Almaden Air Force Station
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Almaden Air Force Station (1958-1980) - A Cold War Air Force Radar Station first established in 1958 near Mount Umunhum, Santa Clara County, California. Initially assigned a Permanent ID of M-96, later a Sage ID of Z-96. Abandoned in 1980. History of Almaden Air Force StationEstablished 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 included the FPS-20 search radar and a MPS-14 height finder radar. An additional FPS-90 height finder was installed in 1958. The FST-2 Coordinate Data Transmitter (CDT) was installed in 1961 in preparation for automated SAGE System operation. SAGE TransitionThe transition of the manual GCI system to the automated SAGE system began with the installation of the FST-2 coordinate data transmitter and search radar upgrades. The FST-2 equipment digitized the radar returns and transmitted the digital returns to the SAGE direction center. Under the SAGE System, interceptor aircraft were directed to their targets by the direction center computers and controllers, greatly reducing the need for local controllers and equipment at every radar station. The FST-2 was a very large digital system using vacuum tube technology. Over 6900 vacuum tubes were used in each FST-2 requiring 21 air-conditioned cabinets, 40 tons of air conditioning, 43.5 kva of prime power, and usually a large new addition to the operations building. The FST-2B modification added two more cabinets but with newer solid-state (transistor) technology to process coded responses from aircraft transponders. The FPS-20 search radar was removed in November 1962 and replaced by the FPS-24 search radar. The site began operation as a SAGE site 1961 initially feeding the Beale SAGE Direction Center DC-18. The search radar was upgraded to an FPS-24 (the 2nd production model) and a second height finder radar (FPS-6A) was installed. 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-12. The 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. ClosureAlmaden AFS and the 682nd were deactivated on 1 Apr 1980. Physical PlantThe 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 housed the enlisted barracks, the bachelor officer's quarters, the orderly room, the dining hall, the motor pool and other support buildings. Apart from the main site was a small housing area for critical married personnel. A separate Ground to Air Transmitter/Receiver (GATR) radio site 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.
Current StatusPart 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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