So I found an article on digg about a cell phone tower disguised as a tree in Great Falls. link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/11/AR2006071101088.html?nav=rss_technology

I realized I've seen a bunch of those things around. The only one I can think of at the moment is on the right side of the Fairfax Co Parkway (while traveling north towards reston) directly after the intersection with Franklin Farm Rd. It's another one that looks like a tree. Don't ask me why a regular cell tower wouldn't be appropriate there, it's not in the middle of a park or anything.

anyone have pics or locations of other stealth towers in the area? thanks.

Woah, I know that Westergard guy - he lives in Falls Church, so keep your eyes open in that area

I think "stealth" towers are a riot. When I'm driving down the road and see one, I always notice it. When I drive by a regular tower, I never really notice it because it isn't the peculiar looking "tree."

Yeah, I saw a few along I-95 south of Fredricksburg. If they would make 'em the same height as the surrounding trees, it would actually look (slightly) real. The 'branches' are short little stubs and the trunk doesn't have enough 'branches'.

What's wrong with a regular cell tower? The one in Central Park, Fredericksburg, is practically a work of art. A monopole with 6, count 'em, 6 sets of antennas on it.

I look at that and I know someone did their homework to keep those 6 sets of antennas from being on 6 separate towers.

They're trying to put a new cell phone tower out my way in Thoroughfare Gap (near Haymarket, VA), and the local residents are putting up a fit over it. I'm mixed both ways, because I can see how the towers can be an eyesore, especially when the area's as beautiful as the Thoroughfare Gap/Bull Run Mountain area. However, cell phone service going out that way, and on 66 west past the Rt. 15 Haymarket exit, is atrocious. I haven't heard about them doing one of these "stealth" towers, maybe they should look into it.

There are already plenty of towers on top of Bull Run Mountain. I can see them from where I work off 28, especially at night.

In case it wasn't obvious, I was suggesting that using one of the existing towers ought to be considered, unless it's up too high.

An eyesore is what you want it to be.

These towers are everywhere and are a hardly noticeable part of our daily lives. Imminent domain should make these arguments moot anyway.. the public has a right to make the best possible effort to maximize phone capabilities in as many areas as possible.

I just hope every company gets on that tower, Nextel likes to jsut leave wide swaths uncovered. Switched to cingular and gsm has been a godsend.

I remember when Nextel had no coverage on 28 from about the PW County line to it's southern terminus. That was less than 4 years ago. Apparently now there's coverage there.

I don't miss Nextel..I hated it, and I wasn't even paying for it.

I have Tmobile now and their coverage is better than Nextel's was. At least I don't get randomly disconnected with "421" errors nor do I get really bad connections that sound like someone talking underwater.

There is a cool tower already built in the gap. It is on the north side of 66 and looks like a farm silo. They just built it but it is not activated yet. Word is it will be on ATT. Pretty cool looking thing it has screens on the sides hiding the antennas.

There's one in Springfield at Byron Av Park.

They're supposed to be 'more attractive' to the surrounding community and look more 'natural'. It's not to be 'stealthy', it's to be less obnoxious.

KeepOnTruckin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yeah, I saw a few along I-95 south of
> Fredricksburg. If they would make 'em the same
> height as the surrounding trees, it would actually
> look (slightly) real. The 'branches' are short
> little stubs and the trunk doesn't have enough
> 'branches'.

The reason you have them above trees is because RF spectrum at the range for cell phones (1.7 to 2.1 GHz) is subjected to severe signal degradation if surrounded by dense foliage - especially if the foliage is wet. You want the cell receiver/transmitter to be well above the tree line.

-----------------------------------------------

"...your suffering will be legendary even in Hell!"

They're all giving us cancer and listening in on our thoughts, man.

There's one near the edge of the Thoreau Middle School parking lot - it looks like a record-breaking fir tree.

Dont tell anyone at TLC this, this post needs to go to the bottom quick. LMAO