Saturday, June 30, 2007

RCA areal ride

Rocky Point, New York 11778 -- a little about the History


Rocky Point is located on the north shore of Long Island, New York along the Long Island Sound, 7 miles east of the harbor of Port Jefferson. In the year 1874, it had a small store, a district school and 20 dwellings. A post office had just been established.

Further reading:

History was made at Rocky Point in 1921, when RCA Radio Central transmitted its first transatlantic message. President Warren G. Harding pressed a button in his office at the White House, which started the generators at "Radio Central" in Rocky Point, which was a milestone in wireless progress His message was transmitted from Rocky Point by the General Manager of RCA, David Sarnoff.Mr. Sarnoff entered the service of the Mrconi Wireless and Telegraph company in 1906 and became President of RCA in 1930, then the Chairman of the Board of NBC. RCA Radio Central at Rocky Point was considered the world's largest and most powerful wireless transmitting station, and after World War I, Radio Central was established at the suggestion of Navy officials to acquire the American Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company. This was encouraged by the government because of the importance of an American-owned and operated overseas communications system. Because short waves for international point-to-point communications were unknown at this time, long waves were used and 412 feet high steel towers were constructed. Radio Central - Rocky Point consisted of 6400 acres spread over a 10 square mile area. The first twelve antenna towers, which were 1250' apart, had cross arms 150 feet long. 8,000 tonsof concrete were poured for the tower foundations, which were sunk nine feet below the ground. In total, 1800 tons of steel was used in constructing these towers. stretched over a 6400 acre area, took 1,800 tons of structural steel. Each antenna consisted of 16 silicon bronze cables stretch horizontally from tower to tower. Fifty miles of this cable was used for the first two antenna systems, The ground system consisted of 450 miles of copper wire buried in the ground. The first transmitter building covered a space 60' x 130' and housed two 200 kilowatt high frequency transmitting alternators and equipment.

Radio Central became obsolete with advanced technology and satellite communication. The buildings were eventually dismantled by the State because of years of neglect and vandalism. Eleven of the towers were demolished in the early 1950's and 1960's and Tower #1 remained until December 13, 1977. There are now two steel towers, rusted with age on the forest floor, along the bike trail on the land now known as the DEC Rocky Point Natural Management Area.


The field of Rhombics, most of which still stood until recently, were each designed to communicate with a different country. All radiograms destined for the United States were received in Riverhead. The traffic center of this system was established in New York City, where all the actual telegraph operating took place and was sent to Rocky Point over telephone cables.

In November 1982, disguised as WA2UEC, "Radio Central" was back on the air. A group of RCARC members armed with an HF transceiver were out testing the Rhombics on the Amateur bands. The members of Radio Central Amateur Radio Club invite you to look for them. Listen for WA2UEC at special event stations and mini DXpeditions.


Rocky Point is proud to be part of wireless history. The Marconi Wireless Building still stands in front of the Frank J. Carasiti School. The building, which originaly operated in Babylon in 1902, was presented to Rocky Point's RCS Radio Central by another radio pioneer, Major Edwin Howard Armstrong. Communications history was made again recently in Rocky Point when MCI brought its fiber optic cable up from Hallock Landing Beach, passing the site of the historic Marconi Wireless Building, and the land of RCA Radio Cetral. The table, which originated in Italy, was brought along the Atlantic ocean floor, across New England and Long Island Sound to join through Rocky Point and connect to the station in Mastic.

Rocky Point's main business district is along Route 25A and along Broadway. Its Fire Department covers an area of approximately 25 square miles, including the hamlets of Rocky Point and Shoreham, the Incorporated Village of Shoreham and parts of Miller Place and Ridge. The Rocky Point School system consists of Frank J. Carasiti Elementrary School for grades K-3, Joseph A. Edgar Elementary School for grades 4-6 and the Rocky Point Junior-Senior High School for grades 7-12.

More interesting history of this town can be read on the Rocky Point Historical Society web site.

Rocky Point is one of the four north shore towns represented in the Council of Dedicated Merchants (CDM - Chamber of Commerce) whose members work together to promote local business.

[text source: http://www.buoy.com/rp/rp_hist.html]


So, now we know all about it, this is how it looks like from ground level:






And this is how the birds can see it:


Link to activity on map

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Once more: Forced to almost Fixed Gears

Sunday is Early Birds day as usual. PyZahl just put a new chain on his bike @odo=14668km and cleaned and lubed up the whole drive train -- well it was the third new chain for this Dura Ace 9 Speed CS7700 cassette. And so this morning starting out of the parking lot... unexpected but somewhat time... the chain started slipping over the most used and favorite sprockets at just little power -- damn it :-(
This was figured instantly, nothing to do while riding but shifting to one of the three most little onces (or biggest, which are not so useful for most part of that ride). This meant almost a fixed gear at 14T, as for 90% of the ride only one gear was still reasonable at little slower cadence and more force.

As it came to the first key point of the ride at Penny Lane known as the "Tanks", PyZahl got a little stuck half way up a short slope in that gear, but quickly recovered and was back on.

Next there was a pinch flat of his friend as he found a good hole with his front wheel... this should have been fixed quicker... as the group was not waiting as long. Left behind, one more rider came along, seamed he missed the start due to a flat... that was good in a way, as those three worked nicely together to go and get the group, well, at the Deli stop in Cuchogue :-)

It followed a warp speed flight home...


This photo was taken about here -- and the group is moving at approx 40km/h:



Some flight statistics....


Activity details: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/3107260

Map Player: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/player/3107260

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Simply "Fixed" Gears

Colorado like weather: picture perfect, crystal clear blue sky, 21°C, 45% humidity, some wind -- can it be any better for a ride on a Mountain Bike?

9am at the very north-east trail head of Rocky Point (RCA) Park ready for a 30km single trail one way loop, winding around trees, some rollers and fun section, some sand to slide around...
Larry came with his single speed bike, hmm. So PyZahl decided to pick a gear and did not touched the shifters since then -- to be fair :-) It was a little high cadence on the straits spinning crasy at 32km/h, but there are only a few of those. The gearing turned out to be 44/23. It worked well and they came out of the park a 1h47 -- including all extra blacks bumps and the north-west parking lot add on lap.

The West Side Loop:


View the activity here: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/3107259

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Early Birds South

Just todays ride stats:
and the details:

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/3043763

Well, and some impressive number of the riders came out east to ride the South route on Father's day, looks like they got extra time today -- looking forward at Dune Road (some mechanical problem)

and looking behind...

and there were still some more not captured here, that long Peloton with a strong rotating head is what makes moving so fast. More legs, more speed :-)
However, for PyZahl that was the time wise shortest and fastest South ride so far -- 2h16 for 84km.

Do we need an Heli to capture the whole long Peloton -- PyZahl is wondering?

Saturday, June 16, 2007

RP RCA areal MTB ride

Looking at over 5000km road on skinny tires since the last MTB ride at some time in Feburary (must have been that below Zero F nigth ride) and looking forward to his MTB tour coming up next month PyZahl really needed some "clean" dirt below his fat MTB tires :-)

So he got his Lightrider ready to roll and put on the already waiting new Cassette -- as the old one is worn to death by now -- chain starts jumping over the most tortured gears of it lately...

8:55am at the north eastern trailhead of Rocky Point Park (or former RCA area)... waiting for possible riders showing up by 9am as he posted the ride. Riding in circles at the trail head... none until 9:13. Let's go.

He is moving on and merged into the one way trail -- it took a few minutes to get full control over the so different feeling bike, but felt good and very comfortable ;-)

Passing a few slow moving or resting biker... whoooooosh

Some where at the second extra loop or so he noticed a rider not so far behind trying to hang on, he was still going at moderate pace -- well, let's see -- increasing the pace a bit and having fun :-)

This rider turned out to be skinnybike, PyZahl meet him the first time, he did good and they rode the park together for a while, including the west end -- from where they split up as PyZahl had to finish to the north trail head. Great ride, great day!!

The ride:
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/3032886

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Keith Nintzel Memorial 5k Run


Saturday morning PyZahl go up and ready for some thing not on wheels, a 5k run, the Nintzel 5k, located at the lovely town Sayville. He meet all his labmates and they all did a good job this little humid and misty day, but good temperature for running.

Here is the course and run statistics:
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/2975386


Sunday, June 3, 2007

Bike Boat Bike (Boat Bike)

Sun morning 5am PyZahl got up to have a good breakfast and get ready for the BBBBB.
At about 7am, Mattituck North Fork Bank, registration -- he dropped off a check for some paperwork... several off his buddies were around already.

To the riders surprise -- and little discomfort -- all day parking was a miles and a bit further east at Mattituck High school. Moving back out and driving there, he got ready to ride and rode back again to the Bank. A growing number of riders gathered -- intending to ride the 100mi or may be the 135mi PyZahl was prepared for?

Some delays at the mobile bathroom, well, there are also trees around to help speed up things...

And finally the group rolled off the start and formed a decent sized pace line -- PyZahl remembered 11 names and about 10 (or few more) riders in colorful jerseys he can not call by name??? The group moved pretty good along passing several riders at warm up speed -- George seams to be pretty happy smiling and loud singing... that was funny.

A few more turns and a good pace was set, going east and all the way north along most scenic roads out there making ot way to the Ferry in Greenport.

Somewhere at the end of Sound View Ave and the turn on North Rd PyZahls rear wheel must have picked up a fairly big peace of glass and a gentle hissing forced a first flat stop at the turn into Albertson Ln :-( However, PyZahl cannot complain, as he even did not remember his last flat, must be way over 3000mi in the past -- that's lucky, isn't it?

So he fixed that, one tube down out of two, and pumped to it with his new (not yet in-field used ROAD G master blaster to a good 105psi) -- that worked great -- and all ready to roll again.

1st ferry: Ferry Greenport to Shelter Island....




On Shelter island the tour wound a little around the slightly hilly island and PyZahl had some fun to pull the group for a good part of the ride to the 2nd ferry and food stop. As they arrived the boat just took off and there was little of time for more photos, getting tickets and some food and drinks ;-)





From here the route went south and little further the group split up into 100/135mi and 65mi, here at the 100mi food stop.

BTW, a big thank you to all the SBRA volunteers preparing Peanut butter Jelly sandwiches and keeping everything well stocked!

Dave seamed all happy...
So, who is doing the 135mi? Only one more, hmmm, that's not so much fun and well then not today. From here one more long section winding along the East Hamptons to the last food stop - almost back :-)

From here it all flew by in no time and it seamed like quick home run...

PS: Thanks to all and especially the SBRA voluntary crew made it happen again
We all had a great day, a pretty fast pace and perfect weather!

PPS: Here are now the ride map and statistics:





Want more?

Click to view Details at MotionBased

Saturday, June 2, 2007

easy going

PyZahls ride -- just a copy from the SBRA club phorum today -- lazy ;-)

Sat 6-2, 8am meet at Tilda's Bake Shop / parking lot in back, Rocky Point, Broadway/25A.

my default 55mi route to IPBP, some hills, some options to bypass a few...

I will keep it easy, still little on recovery mission and in preparation for the (do we do the 125mi) BBB ride on Sunday ;-)

-PyZahl



Well, I had a nice day out there today and took some photos...





I think I can call that "easy" for a "B++/A+" w little hills :-)


Here is the ride with all details: view at motionbased.