New 9-meter dish installed atop Elvey: Koyukuk Drive closed through Tuesday afternoon
March 18, 2017
The landmark antenna on the Elvey Building was successfully replaced with a new 9-meter
dish late Saturday afternoon. The work took about a half day longer than predicted due to cold temperatures.
There will be several days of work between the roof and the ground while crews complete
the installation.
Koyukuk Drive will remain closed through Tuesday, March 21 in the afternoon. Pedestrians in the area are asked to follow the posted signs along the Arctic Health Research Building when traveling from the Murie Building to the Akasofu Building.
After more than 25 years of service, the pale blue 10-meter dish on the roof of the Elvey Building will be retired. The project also replaces an instrument that had not operated since hardware within the antenna broke in 2012. The more capable new antenna will retrieve scientific information from polar-orbiting satellites that pass overhead as often as 11 times per day.
Photo courtesy: Cameron Wohlford, UAF Design and Construction