A schoolgirl reported seeing an object that "moved around and displayed a white light."
• March 7, 1971 (Perth, Australia): Ted Henderson photographed three intensely blue outlined lights moving at high speed.
• March 2, 1971 (Wakool, Victoria, Australia): A large round ball, changing color from red to green, was seen moving below trees.
• March 5, 1971 (Corinth, Mississippi): Jim Murphy reported an orange and red "object" traveling slowly for about 20 minutes.
• March 7, 1971 (Lancaster, California): Three persons reported a red-orange glow moving eastward, terminating in a bright green flash.
• March 8, 1971 (Dorking, Surrey, England): A bright, slightly elliptical object was seen shimmering and climbing.
• March 8, 1971 (Wotton, Surrey, England): A "noisy low flying object" described as white and like a Vulcan bomber was heard and seen.
• March 8, 1971 (Dorking, Surrey, England): Three lights in a banana shape were reported flying low.
• March 12, 1971 (Cheboygan, Michigan): A "fiery object" described as softball-sized with a tail was seen traveling very fast.
• March 13, 1971 (Hamilton, N.S.W., Australia): A "fiery colored vapor" shaped like a jet exhaust sped earthwards.
• March 16, 1971 (Polson, Montana): Two objects were visible for hours, described as bright, flashing, multi-colored lights.
• March 18, 1971 (Centralia, Washington): A UFO with blinking red and green lights and a beeping sound was observed.
• March 18, 1971 (Ariah Park, N.S.W., Australia): A "puzzling sky object" illuminated the countryside with bright yellow and colored lights.
• March 18, 1971 (Near Tarcutta, N.S.W., Australia): Three youths reported three strange lights in a silver, circular object, which released red and white balls of light.
• March 28, 1971 (Matamata, N.Z.): A "glowing object" emitted a "blob of light."
• April 5, 1971 (Sea, nr Urenui, Taranaki, N.Z.): A bright light was sighted off the coast for a week.
• April 5, 1971 (Hamilton, Auckland, N.Z.): A high-pitched whirring noise, described as like "flying saucers on television," was heard.
• April 5, 1971 (Kaihu, Auckland, N.Z.): A bright round light with yellow fingers of light was observed.
• April 6, 1971 (Hawera, Taranaki, N.Z.): A milkman reported a flash followed by a trail of white light.
• April 10, 1971 (Cockermouth, England): Two round shiny objects were seen spinning.
• April 12, 1971 (Workington, England): A bright flash and red glow were reported, attributed by the RAF to "space debris."
• April 12, 1971 (McLain, Mississippi): A "weird smoke ball" incident caused extensive damage to a house, with a sonic boom suggested as a possible explanation.
• April 12, 1971 (Belfast, Ireland): A bright object was sighted by motorists.
• April 20 & 21, 1971 (Ironwood & Ashland, Wisconsin): Police reported aerial lights that changed positions and moved at "fantastic" speed.
• April 30 to May 2, 1971 (Clare, Michigan): Multiple sightings of "eerie ghost lights" occurred over several nights.
• May 1, 1971 (Clare, Michigan): Richard Reid and his brother reported a light that appeared to be a meteorite flash.
• May 2, 1971 (Clare, Michigan): Kim Tyler reported a glowing object that came towards him but was scared off by headlights.

UFO Comments and Opinions

This section features commentary on the UFO phenomenon:

• "FLYING SAUCER HYSTERIA OVER, CONDON SAYS" (May 19, 1971): The article reports on physicist Edward P. Condon's assertion that UFO hysteria was over. Condon, who directed an AF-supported study of UFOs, stated that books on flying saucers were becoming scarce and that the $480,000 study provided an "extraordinary introduction to the errors and eccentricities of what people thought they saw." He described the investigation as a study in mass psychology, noting the unreliability of witness testimony and the role of the press in fanning UFO stories. Despite his conclusions, Condon admitted that there might be a "remote possibility" that UFOs exist, as there were too many reports to deny their existence entirely. He believed most Americans now accept the report's conclusions and do not worry about UFOs.

• "THE UFOS EVEN SCIENCE COULD NOT DEBUNK" (April 10, 1971): An article by Allen Spragget discusses the prevalence of nonsense written about UFOs but highlights that even prominent scientists acknowledge that some phenomena cannot be easily explained. The article mentions that James McDonald and J. Allen Hynek believe UFOs likely exist, with Hynek considering 20% of sightings unexplained. It clarifies that the Condon Report did not entirely debunk UFOs, conceding evidence for real UFOs in a few cases. The report's conclusion on the McMinnville, Oregon sighting (May 11, 1950) is quoted: "This is one of the few UFO reports in which all factors investigated -- geometric, psychological and physical -- appear to be consistent with the assertion than an extraordinary flying object, silvery, metallic, disk-shaped, tens of meters in diameter and evidently artificial, flew within sight of two witnesses."

Excerpts from the Past

This section includes a historical UFO sighting:

• July 11, 1959 (Honolulu, Hawaii): A Pan-American Airways pilot reported an object with a mysterious cluster of extremely bright lights flashing by his plane at high speed, making an abrupt turn and disappearing.

Data-Net Reports and Special Reports

This section contains advertisements for "DATA-NET - A comprehensive UFO news report," including membership renewal information and availability of back issues. It also promotes a "SPECIAL REPORT" titled "A Study of 100 Iberic Landings" by Vicente-Juan Ballester Olmos and Dr. Jacques Vallee.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the detailed cataloging of UFO sightings and the ongoing debate surrounding their nature and validity. The editorial stance appears to be one of diligent reporting and objective presentation of witness accounts, while also engaging with scientific and official investigations like the Condon Report. The inclusion of both detailed sighting reports and expert commentary suggests an aim to inform readers about the breadth of UFO phenomena and the various perspectives on the subject. There is a clear emphasis on providing factual data from reported incidents, alongside analysis and discussion from credible sources.