[SMCARA] NSS Annapolis and Imperial Beach

[JD Delancy]

Wullenweber arrays were Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (sometimes 
referred to as a Circularly Disposed Dipole Array) and with 
nomenclatures of AN/FLR-9 (AF/Army sites) and AN/FRD-10 (Navy sites). 
Basically the same CDAA for the three services, the difference being the 
central building (CB) in the middle of the array; the Navy version was a 
two story CB.  They built on ~40 acres of land, were ~120 feet tall

The "nickname" Elephant cage has varying stories of its origination and 
depends on who you talk to.  The one I was told that when FL9 was built 
on an overseas site, the natives asked "what the heck is that for?"  The 
answer was that it was an Elephant Cage.  The natives, somewhat 
perplexed and quizzical asked "Elephant Cage?"  The answer was, "Sure, 
you see any Elephants running thru your village, it keeps them penned up?"

There is one still one standing, that I'm aware of, the one at Elmendorf 
AFB AK. There is a group trying to get that one designated as a museum.  
Here's a couple of pictures.  Sure my neighbors would have something to 
say if one was to plop down in my backyard

http://rudas.us/cdaa/FLR-9%20Karamursel.jpg

http://rudas.us/cdaa/FLR9%20Elmendorf.jpg

     jd

On 4/22/20 6:58 PM, Frederic Clarke wrote:
> Yep, the antenna at Imperial Beach is what we referred to as the 
> 'Elephant Cage" or in the case of th one in Rota, Spain, the"Bull 
> Ring". It's actual name was a "Wollenweber Array" and it was used for 
> direction finding by the Naval Security Group. I think they are all 
> gone now.
>
> Tom
>
> On 4/22/2020 8:55 AM, Grant Graessle wrote:
>> My memory of NSS Annapolis is much more practical.
>> And then that brought back memories of the Comms station at Imperial 
>> Beach
>> too.
>>
>> My reserve unit from Lewes, DE was preparing to go overseas for an 
>> exercise
>> that could easily turn into a long-term stay (Desert Storm.) One of the
>> other officers figured out that the easiest way to get our shots was 
>> to bus
>> over to the Naval Academy and see the doc there.  When we got done, the
>> sailors needed lunch. I first checked in with the cafeteria, and they 
>> said
>> they weren't able to serve us ( I think we were too early). So I called
>> over to the security det and asked if I could bring 50 sailors over for
>> lunch.  "Sure. I've got some leftovers that need to be eaten or I 
>> burn the
>> money.  Win-win."  So we bussed over across the bridge and had lunch 
>> with
>> the Security Det.  My memory says that the towers were still up, but 
>> one of
>> the officers s boss over there said they were going to come down 
>> sometime
>> in the next year.  But my memory has been known to be faulty.
>>
>> As a kid, I attended the YMCA Camp Surf in Imperial Beach. Still in
>> operation today!  The first time campers got to stay in the old
>> Quonset huts that the YMCA took over.  I don't remember what the
>> Quonset huts were for, but they were damn close to the Mexican 
>> border.  The
>> return campers got to walk up the beach about a mile towards the comms
>> station.  We wold camp for a week in the shadows of the antenna array 
>> and
>> go surfing.   What fun and good memories.
>> I remember climbing one of the old telephone poles, sitting on top to 
>> watch
>> the 4th of July fireworks further up the beach.
>>
>> 73
>> N4PGG
>>
>>
>