MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- One of MacDill’s popular landmarks will soon be no more. “Turn left at the golf ball,” won’t be said after Sept. 21, 2016. That’s because the radome, which is a satellite covering affectionately referred to as the “golf ball” by base populous, began permanent deconstruction Sept. 12, 2016.
The satellite provided network services to warfighters down range and in the field. Due to technology advances to internet-protocol based systems, the satellite experienced very little operational use over the past several years.
The golf ball, often decorated as an oversized jack-o-lantern during Halloween, has been a landmark on MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, since the 1990s.
For many residents and visitors at MacDill, the golf ball is used to give directions to destinations on the south side of the base.
“The golf ball is a pretty unique landmark on MacDill,” said Tech. Sgt. Ping Chen, who works inside the golf ball for the 6th Communications Squadron (CS). “Base residents use it to tell people ‘if you see the golf ball you’ve gone too far.’”
The reality is that many people don’t know what the golf ball actually is.
“A radome is basically a covering,” said Tech. Sgt. Jeffery Selonke, section chief of radio frequency transmission assigned to the 6th CS. “It protects the satellite located inside from weather and from enemies, via satellite or air, from seeing where the dish is pointing. If you protect where the dish is pointing you don’t know who we are talking to overseas.”
The famous golf ball has been a part of MacDill’s history for more than 20 years. Members of Team MacDill are sad to see the golf ball go, and will always remember the oversized jack-o-lantern during Halloween.