# Cell Towers and EMI dangers?



## SatRick (Jan 6, 2009)

Anyone have any good info or links on the dangers from the output of Cell Phone Towers or is a non issue.:eek2:

I live in a new home for over three years, with a tower [about 260ft away, 90ft H with 2 levels equipment] from main living area and have lost 2 cats and a Gpig in the last year, that all seem to develop a neurological issue that led to thier demise 

I did some research before buying and never was provided any info that said there was a danger from EMI ?or EFI? etc, but now starting to wonder:eek2:

Coincidence, hopefully but would be nice to see what you teckies think or more importantly, know
TIA


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

Most cell phone towers are using frequencies that used to be used for UHF TV. Those frequencies have been used for broadcasting for 60 years without much affect on people.


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## Greg Alsobrook (Apr 2, 2007)

Very interesting thread. I'm anxious to see the replies. I've always heard that you should avoid living under those huge power lines, as they put off a good bit of radiation. I would imagine that cell towers do the same...


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## SatRick (Jan 6, 2009)

I didn't think there would be as much if any danger from the actual airwaves, but am also concerned about the equipment itself, ie transformers and output transducers? and generation etc

One official described it as "it can be to dangerous because we have Ospreys that live on them"

But, then again, I can't remember seeing any Ospreys in my doctors office lately:eek2:


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

Technically, it's referred to as EMR.

EMR = Electro-Magnetic Radiation
EMI = Electro-Magnetic Interference


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## smiddy (Apr 5, 2006)

The correct term is EME which is electromagnetic emissions. The measurement is the field strength in volts per meter at a specific distance. Go to the FCC site here: http://www.fcc.gov/oet/info/documents/bulletins/#65


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## SatRick (Jan 6, 2009)

Thanks
Didn't know what to call it

That should make for some good reading:eek2:
Rich


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## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

Supposedly its safe (many cell phone "towers" are mounted on office buildings and other large buildings like apartments near lots of people). But just because things are within safe limits does not necessarily mean no one is susceptible to their effects.


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## HIPAR (May 15, 2005)

I once got the construction of a tower canceled by advising someone who didn't want one built near his house to demand a power density study. I did a 'back of the envelope calculation' showing the radiated power at inhabited zones around the proposed tower wasn't even close to exceeding government limits but told him to make the telephone company to prove it's safe. They hired an 'expert' who did such a deplorable analysis that his study was easily discredited. 

Cell towers, in general, are now exempt from needing a submission of power density analysis calculations.

--- CHAS


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

HIPAR said:


> I once got the construction of a tower canceled by advising someone who didn't want one built near his house to demand a power density study. I did a 'back of the envelope calculation' showing the radiated power at inhabited zones around the proposed tower wasn't even close to exceeding government limits but told him to make the telephone company to prove it's safe. They hired an 'expert' who did such a deplorable analysis that his study was easily discredited.
> 
> Cell towers, in general, are now exempt from needing a submission of power density analysis calculations.
> 
> --- CHAS


From what I have been told, the huge cell towers are NOT what cells phones use, but small "towers" that are about a foot or so tall and placed all over. How do you think the gps part of the phone works?


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## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

BubblePuppy said:


> From what I have been told, the huge cell towers are NOT what cells phones use, but small "towers" that are about a foot or so tall and placed all over. How do you think the gps part of the phone works?


The antenna itself is pretty small, but still needs to be up in the air. Usually this will be on a high building or tower of some sort.

You can see them all over though if you look closely, they are the antennas that are long and skinny and usually in a group of a few in each direction. Lots of times you see them on large buildings or small towers.

http://www.steelintheair.com/Cell-Phone-Tower.html

They are getting a lot better at stealth towers though, you see lots of them disguised as trees in some areas and blending in with buildings and such better and better.


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## Jim Parker (Aug 12, 2003)

I would point out that the transmission power from a cell tower transmitter is very low compared to other towers. 

The whole point to cells is that they are low power but close together. That allows the same frequency to be reused at many locations around town.

Compare that to a TV ar AM station with 100,000 watts that covers an area a 100 miles 
in diameter.

Besides, all of the studies have found no credible evidence that EM waves are harmful. There was an article in IEEE about the lastest studies a few months ago.


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## smiddy (Apr 5, 2006)

If these towers were of the analog type (read, not spread spectrum, since all RF is analog), then there would/should be some concern. With digital spread spectrum signals the energy is spread out which limits the dangers associated with it. For instance, like digital television, you'll notice that transmitter power is significantly decreased because the processing power used to capture the signal has increase which removes the need for more power to reach areas they had reached with analog signals. 

I'm not sure why the FCC doesn't make radio stations (read: AM and FM) do something similar as the combination of lowering RF emissions is a good thing on many levels.

Jim, frequency reuse is able to be done due to the use of CDMA, not the number of towers.


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

This topic (including the "no harm from radio waves" discussion) always reminds me of the scene in a famous comedy movie with the dog that's wagging his multiple tails....


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## xIsamuTM (Jul 8, 2008)

hdtvfan0001 said:


> always reminds me of the scene in a famous comedy movie with the dog that's wagging his multiple tails....


You talking about The Naked Gun 2 1/2, right?

If you guys want to read the great debates on cell towers and EME/EMI/EMC2 go to Phone Scoop.


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

xIsamuTM said:


> You talking about The Naked Gun 2 1/2, right?


Yup.

Then there's the further evidence about Smiddy glowing (green, of course) in the dark....but that's just hearsay...


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