the Jitter Waves

plot
Earth is being affected by strange earthquake-like tremors occurring individually in each time zone once every twenty-four hours and lasting for one hour.  With each revolution of the Earth, the “jittering” becomes more powerful.  On Uranus, the Duos are using a powerful radio transmitter to cause the vibrations.  They send one of their spaceships to spy on Earth.  Haggerty discovers where the radio waves are coming from.  He explains that when the waves hit Earth, they are bounced back to Uranus, and then back to Earth, all the time gathering energy and getting stronger.  In the time it takes them to make this journey, Earth has rotated and a different area is affected.  Haggerty has a large mirror attached to Galasphere 347 and Dart, Husky and Slim position it one thousand miles above Earth. The radio waves are reflected off the mirror, and, as they are travelling a shorter distance than before, they do not gather as much power with each journey.  The Duos believe that there is a problem with their transmitter, and boost its power.  This, however, destroys their base when the waves are returned to Uranus.  Dart and his crew chase the Uranian spaceship in their Galasphere and destroy it.

notes
The Duos make their third appearance here, having previously featured in the Invisible Invasion and the Dark Planet.
The sequence in which Dart fires the gun and destroys the Uranian ship is lifted directly from the Invisible Invasion.

credits
a National Interest Picture production
Wonderama Productions Ltd. © 1962
produced by Roberta Leigh and Arthur Provis
directed by Frank Goulding
created & written by Roberta Leigh
voices by Libby Morris, Dick Vosburgh, Ronnie Stevens, Murray Cash, Ysanne Churchman
puppetry by Martin & Heather Granger, Joan Garrick
electronics by F.C. Judd
editor: Len Walter
sound editor: John Beaton
recordist: Cyril Brown
RCA sound recording
processed at Kay’s
cameraman: Arthur Provis
art director: Roland Whiteside
models: Derek Freeborn
script assistant: Denise Kaye
space consultant: Colin Ronan
special effects & animation: Brian Stevens, Bert Walker
2nd unit cameraman: Jimmy Hopewell