InfoAge Meeting, Wednesday March 24

Hello All,

We will have our regular meeting, on Wednesday the 24th at 6:45PM. Also note and visit http://www.usaservice.org/content/home/. We are a registered event on April 1st.

The Big News - The transfer of the remainder of the facility became official today. We have the keys.

At the meeting we will plan:

1. A safety walk around to find, fix or label any safety hazards.
2. To secure the site and buildings as much as possible.
3. To photo-document the buildings to record their condition at transfer and for future reference.
4. To begin emergency stabilization.
5. To inspect the electrical system and work with JCP&L to improve our energy efficiency. We need to save electricity.

We also need to talk about working with the Wall Kiwanis. This club is one of the original financial supporters of InfoAge. They have helped nearly every one of our Eagle Projects. They gave us many $1,000 & $1,500 checks when no one else would, for paint and supplies. This enabled us to paint all the wooden buildings so the state would give Wall a “No Further Action” letter related to the exterior condition of the buildings. The club would like us to work with them and share the proceeds of the 50/50 they have run at Wall Stadium. The stadium is reopening soon.

We have a scout pack of 20 kids and parents visiting at 2PM this Sunday. The NJARC is holding a radio repair clinic on Saturday.

At our past Wednesday meeting we covered many topics. In attendance were Dan J., Kyle B., Ray C., Steve G., Terry L, Dan L. and Neil N.

Over the weekend:

This past weekend Rich O. and his scout pack camped out at Camp Evans on Friday and Saturday nights. The boys helped Nels pick up roofing shingles and other items that could damage our mowers.

Also:

• Nels worked with Fort Monmouth DPW to change locks in the H-buildings.
• Nels supervised leaf removal and many other tasks.
• Dan and Terry L. continued the inventory of broken and missing storm windows in 9032. Nels reminded us that we had saved the storm windows from 9031 and 9034. They turned out to be an exact size match with the windows in 9032. Dan and Terry replaced 12 broken storm pains in 9032A. That was a big savings in $$ and time. Nice work!
• Dan J. and family continued setting up the computer repair shop in 9059. He placed the Pioneer storage items into two palette boxes and Nels hid them a safe place. Doctor Dan's Computer Dissection, Destruction and Education workspace is progressing. Dan will help kids learn about how computers work by taking them apart. That’s the best way to learn: hands on!
• Dan also relocated the dozens of grammar school size chairs Mike G. salvaged from various Neptune schools.
• Vlad K. and friend were on site working with Nels to collect two trailer loads of fallen limbs.

On Sunday Cicily F., Bernie R., Dan L., Terry L., Dan J., Evan K., Phil V., Steve G., Mike G., and Neil L. were at InfoAge to greet visitors. We have had a ton of visitors: a group of adults from Brielle, two groups of scouts and a number of couples. Marissa P, Ina V., and Lena V. were up in our archive cataloging the hundreds of drawings Larry saved of Camp Evans.

One of the Scout dads told us his own father worked at Camp Evans. He informed us that Enrico Fermi visited Camp Evans a number of times in 1953. Fermi was friends with his dad and Fermi had dinner with the family. At this point we speculate that Fermi visited Camp Evans to consult on the projects to detect Soviet nuclear tests by way of air-born isotopes in the case of atmospheric tests or seismic waves created by underground tests.

The Brielle historian delivered a fat roll of technical drawings from Camp Evans dated 1943. They were from an estate sale. We had a historic visitor. The gentleman was a member of the team that developed the data recorder at Camp Evans that was used on the satellites: Vanguard II, SCORE, TIROS I and II.

During the week:

• Bob P. located the breaker in 9059 that powers the dead AC unit we will replace. He removed the feed lines to enable us to remove the dead unit. Once we repair a sprinkler system leak we will replace the heat unit.
• We turned off the power to the perimeter fence on the Diana site to save electricity as well as enable us to give the system a safety check. Did I mention that we need to save electricity?
• Gene M. repaired the broken west door in 9059 and the broken south door in 9093
• Last week Rich B. Dave S., and I checked out the Diana site electrical conditions to provide a plan to JCP&L. Now that the transfer is complete we can check out the switching building.
• Paul R. found a volunteer architect (Rich Grasso) for us and pointed the Glendola Lions Club to us as a place to help the community. Rich will help us rework the 9032 restrooms to accommodate visitors in wheelchairs.
• Mike G. arranged a follow-up visit by Neptune Principle Mr. Allen. On hand for a Tuesday afternoon meeting were Steve M., Dave S., Dan L., Ray C., and Steve G. Mr. Allen has made some excellent suggestions on how we can work with his staff to advance our InfoAge mission. We may have a school group from Neptune visit next Wednesday.

We are the proud owners of two new commercial duty vacuums. We can retire some of our fleet of semi-working ex-household units. They did the job when needed.

Harry K's Cell Phone Seminar has been getting very positive email feed back from the science teachers who attended. They recommend another session.

Due to our educational work by Al K., Harry K. our future sessions and Steve M's leadership AFCEA delivered a $5,000 donation to assist our tutorials. Thanks to all!

Dan L. asks you remember the articles for the next Newsletter are due end-of-month.

Thanks to help from the NJSHPO we are making progress on our Camp Evans Historic District Boundary Increase application.

The TIROS 50th anniversary is April 1st 2010 - next year. We need to get back to work on 9162. Bob P. and Steve G. checked out the power in 9162 for needed improvements.
Alpine Painting visited to create a bid to paint the TLM-18 Dish. The bid will be in the mail this week. Thanks to Harris Corp. we have $15,000 for this expensive work. Does anyone know of another structure painting company to get a second bid?
The floor drain in the utility room may finally be un-clogged. We used our shop vacuum method and Steve G. tried with our power snake with the root cutter.

Bob G. is making great progress on the Camp Evans history book. If anyone has info on Camp Evans meteorology developments please help. I know major advances in Doppler radar were made at Camp Evans, a CP-9 radiosonde tracking radar was developed, and helium balloon and rocket based atmospheric studies. Pladar?

In a review of the National Historic Landmark theme studies our site could qualify for NHL status under three studies. Anyone want to start an application? The “WW2 and the Homefront” study recommends Camp Evans as a potential NHL. The Marconi Belmar Station could fit under the “Travel and Communications” theme in the wireless area. The test of the regenerative circuit, Weagant's static elimination advances and the Navy WWI communications center make the site NHL significant. Under the “Man in Space” theme the TIROS ground control center, the TLM-18 antenna, the mini-track calibration center, satellite tracking starting with Sputnik, Explorer, Pioneer V and all US and Soviet launches should qualify under the 'satellite tracking facilities chapter.

This weekend we were too busy with guests and it was too cold to finish the scratch coat on 9006. Soon we will knock this off to earn the balance of the MCHC grant payment.

Reasons to tell persons why to donate to our effort NOW:

1. Saves an incredibly historic site
2. Honors WWII Signal Corps and Honor Front veterans
3. Helps education by inspiring kids to learn science
4. Furthers the development of a NJ Shore tourist destination.
5. Will create full and part-time employment
6. Improves property values in the North Wall and Shark River area.
7. We are the White House recognized stewards of the Camp Evans Historic District and now it is under our protection for future Generations

Can you think of others???

No Passion = No Progress.
We have passion and we are progressing!

Please remind me of things of have overlooked in this email.

Thank you,
Fred Carl
732-299-0894