Improved communication coming to Buckley
By Airman Emily E. Amyotte, 460th Space Wing Public Affairs
/ Published November 14, 2014
BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- For the past several months, the 460th Space Communications Squadron has been working to update the base's radio communications by finishing a new radio tower.
It's a lengthy process to bring a fully operational tower onto base. The SCS has made huge progress since the planning stage in early 2010, but there are still some finishing touches to be done.
Since the tower has been moved to its new location at the SCS building, the installation crew has begun the process of adding equipment onto the tower, as well as establishing a communication link between here and Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, the hub for Air Force Space Command communications.
The first step is to have the radio equipment installed onto the existing tower.
"We're starting the physical install of the equipment," said Darryl Carsno, Wireless Advanced Communications system technician. "There will be guys hanging from the tower, hanging new antennas and running new antenna lines into the building.
But since it's so cold today, we're starting in the equipment room. We're putting the radios in place in what we call the infrastructure."
With the installation of the new system, Buckley will be able to communicate by radio with Peterson AFB, F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming; Shriever AFB, Colorado; and Malmstrom AFB, Montana. This is crucial in the case of an emergency because if telephone lines go down, AFSPC bases will still be able to communicate.
Buckley agencies will also have an improved base-wide communication system. The command post, security forces and the fire station will all now have an updated, advanced way to communicate.
Contractors have played an important role while the construction of this tower has been underway.
"The sub-contractor Advanced Wireless Communications out of Greeley, Colorado, have begun installing the system infrastructure," said Dan Clampitt, 460th SCS installation spectrum manager. "This entails positioning equipment racks and equipment into the main communications room and all interconnections with Peterson AFB. The tower crew from United Tower out of Fort Morgan started prepping the tower by adding additional hardware to the tower in support of the new equipment."
All antennas will be installed in the near future. The tower will be able to function at its full potential, giving Buckley a cutting-edge communication system.