In order for us to communicate over cell phones, it is necessary to have a new type of telephone pole called a cell phone tower (or cell phone antenna) placed at proper intervals along our highways and byways. The density of these towers is directly proportional to the human population density. This mathematical principle called "cell tower proliferation" is a new subject for urban ecologists. Unlike unsightly telephone poles spanned by wires, cell phone towers are solitary structures. Cell phone towers transmit radio waves and must be placed above ground, unlike subterranean telephone cables. Wireless cell phones send and receive messages using radiofrequency energy in the 800-900 megahertz portion of the radiofrequency (RF) spectrum. Directional antennas on the towers divide a geographical area into regions of service called "cells." Different cell phone carriers use separate antennas on the same tower. Rather than have obtrusive towers cluttering our cities and countryside, they are now being disguised in many clever ways. Some of these covert forms include trees, cactus, gas station signs, boulders, and even church steeples. Tree towers resembling araucaria trees have six tiers of horizontal branches, each tier bearing a carrier antenna cluster. Each antenna cluster services a separate cell phone carrier.
No comments:
Post a Comment