Back in the mid 60's I was a radar tech working on the AN/SPS-2 system on USS Northampton CC-1 out of Norfolk. The 'Deuce' was electronically identical to a DEW Line radar, with a 20'x40' diamond parabolic antenna, stabilized for pitch and roll and perched VERY high on the ship.
If we were far enough at sea and tilted the antenna down, we could paint the entire East coast. Very cool.
But the damned thing used a LOT of power, and every time the snipes dropped the load on generators, we blew a klystron...took about three days to repair. It was eventually declared 'unfit for sea duty' and removed.
Why were they called snipes? And what actually were they? Powerplant?
Always time for schooling for the ignorant.
/johnny
The OTH was cool because it bounced off the ionosphere and “looked down” at the target, which is/was about the only way (other than pure dumb luck) to detect an incoming cruise missile (hence my previous “earthshaking” comment).