Abandoned Radar Site (view east toward gate), expanded


This is a view facing east toward the front gate of the abandoned Integrated Fire Control (IFC) area at the top of Wolf Ridge about 2 miles north west of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The following comments keyed to the red numbers, are extracted from the booklet

SEACOAST AND ANTIAIRCRAFT DEFENSES

FOUND ON WOLF RIDGE

by Milton B. Halsey, Jr.
(presented in greater length in the "Abandoned Radar Site, Map & Site Information" section

1. Sentry Box and Gate. The integrated fire control area of each Nike missile battery was a secure area surrounded by a barbed wire fence and guarded by armed sentries 24-hours a day. This gate is the only road access to the site, and the sentry box is where the guards were located. Upon a person's arrival at the gate, he/she would be scrutinized closely, and without proper identity papers and a valid reason to be there, that person would be denied entrance and detained for closer scrutiny.

3. HIPAR Antenna on a 25-foot Tower with Geodesic Dome. On this site, the high-power acquisition radar (HIPAR) was once located. This HIPAR radar scanned the horizon out to a horizontal range of over 100 nautical miles and up to a vertical range (altitude) of over 148,000 feet (over 28 miles) searching for incoming hostile aircraft. Once hostile aircraft were detected, data on their course, speed, altitude and location were passed electronically by computer and other electrical means to the target-tracking radars, while the HIPAR acquisition radar continued to sweep the horizon searching for more targets. This radar, its 25-foot tower and the geodesic dome have been removed leaving only the gravel area around the radar and the footings of its tower.

4. HIPAR Building. The remains of the HIPAR building stand today stripped of the electrical and data controls and wires that once were in the building. Once, a mass of electrical consoles, generators and wires were housed here, and this was the "nerve center" for the operation of the HIPAR acquisition radar.

5. Target-Tracking Radar on a Tower with a Geodesic Dome. On top of the tower found here, a target-tracking radar under a geodesic dome operated as part of the control system of the Nike guided missile battery. After a target had been located by the acquisition radars, it was passed electronically to the target-tracking radar. The acquisition radar then continued to search for more targets, while the target-tracking radar continued to track the target aircraft. The tracking was accomplished on a radar console, and data were passed electronically to the control vans, the launch site console operators and the tracking consoles. The speed, altitude, and direction of flight of the target aircraft were tracked. Illuminated as a "blip" on the radar console and the control console, the target was tracked or followed by the console operators/ Today, the radar and its dome are gone, but the tower upon which it stood remains.

5(A) Target-Recognition/Tracking Radar on a Tower with a Geodesic Dome.
... snip ...

7. Missile Tracking Radar with Geodesic Dome. To complete the system of Nike antiaircraft missile radars, there was a radar that tracked and guided the missile after it had been fired. Electronically, data were transmitted through this radar that guided the missile. These data controlled the sustainer motor in the missile and the control surfaces (winglets or fins) on the missile that steered or guided it.

... snip ...
Today, the radar and its dome are gone, but the concrete stand upon which it stood remains.

10. ICC Building. The integrated control center (ICC) was the "heart" and "brains" of the Nike system. Here, many of the communications, radar and control consoles that actually operated the system were housed. Once, this building was filled with wires, computers and consoles, but today it stands vacant and abandoned. From this building decisions were made regarding targets and the missiles that would engage them, and from here orders were issued to the launch area to actually fire the missiles.


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