Weird Microwave Tower

[nKrypteD1]

I spotted this tower outside of Pierceton, IN, I'm uploading here because it's not quality enough to upload to the gallery, but if anybody can explain to me why the double structure I'll be greatful.

[JFB]

It is hard to tell from the picture if there are antennas on it. Did you see antennas? Is there an airport close to this?

[nKrypteD1]

Originally Posted by JFB

It is hard to tell from the picture if there are antennas on it. Did you see antennas? Is there an airport close to this?

I couldn't really tell, it's possible in the cross section on the very top, no there's no airport near there, this is literally in the middle of a field in the middle of nowhere. I'll be going back by there in the not so distant future, I'll get some better shots then, these two pics were taken from the road. I asked an acquiantance in the area about the tower, the only thing he knew about it was that someone died 2 or 3 years ago there while repainting the tower.

Upon searching on general cell phone towers:

Antenna Structure
Structure Type: Free standing or guyed structure

Location
Lat / Long: 41.149444
-85.737500
Street: 5608 S County Rd.
City, State: Pierceton, IN

Height
Overall Height Above Ground: 94.5 m
Overall Height Above Ground w/o Appurtenances: 91.4 m
Elevation of Site Above Mean Sea Level: 283.8 m
Overall Height Above Mean Sea Level: 378.3 m

Information
Owner: Aat Communciations Corp.
Attention To: Robert L. Robeski
517 Rt. One South, Suite 5000
P.O. Box
Iselin, NJ 08830

Aat has apparently been acquired by SBA. Gonna dig a bit deeper if I can find out who leases space on the tower. I mean I could understand a large guyed structure in a residential area or an urban area, this is out at least 5 miles from the closest town I know of and in the middle of nowhere, I saw several microwave "dishes" on the tower so I'm guessing it's local carriers (land based)

[nKrypteD1]

Ok did a bit more digging, no information about what the tower is used for but the pdf has a better picture. There are definetly rf antenna's on top of the tower.

[wirles]

Originally Posted by nKrypteD1

Ok did a bit more digging, no information about what the tower is used for but the pdf has a better picture. There are definetly rf antenna's on top of the tower.

Lol, I know that site. It and many others like it across the nation are old government sites. It was a special structural design. I used tpo have a link for more info on them, but I can not find it.

[nKrypteD1]

Originally Posted by wirles

Lol, I know that site. It and many others like it across the nation are old government sites. It was a special structural design. I used tpo have a link for more info on them, but I can not find it.

Wonder if it isn't for air traffic (air force) etc etc.

[wirles]

Sort of. Many of them were part of the MARS system back in the day, but have primarily been decomm'ed for years.

[nKrypteD1]

Well I can only image by the fact that SBA owns that tower now that it's been decomm'ed and bought up by the private sector.

[wirles]

Originally Posted by nKrypteD1

Well I can only image by the fact that SBA owns that tower now that it's been decomm'ed and bought up by the private sector.

IIRC they were on the market about 6 years ago and ATC got some along with SBA. The coolest site is in Northen Jersey.

[nKrypteD1]

Originally Posted by wirles

IIRC they were on the market about 6 years ago and ATC got some along with SBA. The coolest site is in Northen Jersey.

I wish I had an actual digi cam so I could get some decent pics of that tower up, I'll try again with my phone but it's 1.3mp so yeah that says it all.

[JFB]

Originally Posted by wirles

IIRC they were on the market about 6 years ago and ATC got some along with SBA. The coolest site is in Northen Jersey.

Do you know what town that one is in? Maybe someone here can snag a picture of it.

[Jonathan Kramer]

It's relatively common to see "H-Frame" towers (two towers with a cross-arm, like here) to support multiple omni-antennas, J-pole antennas, and the like. You don't usually see microwave antennas on the cross-arm because of twisting that could misalign the path at various times.

=Jonathan=

[nKrypteD1]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Kramer

It's relatively common to see "H-Frame" towers (two towers with a cross-arm, like here) to support multiple omni-antennas, J-pole antennas, and the like. You don't usually see microwave antennas on the cross-arm because of twisting that could misalign the path at various times.

=Jonathan=

I'm not in the industry and have mostly only travelled along the eastern seabord so this is probably not surprising, but this is the first time I've seen an "H" structure.

There are better pictures that I took a while ago, http://gallery.wirelessadvisor.com/s...hp?i=2885&c=18 .

JFB in regards to the location, it's south of Pierceton, IN on IN 13, about 3 miles outside of town, just off the highway and sitting on leased farm land, I'm not sure about the property owners so I took that photo from the road. Anybody more adventurous than I is more than welcome to try.

[MOTOhooligan]

Originally Posted by wirles

Sort of. Many of them were part of the MARS system back in the day, but have primarily been decomm'ed for years.

Hmmm... that's interesting. Is MARS still active and some of the antennas are decommissioned or is the whole program decommisioned?

[wirles]

Originally Posted by MOTOhooligan

Hmmm... that's interesting. Is MARS still active and some of the antennas are decommissioned or is the whole program decommisioned?

The Military Affiliate Radio System is just as active today as it ever was. Morale and welfare messages are no longer the largest activity in MARS due to the increased use of the internet and e-mail by deployed military personnel. MARS now has an increased role in providing interoperability communications between Army National Guard and Air National Guard forces and civilian state agencies. MARS also provides beta testing of new technologies such as Voice over IP and antennas.

MARS participates in exercises such as Grecian Firebolt (Ft. Meade, MD) to help support military communications. MARS members from all around the world played a role in Grecian Firebolt 2005 by sending exercise Essential Elements of Information (EEI) reports through the MARS radio network. The EEI's consisted of scenario disaster information. When the EEI's were received, they were sorted and sent to Army intelligence centers. MARS plays a large part in reporting up-to-date information on disasters and requesting military assistance using a dispersed and redundant radio network.

MARS also supports government agencies such as FEMA, and participates in programs such as SHAred RESources (SHARES).

The 311th Signal Command is the first major subordinate command of the Army Reserve to move from strategic reserve, which means a traditional reserve unit with the 'one weekend a month, and two weeks a year' requirement for unit membership, to a unit that will serve seven days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. MG Donna Dacier, is the commander of the 311th. They were the lead Signal Command in Grecian Firebolt. I will be visiting with them the week of November 6th. I'll try to get some pics, as allowed.

[MOTOhooligan]

Originally Posted by wirles

I will be visiting with them the week of November 6th. I'll try to get some pics, as allowed.

That's awesome. Thanks, wirles.

[Jonathan Kramer]

Originally Posted by wirles

The Military Affiliate Radio System is just as active today as it ever was. Morale and welfare messages are no longer the largest activity in MARS due to the increased use of the internet and e-mail by deployed military personnel. MARS now has an increased role in providing interoperability communications between Army National Guard and Air National Guard forces and civilian state agencies. MARS also provides beta testing of new technologies such as Voice over IP and antennas.

MARS participates in exercises such as Grecian Firebolt (Ft. Meade, MD) to help support military communications. MARS members from all around the world played a role in Grecian Firebolt 2005 by sending exercise Essential Elements of Information (EEI) reports through the MARS radio network. The EEI's consisted of scenario disaster information. When the EEI's were received, they were sorted and sent to Army intelligence centers. MARS plays a large part in reporting up-to-date information on disasters and requesting military assistance using a dispersed and redundant radio network.

MARS also supports government agencies such as FEMA, and participates in programs such as SHAred RESources (SHARES).

The 311th Signal Command is the first major subordinate command of the Army Reserve to move from strategic reserve, which means a traditional reserve unit with the 'one weekend a month, and two weeks a year' requirement for unit membership, to a unit that will serve seven days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. MG Donna Dacier, is the commander of the 311th. They were the lead Signal Command in Grecian Firebolt. I will be visiting with them the week of November 6th. I'll try to get some pics, as allowed.

Great information! Thanks!
73/W6JLK

[wirles]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Kramer

Great information! Thanks!
73/W6JLK

I took you for a ham from day 1, my friend. I grew up around the ARRL myself. I can't tell you how many times I went to Dayton as the proud 'harmonic' of K3EEX!!!