I hate cell towers

zatatime wrote:

On Mon, 14 Jun 2004 17:43:42 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote:

Who is the idiot that decreed that all cell towers should have *strobe*
lights on them? What was wrong with the simple red lights that other
obstructions sport?

All cell towers don't. Only those 200 feet high or more.

I thought we werer talking in the thread about towers in the vicinity of an
airport. Towers need not be 200 feet high to be lit when in the vicinity of
an airport.

"G.R. Patterson III" wrote:

Jay Honeck wrote:

Has anyone else grown annoyed by the proliferation of cell towers with
strobe lights?

Technically, these are not cell phone towers - those are pretty low. These are PCS
towers. That makes no practical difference, since people are going to be calling them
"cell phones" forever, but that's why you're seeing more of them. The PCS towers are
tall enough to require strobes, and the wireless world is moving to PCS.

That doesn't make sense at all. PCS operates in the 1850-1910 MHz and 1930-1990 Mhz
range. Some carriers, such as Verizon, offer digital Part 22 service in the 800 Mhz
range and they have many towers about 199 feet tall.

I can assure you that digital wireless service in the 800 Mhz band is here to stay and it
is NOT "PCS." .

On the other hand, T-Mobile implements GSM service in the bands that the FCC describes as
PCS. T-Mobile has often been concentrating on placing more antennas closer to the ground
level rather than fewer antenna sites at higher elevations. They use existing structures
whenever possible.

EDR wrote:

In article ,
wrote:

EDR wrote:
My only reason for asking is this, if we are not supposed to fly lower
the 500ft AGL, why would this be a concern?

That's not true! Only in certain areas.

Please explain. I am only a student pilot and would like to know what areas
could one be less that 500 AGL without issues, other than approach or
departure.

The "regs" say 500 feet from any person, vehicle or structure in
uncongested areas.
Nowhere, however will you find a definition of "uncongested" or
"congested".
You will also find references to such things as "open air assemblies of
people".

It seems that FAA has purposefully let the "congested" definition open for
interpretation.