mrb1@cbnewsh.att.com (maurice.r.baker) (03/22/91)
Hi --- On a trip to the West Coast last week, we had a chance to drive up Route 1 along the Pacific Coast from Monterey area to San Francisco. The scenery was beautiful, many of the coastal cliffs were breathtaking with the waves pounding up on them. In any case, I noticed what appeared to be a satellite tracking installation right by the shore at one point. If memory serves me correctly, it had 2 dish antennas....one larger than the other....and the bigger one looked like it was tracking something while it was in view. Couldn't spot any signs or (obvious) roads leading to it; kinda stuck out into the water away from everything else. When I found our location on the road map, it looked like we were at (or near) "Moss Beach"....there also was a little airport symbol on the map in the immediate area. Out of curiosity, what exactly is this installation? Thanks in advance, M. Baker homxc!jj1028 or jj1028 at homxc.att.com
aviator@sequent.com (03/23/91)
mrb1@cbnewsh.att.com (maurice.r.baker) writes: >Hi --- >On a trip to the West Coast last week, we had a chance to drive up >Route 1 along the Pacific Coast from Monterey area to San Francisco. >The scenery was beautiful, many of the coastal cliffs were breathtaking >with the waves pounding up on them. >In any case, I noticed what appeared to be a satellite tracking installation >right by the shore at one point. If memory serves me correctly, it >had 2 dish antennas....one larger than the other....and the bigger one >looked like it was tracking something while it was in view. Couldn't spot >any signs or (obvious) roads leading to it; kinda stuck out into the >water away from everything else. >When I found our location on the road map, it looked like we were at >(or near) "Moss Beach"....there also was a little airport symbol on >the map in the immediate area. >Out of curiosity, what exactly is this installation? >Thanks in advance, >M. Baker >homxc!jj1028 or jj1028 at homxc.att.com i was in this area last may and spotted these two dishes, and my fiance and i spent some time nosing around. we found a road leading in the direction of the installation, and it was posted no trespassing in very strong words, things like 'US Government Property, trespassing by unautorized vehicles PROHIBITED', you know, things like that. we never did find out what it is, but are dying to know. anybody know. btw the place is near Half Moon Bay. jim harriger
gregc@cimage.com (Greg Cronau) (03/23/91)
In article <1991Mar22.021115.3032@cbnewsh.att.com> mrb1@cbnewsh.att.com (maurice.r.baker) writes: >Hi --- > >On a trip to the West Coast last week, we had a chance to drive up >Route 1 along the Pacific Coast from Monterey area to San Francisco. > >The scenery was beautiful, many of the coastal cliffs were breathtaking >with the waves pounding up on them. > >In any case, I noticed what appeared to be a satellite tracking installation >right by the shore at one point. If memory serves me correctly, it >had 2 dish antennas....one larger than the other....and the bigger one >looked like it was tracking something while it was in view. Couldn't spot >any signs or (obvious) roads leading to it; kinda stuck out into the >water away from everything else. > >When I found our location on the road map, it looked like we were at >(or near) "Moss Beach"....there also was a little airport symbol on >the map in the immediate area. > >Out of curiosity, what exactly is this installation? I have been wondering the same thing. When I went out to SF a few years ago to visit some friends, they took me over to a stretch of beach just south of SF. I believe it was Half-moon bay. The installation was on a peninsula on the North end of the bay. Couldn't find it on any maps. gregc@cimage.com
shafe@leland.Stanford.EDU (Mathew Shafe) (03/23/91)
In article <1991Mar23.095742.14378@cimage.com> gregc@dgsi.UUCP (Greg Cronau/10000) writes: >In article <1991Mar22.021115.3032@cbnewsh.att.com> mrb1@cbnewsh.att.com (maurice.r.baker) writes: >>Hi --- >> >>On a trip to the West Coast last week, we had a chance to drive up >>Route 1 along the Pacific Coast from Monterey area to San Francisco. >> >>The scenery was beautiful, many of the coastal cliffs were breathtaking >>with the waves pounding up on them. >> >>In any case, I noticed what appeared to be a satellite tracking installation >>right by the shore at one point. If memory serves me correctly, it >>had 2 dish antennas....one larger than the other....and the bigger one >>looked like it was tracking something while it was in view. Couldn't spot >>any signs or (obvious) roads leading to it; kinda stuck out into the >>water away from everything else. >> >>When I found our location on the road map, it looked like we were at >>(or near) "Moss Beach"....there also was a little airport symbol on >>the map in the immediate area. >> >>Out of curiosity, what exactly is this installation? > >I have been wondering the same thing. When I went out to SF a few years >ago to visit some friends, they took me over to a stretch of beach just >south of SF. I believe it was Half-moon bay. The installation was on a >peninsula on the North end of the bay. Couldn't find it on any maps. > Last month, some friends and I went to Mirimar Beach in Half Moon Bay at about 2:00 am. We noticed the string of lights and decided to check it out when we left. We had to drive though a tuna fishing district to reach the difficult-to-find entrance. We passed a sign saying it was an Air Force Missile tracking station, northernmost in U.S. Not sure whether I remember it exactly word-for-word. A guard was posted at a pretty serious looking fence-gate. We did a quick U-turn and probably alarmed the guardquite a bit, considering the Gulf War at the time. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ <Spock>: "Captain, it is illogical to eat chocolate cake without frosting." <Capt. Kirk> : "Shut up, Spock. Eat your Count Roddenberry cereal!" ---shafe@leleand.stanford.edu
shafer@skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov (Mary Shafer) (03/23/91)
People have inquired about a tracking station in Half Moon Bay.
I'm pretty sure it's one of the Air Force's stations for the Pacific
Missile Range (PMR). Among other neat things, they launch missiles
from Vandenburg AFB to Kwajulein Island. I have a Kwaj calendar with
pictures of multiple-head missiles landing in the lagoon, etc.
We (Dryden) used the PMR tracking system during the Pegasus program.
The Air Force telemetry and tracking radar were linked to our system
so that we could monitor everything from here at Edwards, even though
it was all out over the Pacific.
I believe that the Half Moon Bay installation is the northernmost of
these.
--
Mary Shafer shafer@skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov ames!skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov!shafer
NASA Ames Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, CA
Of course I don't speak for NASA
"A MiG at your six is better than no MiG at all"--Unknown US fighter pilotjdishaw@lucy.claremont.edu (03/24/91)
In article <SHAFER.91Mar23073612@skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov>, shafer@skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov (Mary Shafer) writes: > People have inquired about a tracking station in Half Moon Bay. > > I'm pretty sure it's one of the Air Force's stations for the Pacific > Missile Range (PMR).... > -- > Mary Shafer shafer@skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov ames!skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov!shafer > NASA Ames Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, CA I am pretty sure this is the correct answer. Based on the descriptions from the previous postings, it seems to me that you are describing part of the facility that makes up Onizuka AFB. I know they do tracking and I am pretty sure they do satellite downloading. Anyway, if I am wrong, some please correct me.