AROUND THE WORLD
Anti-submarine Indicator Loop stations in the United States
East Point Loop Receiving Station
Drawing by Gerry Butler
Loop Receiving
Stations (USNLRS), as they
were known, were operated by the United States Navy. We have most
information on those along the North Eastern coast. Added information on
other installations would be appreciated. Defence of the harbors
however began 300 years earlier when Governor Winthrop authorised earthwork
fortifications to protect Boston against attack by sea (May 1632). This
webpage is about the Indicator Loop Receiving Stations operated by the United States Navy at East Point, Nahant, Massachussetts.
Another nearby one was the Peaks Island/Fort Williams Loop Station
in Casco Bay off Portland,
Massachusetts.
If you worked there, or at any USNLRS, or have any feedback please contact me:
Dr. Richard Walding (Email: waldingr49@yahoo.com.au)
Research Fellow - School of Science
Griffith University, Australia
Home Phone: 61 (0)7 32064976
69 Summit Street, Sheldon, Q, 4157, Australia
The photos below are of the "Naval Operations Building"
at East Point which housed the indicator loop equipment, including the GE OS fluxmeter and paper chart recorder. The building is 14 foot square and 10 feet 3 inches high with one angular three-sided face. It faces east and entrance is through a door on the southern side. The small hole at the rear of the northern side was for a chimney. It was completed on June 20th 1942. All photos were taken by
Dave Pierson,
some in June 2000, and again in October 2008.
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| June 2000 - The naval operations building at East Point - taken from the path at the rear. The hut faces east. | June 2000 - A view of the southern side. |
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A view from the northeastern side. On a bench under the front window were the resistance balance boxes used to ensure the resistance of both halves of each loop was the same. Underneath them were the fluxmeters (galvanometer/amplifier). In the middle of the front window was the telescope. The window facing us had the arms rack underneath. Behind the window on the side was the water cooler and radio transmitter. The small hole to the far right was for the flue and chimney stack. |
In October 2008, Dave Pierson took another set of
photos (below). No further weathering seems to have taken place. Graffiti - well
that's another thing!
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| 2008 - photo by Dave Pierson | 2008 - Leo Wanker has left his mark |
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| 2008 - the northeastern side | 2008 - Tail cables - just to the north |
NAVAL ADMINISTRATION AND POWER BUILDING
(June 2000).
The Naval Administration and Power Building is located about 70 yards to the southwest of the Operations Building and is set into the rocks of Cauldron Cliff. It measures 22 feet long by about 14 feet wide and 10 feet high. It has two rooms. On the southeastern side (facing us) is the power room with the door clearly visible. It contained the storage batteries, gasoline engine and alternator (110V at 12.5 to 15 kVA) as well as an oil furnace to heat the building. The other room - the administration room - was 12 foot by 8 foot and contained desks, cupboards, a refrigerator, stove, table etc. A doorway lead from the furthest corner of the building up the steps to the left.
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