Antenna array

[markwa1ion@aol.com]

The WBNW-1120 site is south of Route 2 (north of Route 62) and somewhat 
farther west than the one about which Lee Walus asked.

The towers in question belong to amateur radio operator W1EVT.

Per "http://www.qrz.com/callsign":
CLEMENT MORITZ
32 WETHERBEE ST
ACTON MA 01720

The story I heard was that he received some financial aid from the 
government (I think early in the Cold War era) to set up what is known 
as a Sterba Curtain array that can resolve directional fixes within a 
few degrees on the HF bands (3 to 30 MHz).

Bearings taken would be integrated with those from other stations 
(including official FCC, NSA, and military facilities) to track Russian 
boats off the East Coast and any other "transmissions of interest".

Whether this is all hamfest folklore or not I'm not sure, but the 
operator has indeed assembled quite an array that is placed on a slight 
hilltop (above a grove of pines) overlooking the higher-conductivity 
Nashoba Brook wetlands to the east.  The antennas have been there since 
at least the mid '60s, maybe earlier.

Clem has separate legal-limit transmitters for each of the original HF 
amateur bands (3.5, 7, 14, 21, and 28 MHz).

>From "http://lists.contesting.com/_towertalk/2002-10/msg00283.html":

"W1EVT has 19 R25 Towers 140 ft tall sitting on base plates
supported by cinderblocks to place each base at the same elevation.
There is NO lateral support at the base other than friction on
the cinderblocks.  These towers have been up for around 40 years
that I know of."


Mark Connelly, WA1ION - Billerica, MA

<<
I suspect you mean the field of  many towers (I counted 14)
(viewed from hill north of 2A, north of former theater).
Some local folks (I have asked many) seem to agree that it was built by 
a
ham radio operator,
and is no longer active.    I have not been able to learn the owners 
name,
or any way to contact.
It does appear capable of a tight beam, varible aim.

In my curiosity over the years, I scouted the site from Rt2, 2A, and
Horseshoe Drive (very near
array's northwest tip)

Specifically I observed the site center to be just west of due north of 
Rt2
intersection
of School Street and Weatherbee St.
(slightly west of the barn north of Rt2 with USA flag painted on west 
side),
and southwest in line with the east side of the former theater on 2A
(rear of min shopping center near the Minor Chord music store).
The theater was about opposite Bershaw Oil (on south side of 2A),
which is listed as 94 Great Road.

The layout was observed as an irregular 2 rows,
 with Azimuth line about 133 degrees,
and estimated center 42:28:31 latitude,  71:24:53 longitude (NAD27)
as plotted on via Topozone USGS.

   If this is  too much info,   well,  I am known for compulsive detail.

  PS the WBNW 1120 (former WADN)   site is off of rt62.
Thanks, Dan, I hadn't realized (& should have) the major protection is 
to
KMOX

Bob Sutherland
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lee Walus" <lwalus@cheerful.com>
To: <boston-radio-interest@rolinin.bostonradio.org>
Sent: Sunday, August 13, 2006 4:17 PM
Subject: Antenna array



> Does anyone here know anything about the antenna array which is 
situated
in the woods on the Acton-Concord line just west of the prison and 
north of
route 2?
>
>>
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