Jim Wilson and I arrived Liberal, Kansas on 6 February 2002 via Great Lakes Airlines (GLA). GLA is now separate from United and the check-in desk can be found on the E side of the DIA terminal (next to Delta check-in). Loading is at the end of and downstairs in Terminal A. The aircraft is a small Beech 1900D a/c with about 19 seats. Our fare was $244.50 rt on the 9:50 a.m. flight; it had one stop in Garden City. Currently there are three daily flights M-F; exceptions on Saturdays & Sundays. Hopefully they will still be in business during IHOP. A Hertz car was rented; rates are high; about $61/day plus $.30 a mile over 100 mi/day. We should plan on taking as many GSA cars from Boulder as possible; I've already talked to Jean Hancock regarding this.
We began our search for an S-Pol radar site immediately upon arrival. Jim was in "hog" heaven (literally) as there were many sites of interest, however, we were unsure of T-1 or phone capability.
On 7 Feb, Jon Lutz flew in and we met with Mark Sharkey, Chief Engineer, Panhandle Telephone Cooperative, Inc/Telecommunication Systems, Inc. in Guymon, OK.
PTCI
P.O. Box 1188
113 NE 5th St.
Guymon, OK 73942
Phone: 580-468-2100 or 800-562-2556
FAX: 580-468-4589
Email: msharkey@ptsi.net
We were provided with a map of all T-1 capability areas and phone lines
in our interest area. Our contact at PTCI will be Dennis Calsing, Field
Engineer.
Phone: 580-468-2170; 800-562-2556
Emil: docptci@ptsi.net
Mr. Sharkey stated that we must order the T-1 line from Southwestern Bell in Norman. He also mentioned that PTCI is an internet provider and can also provide video conferencing from Guymon or possibly from the school in Balko, OK. I will be setting up the T-1, and all other S-Pol lines.
After locating phone and T-1 access on the map, Jim choose a site 3
miles S and 1/2 mil west off of highway 412. We located the landowner and
spoke with him on Thursday evening. His name is:
Leo Neufeld (wife Cathryn)
Rt 2 Box 29
Balko, KS 73931
phone 580-646-3535
The legal description of his property is the NE 1/4 section 10-1N-21ECN, Beaver County, OK. This plot of land is designated CRP - Conservation Reserve Program, where natural grasses are growing and the rancher is not farming the land. We, therefore, met with the District Conservationist, Jim Shaeffer at USDA, Farm Service Agency in Beaver, and got an "okay" to use the land as a radar site; however, we must restore the land to it's exiting state after we remove S-Pol. A lease will be set up with the landowner.
We also located several spots to serve as the "auxiliary" site for ISS, Mobile AERI, Kingsmill's radiometer, profiler, etc., Knupp's MIPS, possibly the NASA profiling radiometer, FMCW, TAOS, and various other mobile equipment. The site is pictured below. ISS staff are currently in search of this site.
Info for Josh Wurman: Several garage (bay type) buildings were located that could be used if the DOW's had to be worked on. There was one on the S end of Liberal that was a good possibility. A sign out front stated "For Lease, contact Keith, 806-435-3876 or 6508.
Housing: This is still up in the air but it looks like Liberal, KS would be the best town for housing. Another possibility could be Guymon, OK. We did not have time to check on apartment rentals; both towns have hotels such as Day's Inn, Best Westerns, etc. We did stay at the Best Western in Liberal which advertises to be 1 mile from Dorothy's house. Housing will be more thoroughly looked into in the near future.
Services: We may have to get a crane; forklift, etc out of Amarillo, I've got phone books from Liberal and the OK panhandle area. Again, this will be looked into in the near future.
Pictures attached are of the S-Pol site, the room at the Best Western in Liberal, and possible "auxiliary" site.
S-Pol Radar Site
S-Pol Radar Site Road
S-Pol Site with Lutz and Wilson
Auxilliary Site
Road to Auxilliary Site
Room at Best Western in Liberal
KS
Room at Best Western
Room at Best Western
