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* How
mobile phone masts 'vanish' (28/9/02)
Tramès per Klaus Rudolph (Citizens'
Initiative Omega)
Hidden mast, as
revealed by The Undetectables website
By Mark Ward
BBC News Online technology correspondent
Think you could spot a mobile phone mast near your home or office? Think
again. Some mobile phone operators are going to extraordinary lengths
to
conceal the masts that form their networks. They are being disguised as
chimneys, clocks, windows, drainpipes, even as weathervanes, all in an
effort to meet the demands of planning departments. Controversy often
surrounds applications to site phone networks. Mobile operators were
recently barred from putting the masts close to schools in the UK; many
parents had said they were worried about health and safety implications.
Mast hidden in Bristol church window
But the number of masts around the country is set to increase, as
networks upgrade to second and third generation mobile technologies.
Each British mobile network has about 8,000 cells, which means about as
many masts, and the maximum size of a cell is 35km. In third generation
(3G) mobile networks the cell can be a maximum of 8km wide, which means
they need lots more masts.
Mobile abuse
This, and the fact that masts are shrinking, creates problems. "As
we
come down in size there is a requirement to be closer to your customer
area," said Graeme Hill, a director of James Barr Consultants which
advises firms seeking mast sites. "And that means in and around
residential areas."
Mobile phone mast: Not a pretty
sight
Masts used to be about 30 metres high but as
technology improves they
shrink. Now some are as small as 8 metres high, said Mr Hill. Before now
some firms have used fake trees as masts which resembled Scots pines.
It
is a tactic that might work on a hilltop when it is concealed among
other trees but a fake tree on a street corner would be like putting
lipstick on a gorilla. The difficulties are compounded by the fact
that
many neighbourhoods welcome phone masts with all the warmth they usually
reserve for traffic wardens.
And it's not just the public who are critical of phone masts. "We
deal
with visual atrocities," said Sue Lipscombe, spokeswoman for The
Undetectables, a firm often employed by mobile operators to help them
hide masts. Ms Lipscombe said it let operators worry about the health
and safety aspects of phone masts and The Undetectables worries about
the visual pollution they cause. "Some telecoms companies can be
inconsiderate," she said. "They would rather use masts and are
reluctant
to come to us."
A Leicester chimney, disguising
phone mast
The Undetectables grew out of a firm that used
to build sets and scenery
for Aardman Animations and it takes the same care with the fake chimney
pots, drainpipes and flagpoles they create to hide masts. "We put
in the
bird muck, the pollution, everything," she said. The result is that
phone masts become utterly invisible.
Losing sight
For instance, the support pole for the golden angel weathervane on
Guildford Cathedral is actually a mobile mast and supports several
antennas. In return for using the site, which sits on a hilltop and is
a
coveted location, the angel was regilded. More complicated was St
Stephen's church in Edinburgh. This houses eight mobile antennas sitting
behind fibreglass panels in its belfry. The panels forming corner
pillars were painted to resemble the surrounding brickwork.
The set makers for Wallace and Gromit have moved on
The street sign for Northumberland Avenue in Westminster is also a
plastic sign hiding a few antenna.
Dotted around Britain are fake chimney pots, fake flagpoles, fake
drainpipes and fake signs all made of glass-reinforced plastic and
concealing mobile antennas.
Possibly the most complicated concealment job was done on the Town Hall
clock in Hungerford in Berkshire. Antennas are mounted at the centre of
each of the four faces of the clock next to the hands. The four faces
have been renewed and the clock hands themselves have been replaced with
glass-reinforced plastic versions that have been balanced to ensure the
clock keeps the right time.
They take such pains for good reasons, said Mr Hill.
"Concealment is not about trying to disguise the installations to
fool
the people living in the vicinity of them," he said. "It's come
from
through planning officers and local authorities not wanting
architecturally important buildings to be damaged from a visual point
of
view," he added. If they did not take such trouble the landscape
would
be dotted with "architectural acne" said Ms Lipscombe.
And that is a growing pain that no-one wants to see and everyone is glad
to see the back of as they mature.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/sci_tech/2000/dot_life/2261039.stm
Informant: Dr. Miguel Muntané
In addition taken from the UNDETECTABLES
Website:
With the new third generation applications and technology, people
are
being offered more freedom of communication and greater access to
information than ever before. With these boons comes the possibility of
the blight of unsightly telecoms equipment in our towns and cities. It
is the Undetectables mission to eradicate this architectural
acne.
With the new third generation applications and technology, people are
being offered more freedom of communication and greater access
to
information than ever before. With these boons comes the possibility
of
the blight of unsightly telecoms equipment in our towns and cities.
It
is the Undetectables mission to eradicate this architectural
acne. We
are very aware of the concern and controversy surrounding the placing
of antennae within areas of dense population. The UNDETECTABLES are able
to work without attracting unwanted attention, and all our contracts are
kept strictly confidential.
Leicester. The chimney has been extended with GRP side panels
housing
the antenna. GRP cover mounted onto standard cable tray.
Breeze block
cabin covered in GRP stonework panels. Mouldings were taken
from an
adjacent wall to ensure an accurate match with the existing stone
work.
Hungerford. Antenna have been mounted within the inner circle next
to
the clock hands. All 4 clock faces replaced, and designed to illuminate
at night. The clock hands have been replaced with textured GRP and
professionally balanced so as not to disturb the working of
the clock.
Brighton. Antenna and galvanized cable tray painted to match the host
structure. Bristol. The antenna was concealed behind a replica lead
glass window, a special textured glass was used to reduce reflections.
The cable trays have been disguised as replica drain pipes. London.
Antenna were painted and textured on site to match the brickwork. Leeds.
The existing louvered panels have been re - manufactured in GRP using
silicon moulding techniques. The final finishing has been rendered
on
site in order to provide a perfect match to the color and
texture of
the original wood. Edinburgh. Two corner pillars next to the
balustrades were moulded for each side of the clock face. The GRP is
painted and textured in place in order to provide an exact
match with
the building. The Lake District. 8 louvered panels complete with
surrounding stone have been recreated in GRP from our talented designers
to our site crews. All of our work is carried out with discretion
and
care. The standard of our work is second to none, The Undetectables have
been nominated for National Conservation Awards. The Undetectables
are
approved by both English and Scottish Heritage. Dundee. Louvers have
been replaced with moulded and textured GRP on 3 sides of
the church
tower.
http://www.undetectables.co.uk
see pictures!
This is a real sad story summarised from several
emails in the last days:
I had been in the same situation of the German Professor, not for
speaking out,
but for reporting the horrific torture of all sorts of Electronic
devices and harmful energies!
The only thing is that things got much worse because of what the crazy
medical ignorant did to me. I was given your Inf. by the French very
kind Org.
I am practically homeless because I am forced out of my flat by an evil
neighbour with strong USA junta connection, plus U.K. elite whom have
access to warfare frequency devices. And more!!!!
When I run to a priest for help, he called in a copper (big police man)
he did
not want to believe what was happening to me, when I show him the letter
where it was mentioned that I made previously a complaint to the Police
Authorities, he jump up and said: YOU WROTE TO the P. Authorities? He
came near me grabbed my arms very brutally behind my back, hurting me
a
lot that by that time he put me on my knee, put iron hand cuff on my
arms, cutting my skin, then came with me on the ambulance to the second
hospital as I wrote to you.
Not only I am victim of an evil neighbour plus her powerful elite, but
I
have the Police (the High Rank) against me.
Now also my colleague where I am staying has become nasty and threatened
me urging to go away from his place. The all house has been set up with
stalkers whom also torture me at night or day.
I am practically running for my life with no real friend with whom I can
find protection.
Last night I was assaulted outside my colleague house by one of the
tenant accomplished. Last week I had my camera stolen, in which I had
taken all pictures of stalker and perps. Sorry about all this
distressing issue.
I cannot understand I can still survive.
I do not speak German, sorry if I have dared to contact you but I have
no help out here.
My apologies for typing errors. Thank againg for every thing you can do.
Best regards.
U.K. victim:
A.
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