The Skunkworks’ primary project location is the GCARC Clubhouse located on the 4H Fairgrounds in Harrison Twp NJ. The Clubhouse provides a centralized meeting place and work area for GCARC members as well as a prime location for radio equipment, computers, towers, antennas and other equipment used in Skunkworks projects. The Clubhouse has fully-equipped HF, VHF and satellite stations as well as an extensive array of antennas for all bands as shown below.
The Skunkworks team has its own tower located at the west end of the Clubhouse. That tower holds the 20-element 2 meter and 70 CM rotating yagi antennas for the SatNOGS telemetry reception station as well as the weather station sensors, the ADS-B aircraft position reporting antenna and a Lindenblad satellite antenna and broad-band VHF discone that are used for various projects. Lower on the tower are the GOES geostationary weather satellite antenna and the 10 ghz antenna for the Othernet satellite receiver.
The inside of the Clubhouse contains a large meeting and work area with small kitchen facilities and a bathroom. The HF operating room is at the right end of the building, and the project building area and VHF/satellite room are at the left end of the clubhouse.
Satellite Station Project Work Area VHF Operating Position
Many projects use Raspberry Pi computers, occasionally connected to SDR radio receivers, and are mounted in the Skunkworks Project Rack in the Satellite/VHF room. The output of other projects can be viewed at the links on the menu above.
Many of the projects create visualizations that can be seen on this site. Check out the imagery from the GOES 16 satellite, the NOAA low-earth orbiting weather satellites and the pictures that are occasionally sent from the International Space Station.
For more information about Skunkworks project see the Contact link on the main menu page.