Spotted Possible Listening Station??

I was recently driving the M1 Highway in Australia between Brisbane and the Gold Coast when I noticed a giant white globe similar to those seen at Pine Gap. I saw it on a hill to the North-East when I was fueling up at the BP Super Service Station (the one near the 5 way rounda about just off the Highway with the fast food restaurants. I looked it up on Google Earth but it isn't there and neither is the service station. The images are just of an empty field, so they must be fairly old because the servo has been there at least 8 years. Does anyone have any idea what this globe is for or how I could figure out what it is? Next time I do the drive I will have to make sure I take some photos.

I can't find the info right now but I think there is an NSA facility down under.

The one you are probably thinking about is Pine Gap. It is fairly well known.

It could be like Pine Gap, but u would have to ask urself why in Brisbane, i think it would be safe to assume it isnt an observatory but maybe a military base thing, not sure, find out some more info

its nothing special, as well as being well documented. its will be any one of the radars/observatories in the area. theres a few white domes (observatory/radar), and a few gold coloured ones (radio) both are linked to the brisbane uni.

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cheers

that second picture looks like it but it doesn't snow here. Thanks for the info.

Austrailia is part of the Echelon network. They are at this moment installing a post at Geraldton which is responsible for monitoring Indonesia and the surrounding areas. It has been in negotiation for some years and the decision has only just be reached to commence.

Whether the installation you have observed is outdated and being replaced by the one at Geraldton or completely unrelated I don't know. Find the gate and try and get in...I think you'll soon find out if it is related to Echelon. They don't generally welcome visitors.

If it is part of Echelon, there should be some sort of Military presence, even if it is just Military Police.

Originally posted by mustbebc
that second picture looks like it but it doesn't snow here. Thanks for the info.

i used it as an example, it was taken in Finland. my point was, those are all over that area in between the NSW/QLD border and rockhampton and that huge military area there.

the gerladton echelon station will be an addition to the station thats already in gerladton which is clearly visible in GE and partially servicing the network

[edit on 27-2-2007 by shadow fax]

Here's a little info on the "new" Geraldton station. Pretty small actually, and supposed to be unmanned.

www.estripes.com...

could be, but a lot of radars are stored in the golf ball domes

yeah, I have to take some photos next time I head to the coast

As usual people always seem to get this stuff wrong. The big golf ball domes you see are just protective covers for the satellite dish its self. It's not a radar, just a big dish just the same as a foxtel one on your roof.

The reason they use them is that the satellites receivers they use are very sensitive and the more dust and crap that gets on them the less sensitive they get.

Oh yeah, I'm in the army and MPs (military police) do not guard instillation sites of any kind. They are a military police and deal with military matters, physical security is usually done by civilian contracts (chubb etc) or by the australian protective service.

The base at rocky is just a training ground, they do everything from patrolling to dropping bombs on the islands. Nothing spooky about it.

Thanks for the info,

So do you actually know what the radar I'm talking about is for?

No, I don't know of anything in that area. If your seeing a big gold ball dome, its just a sat dish. If you use thermal imaging you can see the dish inside. Nothing secret there.

Its impossible to guess what it is but from its location, I would highly doubt its miltary related there would be no need to have a dish in that area.

I would put my money on a research dish. They are pretty common in this form. If your talking interesting radar, JORN is the one you want to look at:

en.wikipedia.org...

I heard a vicious rumour a few years back that it actually spotted American stealth bombers of the sea of Japan. This funnily enough freaked the yanks out.