[SMCARA] NSS Annapolis and Imperial Beach

[JD Delancy]

Don't know where all the FLR-9 materials and equipment went at the other 
sites went, Tom.  The Elmendorf FLR9, last I knew, was still standing intact

It's been 34 years since I PCS'd out of Elmendorf

The North of the main runway (6/24) antenna field was the HF Transmitter 
site (Skyking, Skyking, do not answer); it was actually on Ft 
Richardson. The receiver site was on the back side of Elmendorf, about a 
mile up the road from the FLR9.  I imagine they're still there as  
projects I worked included fiber optics from the receiver site to the 
transmitter site replacing the old copper cables as well as upgrading 
transmitter site antennas with log periodics and adding a Rosetta 
antenna at the receiver site

Interesting times ..  jd


On 4/23/20 4:25 PM, Frederic Clarke wrote:
>
> I wonder how much those buildings skewed the antenna pattern at 
> Elemendorf?  I remember having to get my car checked for EMI before 
> going inside the antenna at Rota. I read somewhere the amount of wire 
> that was involved, including the massive counterpoise. Staggering! 
> Wonder where it all went along with all of those Rhombics just north 
> of the runway?
>
> Tom
>
> 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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