[SMCARA] NSS Annapolis and Imperial Beach

[Fletch]

There were two here in WV at Sugar Grove, now both are gone. There was 
another one at the NAVSECGRU Chesapeake VA but it too is gone. I believe 
they were FRG-10 antennas.

Fletch

On 4/23/2020 7:05 AM, JD Delancy wrote:
> 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
>>>
>>>
>>
>
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