Armstrong Tower Field Trip On Friday November 3, 2006, thirteen NPARC members visited the historic Major Armstrong antenna tower in Alpine NJ. 
Beside an up-close view of the tower, we spent time in a radio museum and got a tour of some of the TV, pager, and radio transmitter rooms under the tower. We capped that off with a sumptuous lunch at the Red Oak diner in Fort Lee. Many thanks to Andy WA2DKJ for thinking of the idea to go and making all the arrangement for our visit and tour. And also to Jason from the CSC Corporation (owners of the site) for taking the time to show us around this memorable location. For more information about the history of the tower see http://www.fybush.com/site-021219.html Another interesting site about Major Armstrong is at
http://users.erols.com/oldradio/ehabio.htm Pictures from Bob KB2IKC -- click on any of these images for a larger version of the photo:
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Looking up the 400 foot tall Amrstrong Tower.
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The tower is self-suporting -- no guy cables.
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Looking up at the bottom of one of the three 150 foot arms at the top of the tower.
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Here's the NPARC gang in front of Major Armstrong's original W2XMN transmitter building and labratory.
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Inside the W2XMN building is a museum of old radio gear, most NOT from Major Armstrong.
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More historical radio objects.
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Under the tower are the transmitter rooms. This is a sign in the hallway of that building.
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Pictures from Andy WA2DKJ:
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Approaching the tower from Rt.9
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The tower
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The gang outside the museum building
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Foyer to the museum
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In the foyer
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In the museum
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Jason, our host and guide. Great tour, Jason!
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Armstrong's lab, now the museum.
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John KC2MTN and Dave K2YG stand next to the XM satellite radio transmitter
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NPARC inspectors.
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Bill W2ZKE and Bob K2GLS stand next to the 42.8 MHz FM transmitter, a comemorative reproduction.
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Microwave wave guides
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Coax going from the transmitter room up to the tower.
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Bob KB2IKC points to the Bird (!) dummy load. And how about that 2" copper coax!
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Patch panel / antenna switch. The 2" copper coax can be pulled out and switched to the dummy load.
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Bob K2GLS stands next to ground bus bar for the entire room
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Notice the standard Bird in-line sensing "slug" and the RF "shut off" valve.
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Fairleigh Dickinson University's WFDU (FM 89.1)broadcasting cottage.
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WX radar tower stands to the left of the main tower
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