Bilby Tower

[NGS Surveyor]

An NGS field crew just sent in a photo of a standing Bilby Tower. This may be the last standing Bilby! The photo was taken in April 2009, see: http://www.flickr.com/photos/12262796@N06/3533218157/ . This 64 foot tower is in pretty good condition considering its age. Note at the very top on the left, a round pole has been added. This may have held some sort of antenna . The very top of the tower is the “triangle head” which connects the three legs and holds the “lightplate” (nicknamed the meet-plate). One of the three floor boards (plywood) is missing. The steel parts, even though galvanized, have quite a bit of rust. The tower also has several guy wires. These were normally not used because they caused the tower to vibrate if there was any wind.

 

For a diagram of the parts of a Bilby Tower see: http://docs.lib.noaa.gov/rescue/cgs_specpu...5U352no62-3.PDF , page 70. For a photo of the triangle head and lightplate, see page 75. The center hole in the lightplate was plumbed over the center of the mark and then one or more lights were bolted on and aimed at adjacent stations. The theodolite (instrument to measure angles) was affixed to the plate mounted on top of the inner tower. The inner tower plate is also still in place, although it is hard to see in the photo.

 

For a paper I wrote on Bilby Towers, with lots of photos, see: http://celebrating200years.noaa.gov/magazi...come.html#intro .

 

This Bilby Tower is built over Triangulation Station COUBA in Louisiana. The mark was set in 1972 by the National Geodetic Survey. The mark can only be reached by boat. The PID is AU2876.

 

If anyone knows of any other standing Bilby Towers please sent photos and locations. I have heard that there is one at Cape Canaveral and many years ago there was one at station MINN PT SOUTH BASE (PID = RN1508) on Minnesota Point, an island which forms the harbor for Duluth, MN and Superior, WI. The top of the tower had been removed due to the nearby airport.

 

Thanks,

GeorgeL

NGS

[Z15]

Those pdf docs would not come up, froze my pc and I got a fast connection (cable).

[68-eldo]

The PDF docs worked for me. Very interesting.

[+LSUFan]

That is very interesting. Thanks for the education.

 

It really surprises me that anything has survived down here in Louisiana, with all of our winds (spelled hurricanes).

 

I remember seeing a geocoin somewhere with a Bilby tower on it, but didn't have a clue to what it was. I'll probably never get to see a Bilby tower (or even the geocoin again.)

[southpawaz]

Thanks for sharing the pictures and article. I knew Bilby was ringing a bell for some reason, then I realized that ET0924 BILBY is on my to do list. Set in 1924, I'm guessing it was named to honor Mr. Bilby.

[+TheBeanTeam]

great article and information.

 

Thanks for sharing it here. It is truly appreciated.

[NGS Surveyor]

Jasper Bilby invented the Bilby Tower in 1926, see: http://celebrating200years.noaa.gov/survey_towers/bilby.html . It was first used in 1927. For a photo of him in about 1903, see: http://usasearch.gov/search?v%3aproject=fi...amp;rpaid=& and another photo of him this time atop of pole doing reconnaissance, see: http://usasearch.gov/search?v%3aproject=fi...amp;rpaid=&

 

GeorgeL

NGS

[+jwahl]

From that last picture, I would say he had no fear of heights!

 

- jlw

[+LSUFan]

That is very interesting. Thanks for the education.

 

It really surprises me that anything has survived down here in Louisiana, with all of our winds (spelled hurricanes).

 

I remember seeing a geocoin somewhere with a Bilby tower on it, but didn't have a clue to what it was. I'll probably never get to see a Bilby tower (or even the geocoin again.)

 

I had a pleasant surprise this weekend. One of my geocaching friends presented me with a Bilby Tower geocoin for my birthday. I immediately remembered this forum.

 

 

Now, I just have to get south to see the real one.

Edited March 13, 2012 by LSUFan