After President Carter passed away in December, I decided that as soon as I was able, I would road trip out to West Georgia to pay my respects in Plains. Earlier this week, I had that opportunity and visited Georgia Veterans State Park and Providence Canyon State Park along with re-visiting Andersonville National Historic Site. I left Savannah on Sunday morning and visited Georgia Veterans State Park and Andersonville that afternoon before heading to Americus. I stayed at the historic Windsor Hotel in Americus from Sunday evening through Tuesday morning and visited the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park and Plains, Providence Canyon State Park, and the Richland Rum Distillery on Monday. The radio logs below are of what I could hear once I left the tri-county area around Savannah (Chatham, Bryan, and Effingham counties).
The first stop on the road trip was in Cordele, at something you don't really expect to see at an interstate highway exit gas station: a Titan I intercontinental ballistic missile. It's stood at I-75 and US-280 since 1969, placed on loan from the US Air Force.
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| KF4LMT Mobile in front of the Titan I ICMB on display at US-280 and I-75 in Cordele, GA |
Amateur Radio
The 2 Meter and 70 cm Amateur Radio bands weren't very active during this trip, although I did have a QSO on the Americus 2 Meter repeater while on the way into town on Sunday afternoon. On the way home, I also had QSO on the new Pembroke GMRS repeater while driving on I-16 in Bulloch and Bryan counties.
147.2700+ (PL 131.8) - Americus
147.3750+ (PL 131.8) - Vienna
444.4875+ (DMR CC1) - Dawson
462.5500+ (PL 74.4) - GMRS Pembroke
MilCom/Aviation
Driving through Central and West Georgia gave me the opportunity to hear several military operating areas and activity from Moody AFB, Fort Moore/Benning, Robins AFB, and Shaw AFB. On the way west on Sunday, I could hear training activity from Fort Stewart while traveling through Bulloch and Camden Counties and on the way back through on Tuesday morning I heard more Fort Stewart activity as well as fighters from MCAS Beaufort and Shaw AFB working at Townsend Range.
Savannah-Hilton Head IAP
225.750 - 165th AW/158th AS CP "ANIMAL CONTROL"
DAWG 51 (C-130J, 165th AW/158th AS)
Fort Stewart
US Army ACE LMR
TG 20500 - FS/HAAF FD/EMS Dispatch
TG 20552 - FS/HAAF Army Common
TG 20561 - Fort Stewart Red Cloud Range/MPRC?
TG 20566 - FS/HAAF Range Control Live Fire
TG 20575 - 188th IN Brigade
TG 20576 - 188th IN Brigade?
TG 20582 - 3-15 IN?, 2nd ABCT?
TG 20584 - 188th IN Brigade
TG 20585 - FS/HAAF Unknown
TG 20596 - 2nd ABCT, 3rd ID
TG 20597 - 2nd ABCT, 3rd ID?
TG 20621 - 188th IN Brigade?
TG 20635 - 188th IN Brigade
TG 20647 - FS/HAAF Unknown
TG 20705 - FS/HAAF Range Control 20705
TG 20709 - FS/HAAF Range Control 20709
TG 20848 - FS/HAAF Unknown
Robins AFB
124.200 - Atlanta TRACON
ROGUE ## (F-15 Test Flight, Robins ALC)
Moody AFB
285.600 - Valdosta Approach
138.150 - 23rd FG Air-to-Air
143.600 - 23rd FG Air-to-Air
236.725 - 23rd FG Air-to-Air
236.850 - 23rd FG Air-to-Air
240.100 - 23rd FG Air-to-Air
BUCKO 0# (A-10C, 23rd FG); 240.100 a2a
DIXIE 0# (A-10C, 23rd FG)
GNOME(?) 0# (A-10C, 23rd FG)
Jimmy Carter Regional Airport
122.800 - CTAF/Unicom
N355AE (B06, AirEvac 86 Americus)
Ft Moore/Benning
119.050 - Lawson AAF Tower
125.500/126.550 - Atlanta TRACON
126.200 - Moore/Benning Advisory
234.500 - Fryar DZ
141.925 - "Air Coord"
APACHE 21 flight (Unknown)
RAIDER 05 (Unknown Helicopter)
????? 44 (Unknown Helicopter)
????? 60 (Unknown Helicopter)
Charleston AFB
349.400 - JB Charleston "PALMETTO Ops"
BRONZE ## (C-17A, 300th AS)
Shaw AFB/McEntire JNGB
228.800 - 20th FW/55th FS Air-to-Air
236.125 - 20th FW/55th FS Air-to-Air
309.850 - 169th FW/157th FS U14
DICE ## (F-16CM, 20th FW/55th FS)
HAMMER ## (F-16CM, 20th FW/55th FS)
MACE ## (F-16CM, 169th FW/157th FS)
Ranges/MOAs
228.400 - Townsend Range/Coastal MOA
252.900 - Townsend Range/Coastal MOA
323.200 - Moody MOA
343.750 - Bulldog MOA Discrete
Miscellaneous MilCom
238.900 - AR-627 Primary
CANFORCE 2522 (CC-130J, 130615, 436 Sqn RCAF)
DREW ## (KC-135R, 6th AMW/927th ARW)
Jacksonville ARTCC
124.675/282.200 - Jekyll Low
126.125/285.650 - Statesboro High
127.575/269.025 - Waycross Low
127.875 - Aiken High
132.425/290.350 - Hunter Ultra High
132.925/363.200 - Allendale/Savannah Low
133.300 - Moultrie Ultra High
133.700 - Baxley Low
135.975 - Alma High
Atlanta ARTCC
119.375 - Macon High
120.425 - Georgia High
120.450 - Tiroe Low
123.950 - Macon Low
124.325 - Clark Hill Ultra High
124.375 - Lanier High
125.575 - LaGrange High
125.825 - Hampton Ultra High
126.425 - Dublin High
128.100 - Augusta Low
134.500/360.750 - Atlanta South Departure Low
Public Safety
Central and West Georgia fire departments as well as Georgia Forestry were busy with wildfires on Sunday and Monday due to the high fire danger levels in the area. From the hilltops, it seemed that you could see smoke plumes in every direction. While some of the more urban areas of Central Georgia use P25 systems, DMR and NXDN are prevalent in Central and West Georgia.
159.2250 (PL 179.9) - GFC Region 3 Cordele & Webster
151.8500 (DCS 047) - AirEvac 102/176, Dublin
151.9100 (DCS 072) - AirEvac 95 Statesboro
152.4125 (DCS 051) - AirEvac 86 Americus
158.7750 (PL 103.5) - Crisp County EMS Paging
154.1600 (NXDN48 RAN 32) - Eastman FD (Dodge Co)
154.4150 (PL 167.9) - Eastman FD (Dodge Co)
154.3250 (PL 127.3) - Dooly County FD Paging
159.3375 (NXDN96 RAN 7) - Dooly County FD Dispatch
155.1000 (NXDN96 RAN 1) - Dooly County EMS Dispatch
151.4300 (PL 173.8) - Emanuel County EMS Dispatch
154.3550 (DMR CC1, SL1, TG 245) - Johnson County FD Dispatch
154.0700 (PL 186.2) - Laurens County FD Dispatch
156.1350 (DMR CC1, SL1, TG 100) - Laurens County EMS Dispatch
155.3550 (DMR CC1, SL1, TG 300) - Laurens County FD Dispatch
154.3850 (DMR CC2, SL1, TG 500) - Dublin FD Dispatch (Laurens Co)
155.4000 (PL 85.4) - Macon County FD/EMS Dispatch
155.6475 (NXDN RAN 20) - Schley County FD/EMS Dispatch
154.3850 (PL 127.3) - Americus FD (Sumter Co)
771.13125 (P25 $293) - Americus FD (Sumter Co) *
155.3850 (DCS 054) - Goldstar EMS Dispatch (Sumter Co)
154.4300 (DMR CC7, SL1, TG 8100) - Twiggs County FD Dispatch
155.6250 (NXDN RAN 32) - Webster County FD Dispatch
154.0550 (PL 110.9) - Wilcox County FD Dispatch
154.3700 (PL 100.0) - Worth County FD Dispatch
*771.13125 isn't listed in RadioReference, but it does show in FCC licenses for Americus
Crisp P25 TRS
TG 570 - Cordele FD Dispatch
Houston County P25 TRS
TG 16 - Houston CO FD Dispatch
TG 17 - Houston Co FD Fireground 1
TG 18 - Houston Co FD Fireground 2
TG 22 - Houston Co FD Fireground 3
TG 61 - Warner Robins FD Dispatch
TG 91 - Centerville FD Dispatch
TG 121 - Perry FD Dispatch
Sumter County NXDN48 TRS
TG 201 - Sumter County FD Dispatch
TG 210 - Sumter County FD?
TG 301 - Sumter County (Public Works?)
TG 302 - Sumter County (Public Works?)
TG 402 - Unknown (Interop/Mutual Aid?)
Southeast Georgia Reginal Radio Network (SEGARRN)
TG 12309 - Bulloch County FD North Dispatch
TG 12316 - Bulloch County FD Fireground 1
TG 16912 - Candler County FD Dispatch
Southwest Georgia Regional Radio System (SWGRRS)
TG 1713 - Lee County Fire 1
Tattnall County NXDN48 TRS
TG 12 - Tattnall County Fire/EMS Dispatch
Railroad
While certainly not as busy as railroad frequencies at home in Savannah, there was good bit of railroad communications to listen to in Americus. Norfolk Southern was periodically active throughout Central and West Georgia, but there was steady activity from the Heart of Georgia Railroad's yard in Americus.
Norfolk Southern
160.6950 - AAR 39, Norfolk Southern Dispatch/Road
160.4550 - AAR 23, Norfolk Southern
Genesee & Wyoming
161.1300 - AAR 68, Heart of Georgia RR (PL 118.8) (Americus Yard)
Georgia Veterans State Park
Georgia Veterans State Park has something for just about everyone. It has a small military and veterans related museum at the visitors center and some outdoor static displays including aircraft, tanks, landing craft, and artillery pieces. It features Lake Blackshear with fishing and a marina, an RC aircraft field, golf, and a lodge.
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| Lake Blackshear |
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| US Army 1862 3" Rifled Cannon and Caisson |
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| US Army Cavalry Wagon used in the Indian Wars of the late 19th Century |
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| 1950 LVT-3C Bushmaster Landing Craft |
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| 1944 M4A2E8 Sherman Medium Tank |
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| 1957 FJ-4B Fury |
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| 1964 UH-1D Iroquois |
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| 1942 RB-29A Superfortress |
Andersonville National Historic Site
After visiting Georgia Veterans State Park, I visited Andersonville National Historic Site and the National POW Museum. Whenever I find myself near Andersonville, I always have to stop by and pay my respects to those who lost their lives at the prison camp during the Civil War. I find it impossible to keep a dry eye when I witness all those headstones, row after row, so close together.
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| Present day Veterans' headstones in the foreground, with Civil War POW headstones in the background. They're an emotional site that brings me to tears every time I visit Andersonville. |
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| Just inches separate the headstones of the 13,714 Civil War Prisoners of War who died at Andersonville |
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| This statue and apt scripture stand at the entrance to the Andersonville Veterans Cemetery where the 13,714 POWs who died at Andersonville during the Civil War are buried along with present day Veterans. |
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| Two features of the Camp Sumter Prisoner of War Camp at Andersonville during the Civil War: Providence Spring in the foreground and a replica of the camp's North Gate in the background. |
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| Providence Spring formed in Camp Sumter on 16 August 1864 providing badly needed fresh water for the prisoners at Andersonville. The memorial shelter at the spring was provided in 1901 by former Andersonville POWs. |
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| Replica of Camp Sumter's North Gate |
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| Crystal Radio sets made by US POWs at World War II Prison Camps are on display at the National Prisoner of War Museum at Andersonville National Historic Site |
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| Crystal Radio sets made by US POWs at World War II Prison Camps are on display at the National Prisoner of War Museum at Andersonville National Historic Site |
Charles Lindbergh's First Solo Flight
It wasn't until I started researching places to stop on this road trip that I knew Charles Lindbergh took his first solo flight in Georgia. He did it in May 1923 at Souther Field (now Jimmy Carter Regional Airport) in Americus where he bought a Curtiss Jenny. This monument wasn't far from the hotel I was staying in, so I stopped by before going to Plains on Monday morning.
Jimmy Carter National Historical Park
I spent Monday morning and early afternoon in Plains, visiting the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park. I started at the Visitors Center and Museum in the old Plains High School, then visited Billy Carter's Service Station and the Plains Train Depot where Jimmy Carter's Presidential Campaign Headquarters was before having lunch at the Buffalo Cafe in downtown Plains. After lunch, I visited the farm where President Carter grew up and the overlook at the Carter Compound, then stopped by Maranatha Baptist Church where Jimmy Carter taught Sunday School.
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| The Jimmy Carter National Historical Park Visitors Center and Museum in the old Plains High School |
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| Billy Carter's Service Station |
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| The Plains Train Depot, which served as Carter's Presidential Campaign Headquarters |
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| Downtown Plains, GA |
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| Peanut Processing Facility in Plains, GA |
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| Lunch was a delicious Grilled Chicken Salad at the Buffalo Cafe in Downtown Plains |
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| The farmhouse Jimmy Carter grew up in |
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| Depression era radio powered by a battery in the Carter Boyhood Home living room |
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| The farmhouse at the Carter Farm |
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| The Clark House at the Carter Farm; Jack and Rachel Clark were an African American couple who worked on the farm and had a profound influence on Jimmy Carter |
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| You just can see the Carter House in this photo of the Carter Compound in Plains |
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| The Andrews/Gnann House at the Carter Compound, which was used by Carter's US Secret Service detail |
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| The Guardhouse and gate at the Carter Compound |
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| The "Smiling Peanut" in Plains, GA |
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| Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, where Jimmy Carter taught Sunday School |
Providence Canyon State Park
After I left Plains, I drove west to Lumpkin, GA and visited Providence Canyon State Park. Known as Georgia's "Little Grand Canyon," Providence Canyon is a fascinating and beautiful geographical feature that is the result of poor farming practices in the 19th Century causing erosion that created 150 foot deep gullies that reveal layers in the sediment in the colors on the gully walls.
Richland Rum
On the way back to Americus from Providence Canyon, I stopped at the Richland Rum Distillery in Richland, GA (between Lumpkin and Americus) and took a tour of their distillery. Knowing nothing about how rum is made, it was an educational experience. The distiller was knowledgeable, experienced, and friendly and I truly enjoyed the tour. Richland Rum is a craft, small batch distiller and they make their rum using all Georgia products: sugar cane grown on a nearby farm and water from the Georgia Aquifer (from a well at the distillery). The rum is aged in charred white oak barrels giving it a taste quite like bourbon whiskey. They also produce Richland Rum Roast Coffee, made by aging beans from Cafe Campesino in Americus in barrels that have been used to age their rum - the result is a delicious coffee with a wonderful aroma.
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| The Richland Rum Distillery in Richland, GA |
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| The Richland Rum Distillery |
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| The Richland Rum Distillery |
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| Rum aging in charred white oak barrels at the Richland Rum Distillery |
The Windsor Hotel and Food in Americus
I stayed at the Windsor Hotel in downtown Americus during this road trip; it's not the kind of hotel I usually stay at, but it first opened in 1892 (now operated by Choice Hotels) and I couldn't pass up staying at a historic hotel. Staying there was truly like stepping back in time; the decor and antiques give it a period feel. The rooms are comfortable and blend the period decor with modern amenities. There is a restaurant and a pub on the second floor and a couple of cafes on the first floor. The main restaurant, Rosemary & Thyme, had an excellent breakfast, I enjoyed their western omelet on Monday morning before heading to Plains.
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| The Windsor Hotel (opened in 1892) in Americus, GA |
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| The lobby of the Windsor Hotel; the large gilded mirror on the back wall is 160 years old! |
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| Late 19th Century Phone Booth in the Windsor Hotel lobby |
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| The Rosemary & Thyme Dining Room on the Windsor Hotel's second floor |
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| Steak Fajitas at The 1800 Mexican Restaurant in downtown Americus, GA |
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| Lamb Gyro and Greek Salad at the Gyro City Mediterranean Grill in downtown Americus, GA |
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