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General Category => General Radio Discussion => Topic started by: FS on May 10, 2020, 2106 UTC

Title: What were those antennas good for
Post by: FS on May 10, 2020, 2106 UTC

Hi,
I'm from Germany, near Stuttgart.
A few years ago I discovered 4 antennas in the woods.
Coords: 48.689715, 9.085973
The antennas are secured by a big double fence (NATO-razorblase version).
I can see the feeding line (kind of Heliax Air >20kW) are cut.
There are 4 of 13 Element yagis. I would estimate the frequency at around 9-11 MHz.
Does someone know, what this station was used for? Does anybody have a clue?

Best regards,
 Fabian

Title: Re: What were those antennas good for
Post by: Ct Yankee on May 10, 2020, 2204 UTC

Fabian -

The coordinates you gave are near Panzer Kaserne, a U.S. military installation in Böblingen, originally German then post World War II it became American.  I am thinking under razor fencing, it may have been military related.  My. 90 year old father-in-law served in the American sector of Germany in the early 50's, I don't recall exactly where.  I will ask him the next time I speak with him, he was a radio operator.

By the way, welcome to the board.

Title: Re: What were those antennas good for
Post by: Josh on May 11, 2020, 2020 UTC

Log periodics, mebbe 3 to 30mhz operation. Giant mofos! The one to the south of the facility seems to be having issues with the lowest frequency element.

If that's Panzer Kasserne, my uncle was there in the early 50s with the US Army Signal Corps(e). There's a few logs in and around Omaha Nebraska of that size located a few miles from downtown so as to "survive" nuclear blast I suppose, ATT owns one atop their building in downtown Omaha however, they did when I was there, might be gone now. OFFUT AFB has some rotatables at the Elkhorn Communications Detachment a few miles west of Omaha, as well as one in NP Dodge state park in north Omaha.

Might be interesting to note freqs, languages, and azimuths of these antennae when they become active (don't be surprised if certain "espione" transmissions are sent via these same behemoths).

:D

Title: Re: What were those antennas good for
Post by: glimmer twin on May 11, 2020, 2216 UTC

I found this:

https://books.google.com/books?id=IEEbAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA74&lpg=RA1-PA74&dq=Panzer+Kaserne+as+antennas&source=bl&ots=ySZVWDdcMT&sig=ACfU3U2_89CUKGrZ1x-H_BwDp2B2ZEZy2w&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiJ2aXQ6azpAhWWVs0KHS4zBXsQ6AEwC3oECAUQAQ#v=onepage&q=Panzer%20Kaserne%20as%20antennas&f=false

Title: Re: What were those antennas good for
Post by: ve6jy on May 13, 2020, 2319 UTC

Actually all 4 of the log periodics have issues with the lowest frequency element, on one it's missing entirely.  Makes one wonder if it is actually in use.

Don
VE6JY

Title: Re: What were those antennas good for
Post by: Josh on May 14, 2020, 1838 UTC

Yeah have to get someone enarby to monitor for radioactivity. Also, even with the loss of longest elements they still work fine on the higher bands.

Title: Re: What were those antennas good for
Post by: NJQA on May 15, 2020, 0951 UTC

I’ve heard that the antennas are gone and the area is now used as a paintball field.

The site is mentioned here:

https://www.usarmygermany.com/Sont.htm?https&&&www.usarmygermany.com/Units/Signal/USAREUR_SignalCorps%20CN-ECCCS.htm

Title: Re: What were those antennas good for
Post by: FS on June 04, 2020, 2234 UTC

Hi,
I have pictures of the Station inside and close-ups of the antennas.

https://imgur.com/a/F7y37s4

The antennas were put down a few months ago. The construction workers were kind and let me take some pictures.
I hope this is not confidential stuff. If yes, please let me know.

Best regards,
 Fabian, DJ9FS