What is this triangular prism

[ccprob]

Found this object which apparently was not there a couple of years ago. In Oro Valley, AZ, close to Honeybee Canyon on State Trust Land in the middle of the desert. No other constructions nearby. It is a concrete triangle about 5 ft high, technically a triangular prism. Totally smooth on all sides and top, no holes for mounting anything. Lat 32 28.606N, Lon. 110 58.039W. Does anybody know what this might be?

Here is the picture https://plus.google.com/photos/112552996997489320741/albums/5836417808740942433

[Bill93]

I tried to look at it, but even after signing into Google, it said I didn't have access.

 

Without further information, I'd guess it is some kind of boundary marker.

Edited January 23, 2013 by Bill93

[7rxc]

Found this object which apparently was not there a couple of years ago. In Oro Valley, AZ, close to Honeybee Canyon on State Trust Land in the middle of the desert. No other constructions nearby. It is a concrete triangle about 5 ft high, technically a triangular prism. Totally smooth on all sides and top, no holes for mounting anything. Lat 32 28.606N, Lon. 110 58.039W. Does anybody know what this might be?

Here is the picture https://plus.google.com/photos/112552996997489320741/albums/5836417808740942433

I can't see your link either without signing up...

 

However from the coordinates and Google Earth and the orientation of the sides in that view, I'd be speculating that it might be a microwave passive repeater or deflector installation. No power required, but like an optical prism they bend the signal and resend it in a different direction. This is useful where direct line of sight transmissions aren't possible and power is not available. Classic use would be through a valley or around a hill or tall building where they could not use that site.

 

That is just a guess, but depending on the size might be such. I just re read and since this is concrete, it might not be the whole thing, but might have been the Base for one in the past or near future. Anyway the idea is possible. I'll keep thinking about it and watching. Natural stone surfaces can reflect radio for sure, but I'm not sure about microwaves.

 

Doug 7rxc

[+DukeOfURL01]

I can't see the picture either. Can you upload it somewhere else, maybe Photobucket or something?

[Z15]

I can't see the picture either. Can you upload it somewhere else, maybe Photobucket or something?

 

Can't access the pic either. But concrete triangular shaped post were used years ago on federal aide projects (Money from Uncle Sam was used and the post and plaque on it paid trubute to US Sam, commonly referred to as eye food) to identify the start of a project. Now, I have seen them mainly on roads. Its been 50 yrs since they used them on road projects though.

 

Something like this

Edited January 23, 2013 by Z15

[ccprob]

I tried to look at it, but even after signing into Google, it said I didn't have access.

 

Without further information, I'd guess it is some kind of boundary marker.

 

I hope this link works https://plus.google.com/photos/112552996997489320741/albums/5836417808740942433?authkey=CP26hfb7nNDSxQE

[ccprob]

Found this object which apparently was not there a couple of years ago. In Oro Valley, AZ, close to Honeybee Canyon on State Trust Land in the middle of the desert. No other constructions nearby. It is a concrete triangle about 5 ft high, technically a triangular prism. Totally smooth on all sides and top, no holes for mounting anything. Lat 32 28.606N, Lon. 110 58.039W. Does anybody know what this might be?

Here is the picture https://plus.google.com/photos/112552996997489320741/albums/5836417808740942433

I can't see your link either without signing up...

 

However from the coordinates and Google Earth and the orientation of the sides in that view, I'd be speculating that it might be a microwave passive repeater or deflector installation. No power required, but like an optical prism they bend the signal and resend it in a different direction. This is useful where direct line of sight transmissions aren't possible and power is not available. Classic use would be through a valley or around a hill or tall building where they could not use that site.

 

That is just a guess, but depending on the size might be such. I just re read and since this is concrete, it might not be the whole thing, but might have been the Base for one in the past or near future. Anyway the idea is possible. I'll keep thinking about it and watching. Natural stone surfaces can reflect radio for sure, but I'm not sure about microwaves.

 

Doug 7rxc

 

Thanks for the response - hope this link works https://plus.google.com/photos/112552996997489320741/albums/5836417808740942433?authkey=CP26hfb7nNDSxQE

[ccprob]

I can't see the picture either. Can you upload it somewhere else, maybe Photobucket or something?

 

Hope you can see this link https://plus.google.com/photos/112552996997489320741/albums/5836417808740942433?authkey=CP26hfb7nNDSxQE

[ccprob]

Here is a good link to the photo I hope https://plus.google.com/photos/112552996997489320741/albums/5836417808740942433?authkey=CP26hfb7nNDSxQE

[Z15]

Here is a good link to the photo I hope https://plus.google.com/photos/112552996997489320741/albums/5836417808740942433?authkey=CP26hfb7nNDSxQE

I think it might have something to do with airports?

Edited January 25, 2013 by Z15

[ccprob]

Here is a good link to the photo I hope https://plus.google.com/photos/112552996997489320741/albums/5836417808740942433?authkey=CP26hfb7nNDSxQE

I think it might have something to do with airports?

There is a small plane airport about 5 miles away, but this is definitely not on the runway flighpath, never see planes overhead at this location.

[kayakbird]

Radio wave reflector has been removed sometime after 20 NOV 2009 MEL

 

[ccprob]

Radio wave reflector has been removed sometime after 20 NOV 2009 MEL

 

 

Great idea to use date feature on Google Earth to work out when things changed. What did the full radio wave reflector look like do you think, and what was it used for. It is not at the top of a hill, in fact in a depression. Could it have been a radar reflector for aircraft. Looking at Google Earth again, I am not sure the image now is different from the 2009 image in size and shape, but maybe could have been clad in metal. Was looking for similar images on Google image search for radio reflectors, and did not find a similar image.

[kayakbird]

ccprob & all,

 

I am beginning to doubt my residual photo interp skills. On first glance at the 2009 shot I figured that the shadow was from a much larger square panel that had been removed. Just now doing some measuring and considering day of year and sun angle (note movement of the Saguaro Cactus shadow that bears 146 degrees 98 ft), I've decided that it is just the shadow of the concrete block.

 

kayakbird

 

 

Radio wave reflector has been removed sometime after 20 NOV 2009 MEL

 

 

Great idea to use date feature on Google Earth to work out when things changed. What did the full radio wave reflector look like do you think, and what was it used for. It is not at the top of a hill, in fact in a depression. Could it have been a radar reflector for aircraft. Looking at Google Earth again, I am not sure the image now is different from the 2009 image in size and shape, but maybe could have been clad in metal. Was looking for similar images on Google image search for radio reflectors, and did not find a similar image.

[JimGrisham]

[There's currently a discussion about this on Twitter by @DanKaszeta, which is the only reason I'm re-opening such an old topic.]

As was mentioned above, this monument is visible on the November 2009 and later satellite images, but not on the ones from April 2008 and earlier.

From a rough measurement using Google Earth, the vertices appear to be pointing:

• to the WNW, at approximately 288º (between 280º and 295º)
• to the NE, at approximately 44º
• to the SSE, at approximately 191º

There are several theories so far in the discussion on Twitter. Several have mentioned a possible radar / sidescan radar / LIDAR target, while others have proposed a more traditional survey marking use.

IMO, due to the height of this monument, the former seems more likely... a simple survey marker could have been much shorter, requiring much less concrete.

Exactly 500 NM to the WNW (at 288º) of this marker, one will find runway 12/30 (among other things) at Vandenberg Air Force Base. 1500 NM in the exact opposite direction is the western-most edge of Cuba, and Jamaica 500 NM further. All lined up in a row.

In addition to current commercial spaceport users (e.g. SpaceX), Vandenberg AFB is one of three sites where the Boeing X-37B robotic space plane / Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) lands. The first launch was scheduled for December 2008. The confirmed OTV-1 mission launched in April 2010.

HTH,

 - Jim

 

 

Edited December 27, 2017 by JimGrisham
[Minor] inserted missing space