View source for Almaden Air Force Station

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'''{{PAGENAME}}''' (1958-1980) - A [[Cold War]] Air Force Radar Station first established in 1958 on Mount Umunhum, Santa Clara County, California. Initially assigned a Permanent ID of M-96, later a Sage ID of Z-96. Abandoned in 1980.
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== History of Almaden Air Force Station ==
Established  24 Jun 1957 and became operational on 21 Mar 1958 as Almaden Air Force Station manned by the 682nd AC&W Squadron. The station initially had both a Ground-Control Intercept (GCI) and early warning misssion. The early warnng mission involved tracking and identifing all aircraft entering their airspace while the GCI mission involved guiding Air Force interceptors to any identified enemy aircraft. Controllers at the station vectored fighter aircraft at the correct course and speed to intercept enemy aircraft using voice commands via ground-to-air radio.

Initial equipment in 1957 included the [[FPS-20]] search radar and a single [[FPS-6|FPS-6A]] height finder. The FPS-20 was located on an arctic type tower designated as building 103 just west of the operations building (Bldg 100). The antenna was enclosed in a radome. The FPS-6A was located on a temprate tower (Bldg 125) just north of the Operations Building. A second FPS-6A height-finder radar was also installed on a temprate tower (Bldg 107) in 1958.

A new SAGE addition was built onto the operations building (Bldg 100) in 1959 and the [[FST-2]] Coordinate Data Transmitter (CDT) was installed there in preparation for automated [[SAGE System]] operation.

== SAGE Transition ==
{{SageTransition}}

The site began operation as a SAGE site 1961 initially feeding the [[Beale SAGE Direction Center DC-18]].
== Reconfiguration ==
The site was reconfigured in 1962-1963 to support a new long range search radar, the [[FPS-24]]. The FPS-24 was housed in a four story concrete building (Bldg 102) east of the Operations building. The FPS-6A height-finder radar in building 107 was upgraded to an [[FPS-90]] in the spring of 1963. A [[MPS-14]] mobile height finder radar was placed on a temprate tower designated as building 108. At the end of the reconfiguration the site had a FPS-24 search radar (Bldg 102), a FPS-90 height finder (Bldg 107) and a MPS-14 height finder (Bldg 108). The remaining FPS-20 and FPS-6A radars and towers were removed (Buildings 103 and 125).

The new search radar interfered with the operation of the Ground to Air Transmitter/Receiver (GATR) site located nearby in building 110. The GATR site was relocated to nearby Mount Thayer.

When the [[Beale SAGE Direction Center DC-18]] closed in 1963 Almaden AFS was connected to the [[Norton SAGE Direction Center DC-17]] until it closed in 1966. Control of Almaden AFS then shifted to [[Adair SAGE Direction Center DC-13]] until it closed in 1969 and finally to [[Luke SAGE Direction Center DC-21]].

The [[FST-2|FST-2B]] was replaced with a more up-to-date coordinate data transmitter, the solid state [[FYQ-47]] in May 1972. The [[FPS-90]] height finder radar was deactivated on 1 Oct 1976 and removed.

== Closure ==
Almaden AFS and the 682nd were deactivated on 1 Apr 1980.

{| width="800px"
|-
| valign="top" width="40%" |
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Almaden AFS Major Equipment List
|-
!Search Radar
!HF Radar
!Data Systems
|-
| valign="top" |
* [[FPS-20]]
* [[FPS-24]]
| valign="top" |
* [[MPS-14]]
* [[FPS-6|FPS-6A]]
* [[FPS-90]]
| valign="top" |
* [[FST-2|FST-2/A/B]]
* [[FYQ-47]]
|}
| valign="top" width="60%" |
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Unit Designations
|-
|
* 682nd Aircraft Control & Warning (AC&W) Squadron (1958-1961)
* 682nd Radar Squadron (SAGE) (1961-1974)
* 682nd Radar Squadron (1974-1980)
|}
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+ 682nd Assignments
|-
| 
* 1 Dec 1953 - Activated at Geiger Field, WA, assigned to the 4702nd Def Wg.
*  Jan 1954 - Moved to Kirtland AFB, NM and transferred to 154th AD.
* 13 Jul 1954 - Moved to Hamilton AFB, CA and transferred to 28th AD.
*  Sep 1957 - Moved to Almaden AFS, CA.
* 1 Jul 1960 - Transferred to San Francisco ADS.
* 15 Jan 1961 - Redesignated from AC&W Sq to 682nd Radar Sq (SAGE).
* 1 Aug 1963 - Transferred to LA ADS.
* 1 Apr 1966 - Transferred to 26th AD. (at Adair AFS)
* 15 Sep 1969 - Reassigned to 27th AD. (Temporary)
* 19 Nov 1969 - Reassigned to 26th AD. (at Luke AFB)
* 1 Feb 1974 - Redesignated 682nd Radar Sq.
* 1 Oct 1979 - Assigned to TAC.
* 1 Apr 1980 - Deactivated.
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Almaden Direction Centers
|-
! From
! To
! Organization
! Direction Center
! Notes
|-
| 1 Jul 1960 || 1 Aug 1963 || SFADS || [[Beale SAGE Direction Center DC-18]] ||
|-
| 1 Aug 1963 || 1 Apr 1966 || LAADS || [[Norton SAGE Direction Center DC-17]] ||
|-
| 1 Apr 1966 || 15 Sep 1969 || 26th AD || [[Adair SAGE Direction Center DC-13]] ||
|-
| 15 Sep 1969 || 19 Nov 1969 || 27th AD || [[Luke SAGE Direction Center DC-21]] || Interim Organization
|-
| 19 Nov 1969 || 1 Apr 1980 || 26th AD || [[Luke SAGE Direction Center DC-21]] || Site Deactivated
|}
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== Physical Plant ==
The physical plant of the site was divided into a main site, a cantonment area, a housing area and a radio site. The main site housed the operations buildings, the radar towers, and the backup generators. The cantonment area was below the main site and housed the enlisted barracks, the bachelor officer's quarters, the orderly room, the dining hall, the motor pool and other support buildings. 

Just below the cantonment area was a small 27 unit housing area for married personnel. Leased housing units were also available in San Jose.

A separate Ground to Air Transmitter/Receiver (GATR) radio site on nearby Mount Thayer housed the radio equipment for directing aircraft intercepts. The original GATR site was relocated to Mount Thayer because of interference from the high powered [[FPS-24]] radar.
[[File:Almaden AFS Composite Plan.jpg|thumb|center|800px|Almaden Air Force Station Composite Plan.]]
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{{AlmadenAFSStructures}}
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== Current Status ==
Part of the Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve but not open to the public. The opening has been rescheduled for 2017. Except for the FPS-24 tower the main site has been leveled.
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{|
|
<googlemap version="0.9" lat="37.16045" lon="-121.904852" zoom="14" width="500" scale="yes" overview="yes" controls="large" icons="http://www.fortwiki.com/mapicons/icon{label}.png">
(H) 37.15707, -121.90459, Housing Area
(C) 37.15788, -121.904, Cantonment Area
(G) 37.16382,  -121.9191, GATR Radio Site
(O) 37.16045, -121.8979, Almaden AFS Ops Area
(1958-1980)
</googlemap>
|valign="top"|
'''Location:''' Mount Umunhum in Santa Clara County, California. Zoom in to see location details. The GATR site is located on Mount Thayer.

{{Mapit-US-cityscale|37.16045|-121.8979}}
* Elevation: 3,478'
|}

'''See Also:'''
* [[SAGE System]]
* [[Permanent System Radar Sites]]
* [[US Radar Sets]]
* [[Beale SAGE Direction Center DC-18]]
* [[Norton SAGE Direction Center DC-17]]
* [[Adair SAGE Direction Center DC-13]]
* [[Luke SAGE Direction Center DC-21]]

'''Sources:''' 
* {{Cornett}}, page 160.  <!--ADC Organization-->
* {{Winkler}}, page 105.  <!--Searching the skies-->
* {{GNIS|ID=2107695}}

'''Links:''' 
* [http://www.radomes.org/cgi-bin/museum/acwinfo2x.cgi?site=%22Almaden+AFS,+CA%22&key=AlmadenAFSCA&pic=AlmadenAFSCA&doc=AlmadenAFSCA Radomes - Almaden Air Force Station]
* [https://www.openspace.org/sites/default/files/2011.03.09_AlmadenAFS_Historic_Resource_Study.pdf Historic Resource Study - Almaden AFS Resource Study 2011]
* [https://www.sccgov.org/sites/dpd/DocsForms/Documents/HHC_Umunhum_Conservancy_Report.pdf Historical Evaluation - Mount Umunhum Radar Tower]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almaden_Air_Force_Station Wikipedia - Almaden Air Force Station]
* [http://scc.pastperfect-online.com/39712cgi/mweb.exe?request=ks New Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum]
* [http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM62RH_Almaden_Air_Force_Station_Santa_Clara_County_CA Waymarking - Almaden AFS]
* [https://youtu.be/nqfsWBZR8XM YouTube - Drone Flight over the site before it was leveled]
* [https://youtu.be/7GAd50urSL8 YouTube - Almaden Radar Site - A very Special Place]
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