Apple Valley FAA Radar Site

 (1960s-Active) - A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Long Range Radar (LLR) site established between 1959 and 1966 near Apple Valley, Dakota County, Minnesota. The site is used to identify and track military and civilian aircraft movements within a 200-mile radius and to provide air-ground radio communication with those aircraft. Assigned an FAA ID of QJE. Active FAA Radar Site. Also Known as Minneapolis FAA Radar Site.

History
This site became an FAA radar site between 1959 and 1966, furnishing radar track data to the FAA ARTCC's and to USAF Direction Centers. The initial FAA ARSR-1 search radar was later modified to become an ARSR-1E and remained in operation until it was modified 23 Aug 2012 to become a Common Air Route Surveillance Radar (CARSR) with a 7172 antenna.

When first built this site was literally out in the woods but today it is in the middle of a housing area on a small 1.15-acre lot surrounded by residential homes. Historical aerial photographs show the radar site in 1966 but the 1957 version shows no radar site at all.

By 1990 the site was equipped with an ARSR-1E search radar and a CD-2A Common Digitizer. The Apple Valley CD-2A was scheduled to receive an upgrade kit to implement three level weather data processing in March 1992.

CARSR Radar
At the time of the CARSR changeout, the legacy radar in place was an ARSR-1E and the CARSR conversion included a 7172 Antenna. The secondary radar for the site is the ATCBI-6 Beacon set.

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Current Status
Active FAA facility near Apple Valley in Dakota County, Minnesota.

{| See Also:
 * Minneapolis ARTCC
 * JSS System
 * FAA Air Route Traffic Control Centers
 * US Radar Sets

Sources:
 * Dakota County Tax Records for 13591 Harwell Path, Apple Valley, MN 55124
 * Historic Aerial Photos for coordinates 44.75264, -93.22767 See 1957 and 1966 versions.

Links:
 * Radomes - Apple Valley FAA Radar Site
 * Wikipedia - Joint Surveillance System