Winnemucca Air Force Station Winnemucca Air Force Station ( ADC ID : M - 127 , NORAD ID : Z - 127 ) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station . It is located north - northwest of Winnemucca , Nevada . It was closed in 1968 . History . Winnemucca Air Force Station was established as part of the planned deployment by Air Defense Command of forty - four Mobile radar stations across the United States to support the permanent Radar network established during the Cold War for air defense of the United States . This deployment had been projected to be operational by mid - 1952 . Funding , constant site changes , construction , and equipment delivery delayed deployment . Winnemucca AFS typified some of the problems with the mobile radar program . Because the program received minimal funding , the cantonment area was sited on Department of the Interior land located several miles away from the radar , rather than on adjacent land owned by the Southern Pacific Land Company . Delays in the decision - making process set the date for beneficial occupancy back to 1955 . The station was activated on 8 June 1955 after the 658th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was moved to the new station on 1 February 1956 by the 28th Air Division . Operational status was finally achieved by the 658th AC & W Squadron in 1956 . The site used an AN / FPS - 3 radar , and initially the station functioned as a Ground - Control Intercept ( GCI ) and warning station . As a GCI station , the squadron ' s role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit ' s radar scopes . By 1959 this radar had been joined by a pair of AN / FPS - 6 B height - finder radars . In 1960 the AN / FPS - 3 was replaced by an AN / FPS - 20 search set . At the end of 1961 this search set had been upgraded into an AN / FPS - 66 . During 1961 Winnemucca AFS joined the Semi Automatic Ground Environment ( SAGE ) system , initially feeding data to DC - 21 at Stead AFB , Nevada . After joining , the squadron was re - designated as the 658th Radar Squadron ( SAGE ) on 1 March 1961 . The radar squadron provided information 24 / 7 the SAGE Direction Center where it was analyzed to determine range , direction altitude speed and whether or not aircraft were friendly or hostile . In 1963 the two height - finder radars were converted to AN / FPS - 90 units , and on 31 July 1963 , the site was redesignated as NORAD ID Z - 127 . In 1967 one AN / FPS - 90 was removed from service . In addition to the main facility , Winnemucca operated several AN / FPS - 14 Gap Filler sites : The 658th Radar Squadron ( SAGE ) was inactivated on 18 June 1968 as a result of budget restrictions , and the general phase down of air defense radar stations . The former station is now a commercial transmitter site , the former Air Force radar towers still standing . Some of the support buildings at the site are standing in deteriorated condition . A number of former Air Force buildings ( including Quonset huts ) in the Cantonment and barracks areas are in use by Humboldt County and commercial firms , and the pool is now open to the public ( in season ) . Some buildings have also been built since the Air Force closed the base . The Officers ' Quarters area houses are now used as private housing . The area is now known as " Sage Heights , " a reference to the area ' s history . Air Force units and assignments . Units : Assignments :