This is a really great video-I knew Mr Zimmerman from the time he worked at the VOA Greenville,NC transmitter plant-“A” site at that time the VOA facility had three plants-two short wave transmitter sites “A” site and “B” site I work at “B” plant and still do to this day over 30 yrs.”C” plant was the receive site. Received programming to be broadcast from Wash DC. A plant and C plant are closed. B site still operates. Loved working with Bob and he lived down the street from me visited him all the time. I am saddened he passed away-such an intelligent and great person. Now I miss him even more. He would tell me all about the Arecibo plant. Also saddened the platform collapsed.My brother told me about it-he saw it on the internet.Rob was asking me about it.Told him what I learned from Bob.
What an excellent tour. I had the pleasure of meeting Bob Zimmerman back in 1982, when I was actually looking for a job at the Arecibo Observatory. He interviewed me and I remember clearly he showed me a front end he was building, GasFet based, cooled with liquid nitrogen, and that blew me away back then! I talked with him many times throughout the years, as I am also a ham radio operator (KP4QG). RIP my friend, Bob (NP4B). You will be missed.
I'm grieved that what brings me here in 2020 is such sad news, but watching this documentary is giving me a great appreciation for the scientific work that was done here. May your signals forever propagate throughout the universe, Arecibo.
*What a fascinating tour, even though this was a mere glimpse of this unique radio telescope (and what a depressing thought that SETI are unable to continue their continued attending of these facilities because of funding…), what a treat it would have been to have had the opportunity to do this tour with the brilliant Mr. Zimmerman! . . .* *I sincerely hope this one of a kind installation will see its rightful renaissance after the collapse of the deteriorated equipment, and that the work done in the Arecibo observatory may continue in the future! . . . .*
Thank you so much for documenting and posting this important piece of our history. Blessings to you. Bob and Arecibo will live on here and in our memories forever.
I really enjoyed Mr. Zimmerson`s tour with you. He obviously enjoyed what he did there and was very proud of his devices and his accomplishments. It never ceases to amaze me how much technology is behind the success of such scientific instruments. It`s incredible how much we can glean just by using the technology of a time.
@DKT1st It was our pleasure to see first hand Bob's passion for this work and to be able to share this wonder of our modern world with others through RUclips! Carol
This is the first time seeing this, given the recent announcement for decommissioning the observatory it was really great to get inside places I think you wouldn't normally be able to go. Very sad for everybody that has has worked at the observatory over these 57 years, I do hope that at the 11th hour something will happen to save the Antenna and restore it back to full operation. Clint Jeffrey - VK3CSJ
Absolutely wonderful to see. The transmitter is particularly impressive to someone who likes power engineering, great old control board for it too. Mister Zimmerman is full of dense and fantastic information. I hope this operation continues to be funded.
Amazing detail. My first awareness of the existence of this incredible machine was as a kid watching one of the first episodes of the X Files in 1994. The reality of what it was capable of - imaging the surface of other planets and detecting molecules of sugar halfway across the galaxy etc. far FAR outmatched the wonder of any fantasy story of alien conspiracies and government coverups. It's unfortunate it's collapsed but most of the work of the thing is really still there, this transmitter, the shape of the rock bowl it sits in, it could all be repurposed for something better and newer.
Index: 04:50 The Electronics Laboratory; 07:10 The Cryogenics Laboratory; 11:17 Historical Photos of the Observatory; 14:56 The 430 MHz Transmitter Room; 19:21 The Receiver Room; 21:15 430 MHz Transmitter Control Console; 22:45 The Control Room; 25:15 The Platform; 27:07 430 MHz Waveguide; 27:55 The Cable Car; 29.24 The Reflector; 37:20 EME DXpedition; 38:10 SETI; 39:23 Credits
Thanks, Dr. Zimmerman. We're going to miss Arecibo. Is there any chance of rebuilding? You already have the installation and staff handy. Can't Bill Gates or some other zillionare get some money out of the cookie jar and fund it?
I am very sad to announce that our guide in the video, Bob Zimmerman, NP4B passed away on September 29, 2017. :( dxnews.com/forum/forum/silent-keys/4897-ve3rkz-robert-k-zimmerman-hamilton
Excellent video and a real treasure of technology to observe. Thanks for taking the time to put it together. Mr. Zimmerman did a great job explaining the various phases of the processes and applications that make up Aercibo. Many thanks 73 de WA4AOS SC
Excellent and fascinating tour! Great video. I'm so sad that this unique and wonderful instrument has suffered its collapse this week. I doubt it will ever be repaired or actually can be repaired. :( so sad.
I've been running the SETI@Home screensaver for about 20 years until they paused this spring, usually the signals I processed came from there. Terribly sad that they seem to have to decommission the telescope after the two failed wires. What was the noise outside the building? Ventilation/cooling? Diesel generators?
hello,everyone,just like to say i have never enjoyed a video so much the reason for me is because of[ MR BOB ZIMMERMAN] who is agreat man,the way he put this demo over is great,he never forgot anyone in the building were he was going and what a brain he has,all i have to say bob zimmerman you are great man,god bless,good health,from william,N.Ireland.
Sorry to hear Bob Zimmerman passed away. His knowledge of receivers was phenomenol. Great video tour. Bob was an experimenter in the theory of magnetic vector potential. I am a mere mortal and woukd like to understand that concept. Any suggestions.
Check Zimmerman's paper "Transmission and Reception of Longitudinally-Polarized Momentum Waves" published in the July/August 2011 issue of the QEX Journal and blog.softwaresafety.net/2011/07/transmission-and-reception-of.html
@NacidoAteo Agradezco tus sentimientos. ¡Es un placer poder compartir el entusiamo de Bob y sus colegas con todo el mundo por este medio! 73 y abrazos, KP4MD
@krizsanthimun It is from the movie "Contact" (1997) Contact is a 1997 American science fiction drama film adapted from the Carl Sagan novel of the same name and directed by Robert Zemeckis.
Yup, most people are quite scientifically illiterate and/or simply have no interest or curiosity. Some even despise science and would prefer we were ignorant.
I've been asked several times about the clip from the 1997 movie "Contact" at the beginning of this video. It shows the gifted child Ellie Arroway (played by Jena Malone) calling CQ on an older ham transceiver, later transformed into the adult scientist Dr. Arroway (Jodie Foster) at the Arecibo telescope. It is a refreshing positive portrayal of a young woman in amateur radio who succeeds as a professional scientist.
He goes by either Robert Zimmerman or Bob Zimmerman. More details on him are available at: dxnews.com/forum/forum/silent-keys/4897-ve3rkz-robert-k-zimmerman-hamilton He seems very knowledgeable but some of the words sound slurred. I wonder if he is mildly autistic or had any brain injuries before this recording.
+Jonathan Irizarry/Haze Valley Recordings Thanks for the compliment! The Arecibo Observatory sends radio waves, just like television and radio broadcast stations. The waves travel into space at the speed of light and do not contaminate matter in the local environment.
The Contact film was released in 1997. Both the Winter 1978 (when Dr. Arroway would have been a young girl) and the 1997 Radio Amateur Callbooks list W9GFO as Robert A Wilson in Salem IN. See an explanation at www.qsl.net/w9gfo/ and also ruclips.net/video/Y2_KMVBmEgc/видео.html
@@kp4md I have always had a scanner since very young and have always monitored just about any radio transmissions I could come across. I learned how callsigns for amateur radio are created and even learned International Morse Code, though I am very poor at it. Monitoring will probably always be a hobby for me. The information you gave me on W9GFO and W9GFZ is amazing to me and I will not be forgetting it. Thank you.
In operation since 1963, on August 14, 2023 the Arecibo Observatory will close its doors for scientific observations and will be converted into a STEM educational center. Reported by Angel Vazquez, Director of Telescope Operations.
Hola Carol, saludos desde Puerto Rico. Te felicito a tí a Bob por excelente video A+, muy grato ver a Bob-NP4B, tuve el gusto y conocer a Bob en los 80's, muy amable y amistoso, ya han pasado muchos años desde que lo conocí y me gustaría saber de él. Me gustaría mucho obtener tu autorizacion y permiso para utilizar tu video muy educativo y ser transmitido a travez de mi repetidor de ATV, KP4IA-ATV (Amateur Television) en 426.250 MHz. Saludos a ambos. Estoy activo en Satelites, Moon Bounce (EME) y otros modos. 73's Tony-KP4IA.
Gracias, Tony, por tan amable comentario, y te pido que me disculpes por esta respuesta tardía. Este documentario definitivamente está disponible al público para fines educativos. Nos da mucho placer que el video sigue inspirando a tantos estudiantes y aficionados de las ciencias.
It is from the movie "Contact" (1997) Contact is a 1997 American science fiction drama film adapted from the Carl Sagan novel of the same name and directed by Robert Zemeckis.
+Marc2Pau I have added French captions translated by computer. Please accept my apologies for the grammatical errors. J'ai ajouté des sous-titres français traduits par ordinateur. S'il vous plaît accepter mes excuses pour les erreurs grammaticales.
Thank you for the incredible memories Arecibo radiotelescope. You will never be forgotten.
I'm so glad that this and other videos have archived this important instrument, and it only highlights what we have lost
This is a really great video-I knew Mr Zimmerman from the time he worked at the VOA Greenville,NC transmitter plant-“A” site at that time the VOA facility had three plants-two short wave transmitter sites “A” site and “B” site I work at “B” plant and still do to this day over 30 yrs.”C” plant was the receive site. Received programming to be broadcast from Wash DC. A plant and C plant are closed. B site still operates. Loved working with Bob and he lived down the street from me visited him all the time. I am saddened he passed away-such an intelligent and great person. Now I miss him even more. He would tell me all about the Arecibo plant. Also saddened the platform collapsed.My brother told me about it-he saw it on the internet.Rob was asking me about it.Told him what I learned from Bob.
What an excellent tour. I had the pleasure of meeting Bob Zimmerman back in 1982, when I was actually looking for a job at the Arecibo Observatory. He interviewed me and I remember clearly he showed me a front end he was building, GasFet based, cooled with liquid nitrogen, and that blew me away back then! I talked with him many times throughout the years, as I am also a ham radio operator (KP4QG). RIP my friend, Bob (NP4B). You will be missed.
I'm grieved that what brings me here in 2020 is such sad news, but watching this documentary is giving me a great appreciation for the scientific work that was done here.
May your signals forever propagate throughout the universe, Arecibo.
RIP Bob Zimmerman... such an incredibly smart man with a just as incredible legacy in being involved with this telescope.
*What a fascinating tour, even though this was a mere glimpse of this unique radio telescope (and what a depressing thought that SETI are unable to continue their continued attending of these facilities because of funding…), what a treat it would have been to have had the opportunity to do this tour with the brilliant Mr. Zimmerman! . . .*
*I sincerely hope this one of a kind installation will see its rightful renaissance after the collapse of the deteriorated equipment, and that the work done in the Arecibo observatory may continue in the future! . . . .*
I have no words, its absolutely amazing.
Thank you so much for documenting and posting this important piece of our history. Blessings to you. Bob and Arecibo will live on here and in our memories forever.
I really enjoyed Mr. Zimmerson`s tour with you. He obviously enjoyed what he did there and was very proud of his devices and his accomplishments. It never ceases to amaze me how much technology is behind the success of such scientific instruments. It`s incredible how much we can glean just by using the technology of a time.
@DKT1st It was our pleasure to see first hand Bob's passion for this work and to be able to share this wonder of our modern world with others through RUclips! Carol
What a wonderful documentary. thanks a lot for taking us inside.
Thank you for this. I learned so much and am so sad to hear of it's loss. As well as Bob. All will be dearly missed.
2020 is just a whole sad year.
This is the first time seeing this, given the recent announcement for decommissioning the observatory it was really great to get inside places I think you wouldn't normally be able to go. Very sad for everybody that has has worked at the observatory over these 57 years, I do hope that at the 11th hour something will happen to save the Antenna and restore it back to full operation. Clint Jeffrey - VK3CSJ
An excellent and informative tour, especially for RF technology and radio astronomy enthusiasts!
Very educational video.. thank you to all involved.
Fascinating and very impressive, thank you!
Absolutely wonderful to see. The transmitter is particularly impressive to someone who likes power engineering, great old control board for it too. Mister Zimmerman is full of dense and fantastic information. I hope this operation continues to be funded.
Amazing detail. My first awareness of the existence of this incredible machine was as a kid watching one of the first episodes of the X Files in 1994. The reality of what it was capable of - imaging the surface of other planets and detecting molecules of sugar halfway across the galaxy etc. far FAR outmatched the wonder of any fantasy story of alien conspiracies and government coverups. It's unfortunate it's collapsed but most of the work of the thing is really still there, this transmitter, the shape of the rock bowl it sits in, it could all be repurposed for something better and newer.
Index:
04:50 The Electronics Laboratory;
07:10 The Cryogenics Laboratory;
11:17 Historical Photos of the Observatory;
14:56 The 430 MHz Transmitter Room;
19:21 The Receiver Room;
21:15 430 MHz Transmitter Control Console;
22:45 The Control Room;
25:15 The Platform;
27:07 430 MHz Waveguide;
27:55 The Cable Car;
29.24 The Reflector;
37:20 EME DXpedition;
38:10 SETI;
39:23 Credits
Well, this is a sad day... R.I.P. Arecibo telescope...
Thanks, Dr. Zimmerman. We're going to miss Arecibo. Is there any chance of rebuilding? You already have the installation and staff handy. Can't Bill Gates or some other zillionare get some money out of the cookie jar and fund it?
@@charlesross9260 seems like you replied to the wrong person, or meant it to be an original comment and not a reply.
RIP Arecibo. You served humankind and science well. We will miss you.
Thanks for sharing. 😉👌🏼
Great video. Thanks to all those invoved for letting us take a look around.
I am very sad to announce that our guide in the video, Bob Zimmerman, NP4B passed away on September 29, 2017. :(
dxnews.com/forum/forum/silent-keys/4897-ve3rkz-robert-k-zimmerman-hamilton
Thank-you. The telescope survived him by only 3 years and 2 months. It collapsed on 1st December 2020 at a few minutes before 08:00.
Thanks dear friend
Gracias KP$M por tu presentación con Roberts, un abrazo desde CHILE. es mucha la emoción.
Excellent video and a real treasure of technology to observe. Thanks for taking the time to put it together. Mr. Zimmerman did a great job explaining the various phases of the processes and applications that make up Aercibo. Many thanks
73 de WA4AOS SC
Thank you for the video, a lot of the technical stuff went over my head but I still loved it.
Excellent and fascinating tour! Great video. I'm so sad that this unique and wonderful instrument has suffered its collapse this week. I doubt it will ever be repaired or actually can be repaired. :( so sad.
That was great. Mr. Zimmerman sure knows his stuff.
Great tour, I really enjoyed it!,
Sincerely wish everything goes good in the following years.
Thank you so much, this documentary is so interesting!
The beginning made me tear up a bit hurts to accept it's passing :(
I've been running the SETI@Home screensaver for about 20 years until they paused this spring, usually the signals I processed came from there. Terribly sad that they seem to have to decommission the telescope after the two failed wires.
What was the noise outside the building? Ventilation/cooling? Diesel generators?
The noise mentioned at 2:00 and heard again at 14:57 is the ventilation for the 430 MHz transmitter.
@@kp4md Thank you! Did they have diesel generators running too? Someone mentioned that they can't take all the power they need from the grid.
hello,everyone,just like to say i have never enjoyed a video so much the reason for me is because of[ MR BOB ZIMMERMAN] who is agreat man,the way he put this demo over is great,he never forgot anyone in the building were he was going and what a brain he has,all i have to say bob zimmerman you are great man,god bless,good health,from william,N.Ireland.
Thanks for the tour, this is very interesting to see, next best thing to being there in person so I learned a lot from the video.
Awesome tour. Thanks very much.
Sorry to hear Bob Zimmerman passed away. His knowledge of receivers was phenomenol. Great video tour. Bob was an experimenter in the theory of magnetic vector potential. I am a mere mortal and woukd like to understand that concept. Any suggestions.
Check Tom Bearden. I'm sure you'll find references there: www.cheniere.org/
Check Zimmerman's paper "Transmission and Reception of Longitudinally-Polarized Momentum Waves" published in the July/August 2011 issue of the QEX Journal and blog.softwaresafety.net/2011/07/transmission-and-reception-of.html
@NacidoAteo Agradezco tus sentimientos. ¡Es un placer poder compartir el entusiamo de Bob y sus colegas con todo el mundo por este medio! 73 y abrazos, KP4MD
I REALLY hope they plan on fixing that thing!
@krizsanthimun It is from the movie "Contact" (1997) Contact is a 1997 American science fiction drama film adapted from the Carl Sagan novel of the same name and directed by Robert Zemeckis.
thanks dear friend from Chile South America
There are so few photographs of the innards & what we have is such low quality, the public didn't care a whole lot until it was gone.
The problem is most of the public still doesn't understand the significance. But we will spend a billion dollars building a football stadium...
Yup, most people are quite scientifically illiterate and/or simply have no interest or curiosity. Some even despise science and would prefer we were ignorant.
@@rgarito That's because sports programs at universities are the lifeblood to the economy in college towns.
Thanks for this interesting video.
11:00 -- the coax cables have to be replaced every few years ?? why?
Coaxial cables are replaced every few years due to deterioration from exposure to weather and solar UV radiation.
Excellent video thanks.
great video.i really learned alot esp. im a student.
BRAVO!!!!
Nice tour! Thanks for this video!. I am from Puerto Rico now in Seattle.
73 de KC7MRE
Definitely, what happened in Arecibo has been a great loss for Science. 😪
wow, a goldmine of information!
wonder how many kWh the overall facility uses per month?
Que honor que tengamos este observatorio en Puerto Rico :) #boricua
I've been asked several times about the clip from the 1997 movie "Contact" at the beginning of this video.
It shows the gifted child Ellie Arroway (played by Jena Malone) calling CQ on an older ham transceiver, later transformed into the adult scientist Dr. Arroway (Jodie Foster) at the Arecibo telescope.
It is a refreshing positive portrayal of a young woman in amateur radio who succeeds as a professional scientist.
He is such a great explainer, what's his NAME?
He goes by either Robert Zimmerman or Bob Zimmerman.
More details on him are available at:
dxnews.com/forum/forum/silent-keys/4897-ve3rkz-robert-k-zimmerman-hamilton
He seems very knowledgeable but some of the words sound slurred. I wonder if he is mildly autistic or had any brain injuries before this recording.
Great video, and great tech info! I just hope the radiation from the dish doesn't contaminate the water runoff to the nearby river Tanama river.
+Jonathan Irizarry/Haze Valley Recordings Thanks for the compliment! The Arecibo Observatory sends radio waves, just like television and radio broadcast stations. The waves travel into space at the speed of light and do not contaminate matter in the local environment.
W9GFO that would place her around Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, United States of America, where the little girl got her amateur radio callsign.
The Contact film was released in 1997. Both the Winter 1978 (when Dr. Arroway would have been a young girl) and the 1997 Radio Amateur Callbooks list W9GFO as Robert A Wilson in Salem IN. See an explanation at www.qsl.net/w9gfo/ and also ruclips.net/video/Y2_KMVBmEgc/видео.html
@@kp4md I have always had a scanner since very young and have always monitored just about any radio transmissions I could come across. I learned how callsigns for amateur radio are created and even learned International Morse Code, though I am very poor at it. Monitoring will probably always be a hobby for me. The information you gave me on W9GFO and W9GFZ is amazing to me and I will not be forgetting it. Thank you.
In operation since 1963, on August 14, 2023 the Arecibo Observatory will close its doors for scientific observations and will be converted into a STEM educational center. Reported by Angel Vazquez, Director of Telescope Operations.
i did not know about the fiber optic cable wow
Also see: Arecibo Radio Observatory (ISEE-3 Reboot) - Uncut
ruclips.net/p/PLPmwwVknVIiUlPbkfBUY1ebP_8hA_4q8j
RIP Bob
today, December 1, 2021, the first anniversary of the collapse of the observatory. The removal of the debris is still in progress.
Very sad, but hope for the future.
www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/arecibo/21-12-01_AreciboUpdateFactSheet.pdf
Hola Carol, saludos desde Puerto Rico. Te felicito a tí a Bob por excelente video A+, muy grato ver a Bob-NP4B, tuve el gusto y conocer a Bob en los 80's, muy amable y amistoso, ya han pasado muchos años desde que lo conocí y me gustaría saber de él. Me gustaría mucho obtener tu autorizacion y permiso para utilizar tu video muy educativo y ser transmitido a travez de mi repetidor de ATV, KP4IA-ATV (Amateur Television) en 426.250 MHz. Saludos a ambos. Estoy activo en Satelites, Moon Bounce (EME) y otros modos. 73's Tony-KP4IA.
Gracias, Tony, por tan amable comentario, y te pido que me disculpes por esta respuesta tardía. Este documentario definitivamente está disponible al público para fines educativos. Nos da mucho placer que el video sigue inspirando a tantos estudiantes y aficionados de las ciencias.
its really sad to see this video now... :(
what is the title of the movie clip?
It is from the movie "Contact" (1997) Contact is a 1997 American science fiction drama film adapted from the Carl Sagan novel of the same name and directed by Robert Zemeckis.
Valerie Hotzfeld added this great tour of the platform ruclips.net/video/IqGnnpwEwug/видео.html
What a sad day it was to see it collapse..........a tragedy for sure
RIP Arecibo.
sad its gone
But the tube was a TWT
Didnt sede the Chambers of resonance of a klystron
The Litton L-3403 is a klystron. See www.naic.edu/aisr/sas/transmitter/trans-klystron.html
Electrical stuff straight from Ghost Buster basement. Containment grid. LOL
RIP Aricebo
R.I.P.
R.I.P. Arecibo ;-;
this video with French subtitles should be a good idea for people like me :-\
+Marc2Pau I have added French captions translated by computer. Please accept my apologies for the grammatical errors.
J'ai ajouté des sous-titres français traduits par ordinateur. S'il vous plaît accepter mes excuses pour les erreurs grammaticales.
GREAT doc! de W5JN
Might as well be a tour of the pyramids now.......
“Everything remains constant, it wont move” that didn’t age well! Lol 😂
Sadly true... :(
I see lack of funding caused its death it was just over used with no $ out in
It was difficult to compete with newer technology for funding.
So when it fell was the instruments and controls damaged??? Where did the workers pee and poo at?? That's a awful long journey to the top
Only the antenna and reflector were damaged, not the instruments in the control building.
@@kp4md wonder since their scrapping the project where you could buy one or two of the old panel meters???
@@shawnaburns5158Try ebay
Profoundly sad.
RIP
8:57 Try saying THAT when your drunk 😂
Bob pronounced it pretty well considering he had recently recovered from a stroke. :)
Plenty of amateur spirit on the cutting edge. Collapse so sad. JJ2PNX
"I took part." Shush noob!!!!!!
All newcomers and old timers are welcome to participate in citizen scientist projects.
poorly planed, poorly executed, poorly delivered , sorry Mr Zimmerman, thanks !
This filming was spontaneous and unplanned. Still, it provides some useful historical information.