My friend Ken Perry, who has died aged 85, worked for many years for the Marconi company. From 1983, at Marconi Radar Systems, he oversaw the development and production of high-frequency surface-wave “over-the-horizon” radar. His major success came in 1985 in persuading the Australian authorities to take an interest in the technology: after a protracted study, Marconi gained a contract worth in the region of £150m for a system at Jindalee, Alice Springs, that is still in use.
Although Ken officially retired at 65, he went back for another seven years with Marconi until 2002, and delivered lectures after that.
He was born in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, son of Christopher, who worked in advertising on a local paper, and his wife, Morfydd (nee Thomas), a former postmistress. During the second world war he was evacuated to Blaenau Ffestiniog in north Wales, and went to the town’s grammar school, later continuing his education at Sunderland grammar school.
Ken was called up in 1948 for national service with the RAF, based at Lossiemouth on the Moray Firth, where he flew low-level test and calibration flights in Lancaster bombers. When off duty, he cycled, ran long-distance cross-country and played guitar with the squadron band.
He studied physics with mathematics at the University of Newcastle, after which in the early 1950s he was awarded a Marconi apprenticeship. There he became an expert on the design and manufacture of microwave components for high-powered radar systems.
In 1956 he met Ann McEntee while ballroom dancing in Colchester and in 1958 they were married at Brentwood Cathedral. They spent many holidays exploring the Low Countries and Denmark by car and bicycle, and had a particular fondness for Bruges.
Ken had a lifelong interest in sound, acoustics, music and the electro-magnetic spectrum. He never blew his own trumpet, but he did ring the village bells as tower captain at the church of St Peter’s, Goldhanger, Essex, for 15 years, and also played the organ.
He is survived by Ann, their four daughters, Karen, Alison, Rachel and Nina, and nine grandchildren.
