Cellphone tower in my backyard or not?

**Autech** · 20th January 2010, 16:03

I too work on cell sites on a daily basis but disagree on the radiation issue. If you're willing to hold a cell phone up to your ear, then you should have no issue with having one in your back yard.

The only real downside I would say would be the visual impact + stigma attached to these sites affecting the property value, so ask a valuer what they think. Also find out what type of site it is, some are very inconspicuous and may not be very noticable at all

**Donor** · 20th January 2010, 16:10

Originally Posted by Edbear

Actual technical data suggests that any health risk is about the same as carrying a cellphone around and no-one seems to be up in arms about that. It's another case of fantasy v.reality. It's not like having a power pylon in your backyard which is a very defininte health risk.

Originally Posted by Autech

I too work on cell sites on a daily basis but disagree on the radiation issue. If you're willing to hold a cell phone up to your ear, then you should have no issue with having one in your back yard.

Yesh, but let us consider the slight difference here - several ten minute phone calls in a day, versus constant exposure over however many hours long the work day is. Even if the RF radiation is at very low limits, it's still present and MAY be a health hazard over a long enough period of time.

Which is pretty much the same as having a power pylon in your back yard, which as my learned friend has already said is a bad thing.

RF is a bitch, like many here I have worked with it and even been cooked by it (microwave sucks!) so yeah, there's my 2.3 cents...

**steve_t** · 20th January 2010, 16:10

I'm told that you can ask to go to a cell site with a geiger counter/radiation meter and a gauss meter (measures magnetic flux) and they can show you that the effect of the tower is quite low. I was told (not sure of reliability of source) that they were in Mt Eden and at the base of the cell tower, there was more radiation coming from the Sky Tower than the cell tower. Again, I'm not sure how accurate the information is but I'd say asking them to show you measurements of radiation and magnetic flux in relation to distance from the tower is a good start

**bogan** · 20th January 2010, 16:14

Originally Posted by Autech

I too work on cell sites on a daily basis but disagree on the radiation issue. If you're willing to hold a cell phone up to your ear, then you should have no issue with having one in your back yard.

The only real downside I would say would be the visual impact + stigma attached to these sites affecting the property value, so ask a valuer what they think. Also find out what type of site it is, some are very inconspicuous and may not be very noticable at all

dont think its quite that simple, Ill use power tools computer etc, but I aint willing to live under transmission lines. The tech is too recent to have any hard evidence, so youll have to make up your own mind. But as someone said, if you turn them down it might go up only a few m away in a neighbours property anyway!

**Tank** · 20th January 2010, 16:17

Get it in and get the $$$

work from home.

Best of both worlds.

**sidecar bob** · 20th January 2010, 16:34

Wow, Damn near the whole bloody entire staff of the network showed up again this arvo, with town planners & all & sundry in tow. Took damn near five minutes to be introduced to them all.
The official line is that it is no more harmful than three cellphones sitting atop a 20 metre pole (bit hard to swallow)
Tank, thats some sound thinking there, i might hit the network up for a roll of foil, that should sort the matter out.

**nodrog:Me** · 20th January 2010, 17:50

do it bro! then sack the whinging worker and employ me, i dont mind going sterile, infact you will be doing me (and the human race) a favour.

**Pixie** · 20th January 2010, 18:24

Originally Posted by slofox

As others have said. The evidence is flaky but there are enough technophobes out there to make life unpleasant. Your staff may well kick up a shindy about it...

All out there organizing anti cell tower protests by text,no doubt.

I read recently anti cell types are the biggest purchasers of cell jamming equipment.
They buy these to stop the evil microwave destroying their health.
unfortunately, they don't realise cell jammers are microwave transmitters,more powerful than the cell phones they are jamming.
Stupid,ignorant,hippies.

**Pixie** · 20th January 2010, 18:27

Originally Posted by Donor

Yesh, but let us consider the slight difference here - several ten minute phone calls in a day, versus constant exposure over however many hours long the work day is. Even if the RF radiation is at very low limits, it's still present and MAY be a health hazard over a long enough period of time.

Which is pretty much the same as having a power pylon in your back yard, which as my learned friend has already said is a bad thing.

RF is a bitch, like many here I have worked with it and even been cooked by it (microwave sucks!) so yeah, there's my 2.3 cents...

You obviously don't realise that a cell phone on standby polls the nearest cell regularly as long as it is switched on.Especially if the coverage is marginal.

**Pixie** · 20th January 2010, 18:40

Originally Posted by sidecar bob

Wow, Damn near the whole bloody entire staff of the network showed up again this arvo, with town planners & all & sundry in tow. Took damn near five minutes to be introduced to them all.
The official line is that it is no more harmful than three cellphones sitting atop a 20 metre pole (bit hard to swallow)
Tank, thats some sound thinking there, i might hit the network up for a roll of foil, that should sort the matter out.

Like Bart....

**Pixie** · 20th January 2010, 18:43

Originally Posted by scissorhands

Health risks are real. Many of us could easily live to 120years old if we lived in an ideal enviroment....

It would just seem like 120 years

**Donor** · 20th January 2010, 18:47

Originally Posted by Pixie

You obviously don't realise that a cell phone on standby polls the nearest cell regularly as long as it is switched on.Especially if the coverage is marginal.

Yes... I realise that, however the phone is in my pocket when not in use and not pressed against my melon, and sterility is the least of my concerns

**Elysium** · 20th January 2010, 18:55

Originally Posted by sidecar bob

My concern is the potential health risk to the occupants of my property, which a member of my staff was not backward in informing me of.
Are there any, or is it a load of crap?
Cheers,
Steve.

If said people bitch about the health effects from cell phone towers, then they should throw their cell phones out.