WHCA Support for the Reagan Ranch (1980-1988)

 

Rancho del Cielo
Type Of Activity	Reagan Ranch Support
Location
Location	Santa Barbra CA
Date of Activity	1980-1988
Coordinates

WHCA SUPPORT AT THE RANCH                                                                                                by Don Cammel/Marty Williams/Ken Barbi

The White House Communications Agency (WHCA) established two key operational locations, one. in Santa Barbara and the other at the President's Ranch. Both sites operated 24/7 with rotating 12-hour shifts to manage communication centers, switchboards, and radio consoles.

At the Ranch, WHCA set up two trailers on a hill, which also housed a hangar for HMX-1 (the Marine helicopter squadron), overlooking the communications center and the Secret Service command post. 

WHCA Trailers, HMX hanger and Admin Trailer

One trailer contained the switchboard with two Dimension 400 PBX systems. Initially, a smaller mini board was installed, but it was soon replaced by a Dimension 400 as the primary system. The mini board was then used as the backup. However, the first 400 would occasionally crash, so a second Dimension 400 was installed for emergency switchovers. This setup ensured that even if the primary switch failed, service continued on the backup, though active calls were lost.

The Ranch Communications Trailers

The second trailer held the radio base stations, satellite communications (Satcom) terminal, line-of-sight (LOS) microwave terminal, power equipment, and WHCA’s Ranch office. Another first for WHCA was a long haul secure video back to Sit Room from the Ranch by using an early adopter video CODEC. The circle mound behind this is a Lorain Navigation Beacon for aircraft. This area was, also known as “The Vortec” due to the nearby FAA Vortac facility, and sat at the top of the hill.

Secret Service Command Post at the Ranch

Further down, closer to the ranch house, was the communications center handling secure traffic and the Secret Service command post. The command post also had facilities for the President’s weekly radio address and a small conference room for meetings.

Access to the Ranch was difficult, with over an hour’s drive on rough roads often affected by washouts and fog. Low water bridges and mountain terrain added to the challenge, with several incidents of brake failures on the 24-foot Hertz trucks descending the mountain because drivers were unfamiliar with using lower gears.

24ft Box truck

In Santa Barbara, WHCA installed another Dimension 400 PBX in the GTE Central Office, where the switchboard was located. Other WHCA assets were spread across the various hotels used by the White House staff. The senior staff stayed at the Biltmore Hotel, where the WHCA communications center used GriD laptop computers with encrypted chipsets and small, portable HP inkjet printers to process secure traffic. The rest of the staff and press were housed at the Sheraton, which had a press office and briefing room.

The Ranch Communications Network

A DMC microwave system (23 GHz initially, later upgraded to 18 GHz with four T1 links) was installed between the Biltmore and Sheraton hotels, as well as a link to the Goleta airport. This marked WHCA’s first experience with LOS line of site microwave systems, which used two Aydin 4 GHz carrier systems with channel banks for main trunk communications between Santa Barbara and the Ranch.

El Escorial Hotel  pool

When WHCA started using KU-Band, COMSAT was the satellite bandwidth provider.  COMSAT was the down link with their large Washington, DC, antenna. Extending the link to building 94 in Anacostia, Then a digital M/W to the OEOB on the 4th floor in WHCA’s data center where the circuit was terminated and decrypted. WHCA finally got their own down link KU-Band antenna which they use today. 

                                                     El Escorial WHCA Hotel Villa with Ku Band satellite terminal

WHCA and Secret Service personnel stayed at the Tahitian Motor Motel across from the Sheraton, where the WHCA photo lab was also located, at least through 1984. During the President’s second term, the WHCA operations, including the switchboard, communications center, radio control console, and office—moved to the El Escorial Hotel, where a Ku-Band satellite terminal was installed, it was the only WHCA operated high data rate (T-1) system installed back to Washington.

WHCA Quarters across from the Sheraton

All the radio frequencies were operational with repeaters all over Santa Barbara and at the ranch. Radio coverage was designed to not only cover the Ranch but also blanket the Santa Barbara area with extended coverage to include a possible motorcade back to Pt Magu or even driving down US101 back to LA.

Stories from the Reagan Ranch

Ericson Cobra Phone                                                                                                                                                                             by Don Cammel

                                             The Ericson Cobra phone was Nancy's favorite

Nancy Reagan always had a Metered Business (MB) line in her bedroom at all hotels, Camp David, and the Ranch. Her choice of instruments was an Ericson Phone, often nicknamed the Cobra Phone.   I can’t remember for sure which color she preferred, but I can tell you for sure it was not “White”.

The characteristics of this instrument are unlike any other phone anywhere in the industry.  Similar problems like the old Princess phones where one pair was the POTS line, and the other pair went to a 12V power cube that powered the light on the dial.    The Erickson phone was 3-wires.   The hook switch was in the bottom of the phone, and this was available first with a Rotary Dial, and then upgraded to a touch-tone pad.  Because of the constant USSS Technical Services Division doing their constant sweeps, the often disassembled this phone, and couldn’t figure it out.   The microphone in the instrument was “hot” all the time and would allow anyone on the line to hear conversations in the room.  

The solution to this problem, was for both WHCA and TSD to work together and build an interface box with basically a physical relay disconnect when the phone went on the hook.  

We arrived for a Ranch visit, and the Cobra phone beside the bed was DEAD!   This was a permanent line, and we didn’t carry spares on a standard trip load, in fact, I don’t think we had any spares anywhere.   Being in Santa Barbara and AF-1 and Press Plane already in the air, we started scrambling to find a replacement phone.   We called back to DC and they were going to purchase one and send it counter-to-counter on American Airlines.

Meantime, we found a White Cobra phone on Wilshire Blvd in LA, so we had the team still in LA drive halfway up US101 to courier the replacement.  We knew that “White” would not make her happy, but were going to explain we were waiting on her favorite color to arrive.  We considered moving the electronics to the new phone, but they were constructed with poured epoxy in the curved handset.  

I finally had the correct phone after about 36 hours of continuous effort, plus USSS had to sweep the new phone, and we warned them not to blow out one of the components.   

All is good, and I am sent down from the top of the mountain to the Ranch house knowing that the President and First Lady are out horseback riding.  I go into the bedroom, and the space between the bed and the wall might have been 15”.  I laid down on the floor and up near the headboard was the connector block to the home brew relay box.  They were changing out the pairs, and I had a standard butt set clipped across the pairs.   I was on the floor for eternity, and had my molded earpiece in my ear listening to the movements.  

At one point, I had to change ears with the butt set and I pulled out my earpiece.   I am getting frustrated, and entire body is about to go into muscle spasms from being confined to 15” of space for probably close to 45 minutes.   

Suddenly, I hear a noise and the bedroom door opens.   Here comes the President in nothing but a towel.   As I raised up from almost under the bed, it definitely got his attention.   I apologized for not knowing he was back from horseback riding, and told him I would return at a later time.  

He put his hands on his waist, and I was hoping the towel would hold, and said, “No, if you are working on Mommy’s phone, we both should make sure we get that done”!  

He turned around and went to the shower.  I completed the install and departed rapidly.

Although the First Lady wasn’t happy that the phone wasn’t yellow the only thing, she wanted to know was a specific date that her phone would be installed.

Chief of Staff Donald Regan                                                                                                                                                by Scott Downey/Brad Colip/Richard LePere · 

Donald Regan was Ronald Reagans White House Chief of Staff in the Presidents second term in office. He was given a tour of the WHCA setup on top of the hill at the Ranch. Regan came into the room, never even acknowledged our presence, and just uttered “Oh this is that piece of shit that never works.” He promptly left and headed over to the radio/satcom trailer.

I remember on a couple of trips to the ranch, he wasn't happy with his hotel room and moved to a premium suite. Of course that required a fast re-install of his phone. We had to send someone out to check cable pairs, isolate the pairs and work the tone back to the hotel frame, then swing the cross connects. If you kept detailed cross connect records, you could have it working in 15 to 20 minutes. He would constantly complain about his phone service.

I think it was the First Lady that got him fired, because the switchboard had to keep 3 separate copies of the Presidential Call Log during his tenure as the Chief of Staff, whenever  he visited the Ranch . One copy for the First Lady, one for whom the Chief of Staff was calling, and one one who was calling in to speak to the Chief of Staff. He must have committed some sort of sin that pi**ed off the First Lady, and its rumored she eventually had the President fire him. Eventually things heated up so badly he eventually resigned.

Dr Henry Kissinger                                                                                                                                                                       by Marty Williams   

During the early Reagan years, Dr Kissinger was appointed Super Envoy and served almost as a shadow Secretary of State. Most of us got use to talking to him at Signal. As the second term wore down, there was less daily involvement. And he seemed kind of “out to pasture”. One day, at the Ranch, I was working the board when a call came in from a guy claiming to be Dr Kissinger. His voice was as American as mine. I had so many calls from the real HK in the past, I knew his voice well. “Hallo vite house, dis is dr Kissinger, would you get me de president”. I asked the caller to repeat himself. Again in clear English he said he was Kissinger and wanted to talk to the president. I said “Dr. HENRY Kissinger?” Yes, he said and for me to get him the president. Sir, says I, it’s been my pleasure to talk with Dr. Kissinger on many occasions and I’m am comfortably sure you are not he. He got upset and hung up. After a few minutes I thought, maybe someone was calling for Dr K or something strange like that. So, I called his residence. His wife answered and I said it was the White House calling, explained the situation and asked had Dr. Kissinger been trying to contact the president.

No, said she, but let me get him for you. Oh no, said I, no reason to disturb him. She told me that he was just sitting around bored and would love to chat with the White House. He came on the line with his distinctive tone and we chatted for about 15 minutes. Even the greats have the need for reaching out to familiar memories.

I’m shipped                                                                                                                                                                                    by Marty Williams

It was another easy day at the ranch. Rick Steiner and I were on the Ranch Switchboard. Nothing happening. Nothing on the schedule. A call came in for one of the agents on duty that day. Rick caught the call and called down to the command post to see if the agent was there. The agent on the desk told Rick that the agent he wanted was at the Tack Barn. Knowing the boss had been in the Tack room earlier, Rick asked where the president was at that moment. The agent said he was in the residence. So, Rick rang the secret service/staff line in the room adjacent to the tack room. It rang several times and then was answered with a “hello” (insert Reagan sounding voice here) Rick asked for the agent and got “no. Nobody here but me.” He said thank you and turned to me and said, man, I swear that sounded like the Boss. He’s better than you. (I used to do a pretty good Reagan impression),so we called down to the CP again to recheck on the location of the president. They confirmed that he was still in the residence. With this, Rick figured the guy who answered was doing a bit, so he called back down. “Hello.” “Hi there”, says Rick. “I do a pretty good Nixon impression”(which he did) “but I had to tell you that you do a GREAT Reagan!” A slight pause and “Well, Thank you very much. I’ve been doing it for 73 years,” the call ended, and Rick turned to me and said, “I’m shipped!” No such thing happened and apparently RWR thought it was kind of funny…

I remember the Boss’s call to the Queen of England during this same trip and I was logging it into the call log. I found out that the queen’s official title was going to be longer than the allotted space on the log. There was no way we could shorten anything and have it still make sense. In the end it was decided to just use D.O.F. (Defender Of The Faith).

I had the privilege of meeting Queen Elizabeth in February or March of 1983. She was in the United States for a visit to San Francisco and the President's ranch. I was on press plane duty which meant I was travelling with the White House Press corps. Like most trips there were always things that stood out. One of them was the fact that someone had lined the motorcade route with both United States and British flags. For an outsider the Union Jack is somewhat hard to tell when it is right side up but if course not so for a British citizen. Well, at random someone mistakenly placed a Union Jack upside down along the route and someone on the Queens detail must have noticed.

Fast-forward to the Queens Royal Yacht sitting by a dock in the San Francisco harbor. President Reagan boards the Yacht and the British just for a moment raised the US Flag upside down then immediately lowered it and put the flag right side up.

After a meeting on the Yacht and (it might have been the next day I don't recall anymore) we boarded Marine helicopters and flew down the coast to Point Mugu where due to bad weather we had to motorcade up to President Reagan's ranch. It had been raining HARD! So the road to the ranch was under water at stream crossing's. The press was in a 12 or 15 passenger van. Well, we start through the water (did I forget to mention that the water was flowing very hard?) The van started to get pushed towards the edge of a steep cliff. It caused a whole lot of pucker factor.

After the event at the Ranch we then flew down to Los Angeles for some events down the there. 

Doctor Hutton                                                                                                                                                                           by Marty Williams

While Switchboard does get to talk to many celebrities, politicians and even occasional royals. A/V and Radio got to “see” a lot of cool things. Occasionally switchboard would get to see an event. At the Ranch, we sometimes got to do what to us, though sometimes boring, was always kind of cool just to do. Whenever the Boss would go for a ride or to do some brush clearing on his 688 acre Rancho Del Cielo, there was a WHCA car of sorts that followed behind the secret service follow up. Later in the years, the secret service follow up was a Hummer, but at the time of the story, both their “Halfback” and our WHCA Car were army Jeeps with canvas covers. Well, this particular day I was excited because I was going to get to ride along. In the WHCA Jeep there was a radio guy driving and the duty Trip Officer (TO) in the passenger seat. Crammed in the back was me and next to me was the very newly appointed presidential doctor. I was impressed. I’d read that he was a noted surgeon from Walter Reed. I was sure the Boss was in good hands. About an hour into the ride, he reached into his bag, pulled out a book and started to read. After a bit, I glanced over to see what this highly trusted physician to the president was reading. I immediately recognized it. It was a thin, hard cover, green book with a big Red Cross on it along with bold letters saying FIRST AID! I let out an uncontrolled hoot… he laughed, and he assured me that for the kind of stuff he’d most likely have to deal with on a trail ride was more likely in that book than everything in his Medical field…

Rental Vehicles                                                                                                                                                                                by Don Cammel

On the topic of rental cars, my hero was always Larry Little. Most of the Hertz/Avis agents always took care of the Trip Officer when he was renting his fleet of Trip cars for a site. The AVIS relationship in San Clemente almost became part of the WHCA family. For years, there was always a high profile vehicle or two that would end up as part of the fleet. It just happened that  someone showed up to pick up COL Schumann at a Trip location in a bright RED Cadillac.

Loading equipment getting ready to depart

He went totally Postal, and a memo was issued that forbid us from accepting anything considered a luxury car, convertible, or anything "flashy" was the wording. Larry was already on an Advance in Santa Barbara preparing for a visit to the ranch and driving a Cadillac. When he became aware of the memo, he went to the car agency and wanted to downgrade. It was not about price, because we were paying the same rate, but all about image. Several days went by but no luck, they were just out of cars during a Holiday season. It is rumored that this vehicle experienced a total failure of the headlights, and they had to bring in a replacement from Los Angeles. I never asked how hard you have to swing a tire iron to break a headlight!