[Qcwa] QCWA Vic Clark Chapter 91 field trip in September

[Dick Rucker]

Here's the scoop per VP & Program Chair Ray Johnson, K5RJ:

Date: Saturday, September 21, 2002
Time: 10:30 -12:00 AM
Place: Cox Communications MTC (Metropolitan Transport Center)
       2917 Eskridge Road
       Fairfax, Virginia

We will be provided a tour of the MTC facility by one of the MTC staff,
Charles Morris, Senior Video Technician.  After the tour, we'll have lunch
at a nearby restaurant.  Directions to both locations follow the tour
description.

The MTC receives all of Cox Communication's television programming from a
number of sources -- via satellite, microwave, and landline-fiber -- and
routes it to all of Cox's cable customers, residential, commercial and
governmental, in Fairfax County and Fairfax City. It also provides Internet
services to those cable customers who subscribe.

The tour will provide insights into the new world of fiber optic
communications, virtually all programming will travel from the MTC on fiber
optic cable, which replaces the coaxial cable, long the standard in the
industry.  So if you want to learn how fiber works and what it can do, this
field trip will provide the opportunity to learn more about it and see what
an operational system center looks like.

I hope we have a good turn out as one of our subscribers Brian Bayus N1KC
has arranged this tour.  This facility in not normally open on the weekend.
COX has made special arrangements to open the MTC and give us this weekend
tour. 

Directions to the COX communications MTC (Metropolitan Transport Center)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
>From the intersection of RT-29 (also known as Lee Highway) and Gallows Rd
(This intersection is the heart of Merrifield) proceed west on RT 29.
As you do, look to your left (south) and notice the large, faded
red-and-white, microwave tower.  Next to it is the windowless brown building
that houses Cox's MTC -- your destination.  A service road running parallel
to Lee highway is the only way to get there.

To find the service road entrance, proceed to the second traffic light past
Gallows Road, the light at Hilltop Road.  Turn left, and left again, onto
the service road.  You're now heading back east with the Riggs bank building
on your right. Turn right turn onto Eskridge Road, then left again into the
MTC parking lot.

Directions to our luncheon afterwards
--------------------------------------
There are a number of fast food restaurants in the area, but I recommend the
Sweet Water Tavern.  It is near the intersection of Gallows Rd and RT-50.
This is a very good restaurant and should not be too crowded on a Saturday
afternoon.  To get there from the COX facility get back on Rt-29 and make a
right on Gallows Rd.  Go to the second traffic light and make a right onto
Gatehouse Rd.  Then about 300 yards you will make a left turn on to
Gatehouse Plaza, The restaurant is straight ahead on the left.   Enjoy.


73's  Ray K5RJ