Re: [IRCA] OT: cell antenna sites

[Bruce Portzer <bportzer@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dennis & Charlie

I've worked in the wireless industry for about ten years, and I can 
assure you it's a common practice.  I've seen many and helped build a 
couple.

It's generally done to get around local zoning requirements.  Getting 
permits for a cell tower can be very difficult in some places, due to 
local ordinances, public resistance, etc.  As a result, wireless 
operators often turn to existing structures.  So not only do you see 
cellular antennas on buildings and water towers, but also on electrical 
transmission towers.  If the towers are owned by a federal agency such 
as the Bonneville Power Administration, so much the better - since local 
authorities don't have jurisdiction over federal facilities.

The downside is that high voltage electricians are the only people 
allowed to climb the towers, as Charlie points out.  This can lead to 
some quality control issues with the antenna and coax installations, 
since HV electricians usually don't know or understand much about r.f., 
especially at the frequencies used by cellular systems (800 or 1900 
MHz).  But once the electricians get it right, the antenna systems don't 
require a lot of attention.

I think someone needs to be half crazy to work on those high voltage 
towers.  One time I took part in a drive test, to check the feasibility 
of using a particular electrical tower for a cell site.  The two 
electricians climbed up the side of a 200' tower, with our test 
transmitter, coax, power cord, antenna, etc strapped to their backs, 
worked their way through the electrical lines and then set up the 
transmitter at the top of the tower so we could run our tests.  No 
safety harnesses, no net,  nothing but air between them and the earth.  
My whole body tensed up just watching them.

Bruce

Charles A Taylor wrote:
> At 12:16 AM 4/23/2007 +0000, you wrote:
>
>
>
>   
>> While driving around East Vancouver today,  I noticed a high power 
>> electrical right of way than ran along the street that I was driving on.
>> On top of one of the many towers was a cell phone antenna site.  I have 
>> never seem a cell site on a high power electrical tower.  Around here the 
>> cell sites are usually on a separate tower.  Sometimes on a tower with 
>> other types of high frequency antennas or on a tall building.  Saw one 
>> cell site on a church steeple..  Has anyone else notice a cell antenna on 
>> a high power tower?
>>
>> Dennis,
>> Vancouver, Wa
>>     
> Dennis,
>
> BAD IDEA! Anyone who climbs the tower has to be trained on how to work near 
> high voltage and in
> intense electrical fields. Maybe the electrical company owns the cell site.
>
> I would climb such a tower as I am not afraid of high voltage....because 
> I've been trained to do
> so and have a very healthly respect for HV. If I hadn't had cancer, I would 
> work a 500-kV line
> energized or climb a 300-foot tower. Maybe if I went for more physical 
> training and regaining
> strength, I'd climb towers again.
>
> Steve Hawkins wouldn't have to worry too much about wildlife 300 feet up a 
> tower!
>
> Eh, Steve?
>
> 73 de Charles
>
>
>
> Charles A Taylor, WD4INP
> Greenville, North Carolina 
>
>
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