Combined Science Center

The Combined Science Center is a Colorado non-profit in Good Standing (ID: 20081448893) with 501c3 certification pending from the IRS. CSC is a management and control element with resources, linking national experts acting as Project Mentors to local teachers acting as Project Managers, leading small Project Teams composed of students, engaged in the study and exploration of weather, radio propagation and ham satellite communications.

Our major business partners include Famatech software, Pate Construction, Boughtons Precast Inc, CJ’s Construction, Lowes Home Improvement Centers, Transit Mix Concrete, LaFarge Group, LaserPro2 of Pueblo, Bassett Construction, and Aquila/Black Hills Energy.

Our national and international sponsors include the ARRL, Colorado Space Grant Consortium, NASA, Stanford University, Air Force Academy, UCLA, Famatech Software, Radio Sky Software, the APRS Tier II Server Network, and Sandia Labs. We recently received equipment from NOAA ESRL GMD in Boulder, Colorado. Other groups or agencies such as Oakridge National Laboratories and GENSO (Global Educational Network for Satellite Operations) provide guidance and critical technical assistance or access to science projects or resources.

There are currently twelve projects under way or in some stage of being incorporated into CSC. They are:

1. SID (Measures radio propagation and solar interference)
2. Magnetometer (Measures earth and space magnetic changes)
3. WEFAX APTDecoder (Weather fax receive station)
4. Radio JOVE (Jupiter and solar activity monitoring)
5. Faros (Beacon monitoring software)
6. APRS Tier II Server (APRS and Emergency system software)
7. Solar Sensor Array (Solar temperature and conditions monitoring)
8. ASMO/ESMO/COSGC Satellite Antenna/Ground Station
9. Geiger Muller Sensor Array (Cosmic Ray monitor)
10. All Sky Camera Network (Monitors and records local meteor activity)
11. SSTV station (slow scan TV station)
12. Total Ultraviolet Radiometer (Eppley Labs, Inc TUVR)

Additionally, we run a series of communications servers such as TeamSpeak, IRC server, WINAMP web radio, WAMP servers, Spark Chat and other servers and equipment suites that help with communications, security, and information exchange.

CSC Main is housed in a 8′ by 32′ trailer designed to house the field headquarters of a construction company. It has AC, electric, internet connections and security. It is currently located in downtown Pueblo where we can build-out the insides and then move it as needed to support our operations when finished. With the exception of the large mesh dish S-Band, all antennas are roof mounted or attached to the sides.

The Walker Ranch site is located to the west of Pueblo, on Highway 50 on the Walker Ranch. It is a small but secure facility where we will install selected instruments and sensors. For more information, please see the web page.

The biggest step for the satellite ground station at Main is the installation of the M-Squared antennas and Rohm towers, and the S-Band antenna. There are small antennas that work but our work with the Colorado Space Grant Consortium (CSGC) and others will probably require us to find a large rotatable mesh dish. We currently have a 2 meter mesh dish but it doesn’t have rotation capability. I am hoping that Dave Balsick of WdSL can help us acquire a large dish with all the pieces and parts we need from a local TV station as they transition to HDTV operations.

As you can tell, our main facility in downtown Pueblo fits well with a lot of different possibilities, and the annex on Walker Ranch provides an excellent site for special devices needing isolated environments. We will continue to pursue projects that will make CSC a place to collect data for researchers, for hams to help the community, and a place to teach students about Amateur Radio.