Dr. Jonathan Kramer's Cell Tower Photo Gallery

Copyright 2000-2023 Dr. Jonathan Kramer

Most viewed
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Close-up of a cellular/PCS flagpole without the covers4623 viewsThis is a close-up shot of how antennas are stacked in a faux flagpole. All three flagpoles in this photo are really cell towers. The center flagpole is an AT&T Wireless (now Cingular) site in Los Angeles, California. Verizon shares this site with Verizon and Nextel. The flagpole is 85' tall and 25" in diameter. It's manufactured by Chameleon Engineering.2 comments
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Faux chimney antenna site 1 of 23977 viewsThe antennas are in a faux chimney. The base station equipment is adjacent to the house in the lower right portion of the photo. Spotted in Southern California.
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Santa: Don't slide down this chimney!3310 viewsA faux chimney site at a community church in Los Angeles.
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3079 views
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Faux chimney antenna site 2 of 22925 viewsThe antennas are in a faux chimney (center of roof).
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Camofulaged AML Receive Site?2736 viewsBack in 1983 Storer Cable was trying to secure a microwave-receive site on a hillside in San Juan Capistrano. The architect retained by Storer lost most of his hair trying to get a design that would pass muster with the City. One night, in a fit of frustration, he came up with this design. We never submitted this one to the City. Pity. It would have been fun!
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Flush Mount Cell Site on PG&E Transmission Pole - San Jose, CA Airport2341 viewsThe interesting point about the cell antennas mounted to PG&E's transmission pole (seen in the right side of the photo) is that the antennas are not out on arms. Usually power companies require carriers to mount antennas on arms to insure adequate climbing space under NESC/CPUC GO95.
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2228 viewsCan you guess which of the light standards contains the site antennas?
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Would Verizon please let the Sprint Nextel inside?2171 viewsThe inside of the building is occupied by Verizon. Verizon's antennas are behind the faux tiles. Sprint's Nextel cabinets are outdoors adjacent to the building, and its antennas are on H-Frame mounts (see the associated pictures).
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Hint: It's Not Canneroni2165 viewsThese are three section covers of a faux flagpole barely in the City of Los Angeles, California. They're off while Verizon's works on its antennas (see the photos in this gallery).
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Pine tree stealth site2138 viewsWhile it stands alone above the hill, this is actually a very good camouflaged site. Sufficient faux foliage coverage to hide antennas. 1 comments
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Sprint microcell - Omnidirectional pattern2078 viewsOne of the secret ways from the San Fernando Valley into West Los Angeles (or is it the other way around) is via Havenhurst Avenue. Sprint's customers know the route, and Sprint's capitalized on it by adding this omni site to cover the commuters.
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Sprint microcell - Omnidirectional pattern2062 viewsOne of the secret ways from the San Fernando Valley into West Los Angeles (or is it the other way around) is via Havenhurst Avenue. Sprint's customers know the route, and Sprint's capitalized on it by adding this omni site to cover the commuters.
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So-So Sprint Monopine2029 viewsSprint's monopine, located in Corona, California, is a good example of what happens when the antenna array extends past the branches. Also note the degraded and falling-off panel covers (socks). This site is now managed by TowerCo.
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Another sickly cell-pine1956 viewsIt looks like hardly any imagination was used to design this sad tree tower site.1 comments
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Camo Clock Tower in Mission Viejo, California1902 viewsA very tasteful clock tower cell site in Mission Viejo, California.
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Turkish COW in Istanbul1883 viewsTurkish COW in Istanbul along the shore of the Marmara Sea.
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Is that a Diamond-shaped date?1880 viewsThe diamond-shaped device belong the cell antennas is a flat panel microwave antenna. In many cases, the purpose of this antenna is to save the carrier the cost of leasing a data line from the local telephone company. The trade off is that the antenna weakens or destroys the camouflage nature of the site. Not recommended in most cases. How 'bout the fact that the panel antenna supports aren't cut off above the panels. Also notice how the 'bark cladding' stops below the level of the palms. Not a complete camo solution by any means. Finally, is there a brighter green that might draw the eye even more effectively than the panel antenna on the right side? I think not!
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Southern California palm tree cell site.1879 viewsAlong side a major freeway in the Los Angeles area, this cell site is hardly noticeable from the freeway.
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Would Verizon please let the Sprint Nextel inside?1868 viewsThe inside of the building is occupied by Verizon. Verizon's antennas are behind the faux tiles. Sprint's Nextel cabinets are outdoors adjacent to the building, and its antennas are on H-Frame mounts (see the associated pictures).
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Camo site atop broadcast center1857 viewsMajor network studio in Los Angeles. Transmission facilities hidden behind decorative work on top of the building. 1 comments
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This Was a Faux Water Tank1856 viewsThis is "Version 2" of the prior-existing faux water tank site (search on the term "Oxnard" to see the Version 1.0). Multiple carriers at this site, located at The Palms shopping center in Oxnard, California.
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Close-up of Cellular Cactus1852 viewsAt Eagle Mountain Inn, Arizona. Manufactured by Larson-USA (utilitycamo.com), and operated by Sprint.1 comments
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Camouflaged flagpoles1846 viewsSpotted in Glendale, California.
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Sending out 'the word'1833 viewsA cell site within a church cross. The antennas are behind removable panels above the cross arm. The equipment cabinets are behind the brick wall to the right in the picture.1 comments
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False 3rd story on office building1785 viewsAntenna room constructted on top of an existing office building. Windows are not real, but instead painted upon translucent plastic materia. Roof room accessible from access door on right end.
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AT&T Cow in Action1731 viewsAT&T's Cell-on-Wheels (COW) in action in the Santiago Canyon area of Orange County after the October 2007 wildfires. The portable generator powers the site.
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Verizon MTSO cell and microwave tower1695 viewsThis is an interesting 63-ish foot communications tower in Schertz, Texas. It's owned by Verizon Wireless.
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A Powerful Bison1687 viewsVerizon's cellular bison, located in Carr, Colorado, serves I25. This closeup shot shows how the antenna panels are affixed to the metal body of the bison.2 comments
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1677 views
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Cell site in parking lot1676 viewsNotice the addition of the lot lights.
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Monoblah (Oops...Monopalm)1665 viewsThe design of this monopalm site leave much to be desired, including the use of real bark cladding in lieu of the bark tape applied to the pole. Also, the antennas lack the camouflage of overhanging palms, and also lack covers. This is a run-of-the-mill design, at best. Montebello, California
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Monopine - Lake Elsinore, California1642 viewsThis monopine has some of the hallmarks of a good design, including very good branch coverage and the use of camouflage antenna panel covers.3 comments
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Mono Eucalyptus Antennas1632 viewsThe antennas atop a mono-eucalyptus in Oceanside, California. American Tower should spend a bit of time fixing the antenna covers.
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Panoramic view of the Rocky Peak Wireless Rocks and Wireless Sign1596 viewsHere are 5 of the 6 cell rocks at Rocky Peak. The cell sign is hidden behind the cell rock in the foreground. Note that cell rocks are on concrete pads.

The equipment building with the small microwave antenna belongs to Nextel. The hidden building with the larger microwave antenna belongs to AT&T Wireless. Other carriers are in fenced cages below AT&T and Nextel.

This site houses Cingular, Sprint, Verizon, AT&T Wireless, and Nextel, and serves the Ronald Regan Freeway (SR118) at the east end of the Santa Susana Pass between Simi Valley and the San Fernando Valley.

Save for one of the Nextel rocks (shown in this gallery), there are no RF warning signs to alert the public to (suspected) high level RF fields around this easy-to-access site.
2 comments
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What time is it?1585 viewsIt's time to make a cell phone call. This is a multiple carrier cell site.
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Disguised as Bricks1557 viewsAnother example of disguise painting used to conceal antennas on a complex surface. From a distance, they are barely noticeable.
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Not much water, but lots of signal1553 viewsLocated in at a shopping center in Oxnard, California, the cell antennas are located below the faux water tank.3 comments
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Mono Cypress1540 viewsCricket Wireless has constructed this attractive mono cypress in San Marcos, California. The BTS equipment is located against the wall of the building.
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COW: "Cell on Wheels"1534 viewsCOWs are used to provide temporary service, usually to special events, before the installation of a cell site, or in emergencies. Here's a COW owned by Nextel that was used to provide temporary service was the permanent site was being constructed on the roof of the building.
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1494 views
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Disguised as part of the brickwork1493 viewsThis antenna array is cleverly painted to match the color and texture of the building. Downtown LA intersection, yet barely noticeable.
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Simple plastic covering.1493 viewsThis antenna structure looks more like a large swamp cooler on top of a building, but it is constructed out of translucent plastic panels to shield from view, but not interfere with RF.
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So-So Sprint Monopine1491 viewsSprint's monopine, located in Corona, California, is a good example of what happens when the antenna array extends past the branches. Also note the degraded and falling-off panel covers (socks). This site is now managed by TowerCo.
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Another Big Mac Site1476 viewsThe carrier has its equipment in an underground vault in the grass area of this McDonald's in Huntington Beach, California. Notice the two green vents in the background.
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Fake Cell Pine Diseased Tree1471 viewsThis has got to be one of my favorite cell trees...perhaps the worlds worst cell pine design. Yes, Nextel is to be commended on this design, not found in nature, spotted in West Los Angeles, California. Compare this to Nextel's truly good design for a cell pine.2 comments
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T-Mobile's McDonald's Flagpole Site BTS Equipment1469 viewsThis is the ancillary equipment cabinets and panels (power, telephone; back-up power socket; etc.) that make the flagpole site in front of the McDonald's emit that popular PCS aroma.
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Camo-ish on-building cell site (close-up)1455 viewsLook at how the antennas are covered with the brick-link material. Also note the color bands on the antenna cables. The color bands are used to show the service technician which cables are for transmitting, and which are receiving. The color bands also indicate additional information such as the antenna 'sector' and data transmission.
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Sign of the times (1 of 2)1431 viewsThe cell site antenna is seen at the top of the outdoor advertising sign. Spotted in Connecticut.
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Almost a Flagpole Site1419 viewsThe panels are missing at this flagpole site in the San Fernando Valley (Los Angeles, California). This is a good close-up showing the antenna and cables. By the way, most sites don't use bungee cords to hold the flag pole rope.
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Unhidden and hidden1411 viewsOn this hillside are located two wireless structures. One is obviously not hidden and the other one is.
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Disguise site to look like a chimney1371 viewsThis antenna site in Los Angeles is designed to look like a chimney. Note the panel covers.
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Towering Signal1368 viewsSprint's site in Irvine along the I-5 Freeway features an unusual antenna configuration where one of the sector antennas is turned 90 degrees to serve another sector. It's the antenna on the right side.
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1367 views
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Cell Pine (multiple carrirers)1357 viewsCell pine tree (multi carriers) with more antennas mounted on the building in the background.1 comments
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Now you see it; now you shouldn't.1345 viewsAs an example of how to ALMOST construct a camouflaged site, look at this photograph. Nextel's camo box fails to extend the flashing around the top of its enclosure. As a result, from ground level you can see the coaxial cables running over the top parapet to the camo box. I've created a photo simulation to illustrate how little it would have taken to complete the camouflage for this site, and the benefits of that little effort. Planners, think about these things...they will make a great difference in the result of your work.
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Close-up of antenna disguise fascia1341 viewsHere is a close-up photo of the false wall or fascia hiding these antennas. A better design would have completely hidden the antennas.
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1341 views
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Cellular Pine Tree1339 viewsIn the Sepulveda Pass between West Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley (California). 2 comments
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Wireless Adobe1339 viewsLooking at the west and south sides of Cingular's wireless adobe site. It's on a bluff above California Highway 62 southeast of Yucca Valley, California. It appears to be 'just another house on a hill' until you get up close and personal. The site is owned by InterConnect Towers LLC (FCC ASR 1050520).
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Roof fascia.1337 viewsHidden by a false fascia, the antennas on top of this building are barely noticeable.
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On top of a roof access.1334 viewsFalse cupola constructed around the top of a roof access doorway. Conceals antennas.
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Monopalm with Hidden Antennas1312 viewsSprint's monopalm at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church in Palm Desert, California uses a design by Chameleon Engineering. The antennas are mounted inside the 'growth pod' below the palms. This view looks upwards to see how the grown pod radone is set out from the trunk of the palm.3 comments
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1308 views
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Pole-mounted Microcell1304 viewsThis wireless microcell provides uninterrupted coverage on a busy major highway in a steep winding canyon on the Southern California coast.
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Outstanding T-Mobile Church Site1300 viewsThis is a photograph of T-Mobile's outstanding installation in the exiting bell tower of the Piedmont Community Church in Piedmont, California. The antennas are hidden behind the faux vents. T-Mobile originally proposed a faux stained-glass design, but the City's planners wisely opted for the vent design far more in keeping with the normal look of a bell tower.
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T-Mobile Monocypress in Diamond Bar, California1294 viewsA very hard to find (good) monocypress site built by T-Mobile in Diamond Bar, California. I drove by it several times before spotting it!
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Two very different camo cell palm trees1292 viewsNotice the striking design differences between the two cell palms One uses a light round trunk; the other a darker square trunk with a diamond cross-hatch design. Also notice the difference in palm coverage. The Time Warner Palm Desert headend self-supporting tower can been seen in the background of the enlarged photograph.
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Welcome to Town!1289 viewsHere's a clever way of hidding a cell site inside a City sign.
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Just One Element Would Have Made This...1289 views...a great camo site. In December 2009 I photographed this Santa Fe, New Mexico site and made an animated GIF showing what could have been done to hide the antenna. I wasn't happy with the base photo, so I want back in December 2010 and shot a better base photo. This animated GIF shows far more clearly what might have been added to effectively camo this church site.
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Mismatched Bricks1287 viewsHere is an example of a faux building extension with a poorly matched 'brick' facing. There's no doubt that this design does not effectively hide the antennas behind the faux brick facing. Notice that no effort was made to match the brick patter of the underlying building thereby highlighting the 'out of place' nature of the extension.
1 comments
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1282 views
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Cingular underground cell site equipment1252 viewsThe BTS equipment vault, in the foreground, serves a Cingular's light standard microcell. The green pedestal houses the power company meter, and is subject to removal if the power company allows unmetered or remotely metered service sometime in the future.
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Short Flag Pole1250 viewsUS/Mexican Relations.
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Cell Pine with Antenna Panel Covers1248 viewsHere's a Nextel site at the intersection of the CA SR91 and I110. It's a good design, and uses what I lovingly call "pine needle slip covers" on the panel antennas.

Good branch coverage down the trunk. Good texturing on the trunk, too.

Nice job, Nextel!
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GPS and LMU antennas1245 viewsThe GPS antenna (the pointed white dome) is used to receive satellite-delivered timing signals used to sync a large-area wireless network.

The LMU (Location Measuring Unit) antenna, which in this photograph is mounted on a bracket to the left of the GPS antenna) is used to help a wireless carrier locate its users as required by the FCC for wireless E-911.
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Monoblah (Oops...Monopalm)1244 viewsA close-up of the poorly designed antenna configuration at the top of the monopalm located at Chet Holifield Park in Montebello, California.
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Multi-carrier cell site in Clock Tower1241 viewsThe Cerritos Towne Center (Cerritos, California) sports this impressive multi-carrier cell site clock tower. Photo taken just after sunrise on a rainy day.3 comments
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Close-up of antennas on pine tree stealth site1234 viewsHere is a close-up of the antenna mounting pattern on the pine tree stealth site.
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So-So Sprint Monopine Close-up1234 viewsThis is a close-up of the panel array located at Sprint's monopine, located in Corona, California, is a good example of what happens when the antenna array extends past the branches. Also note the degraded and falling-off panel covers (socks). This site is now managed by TowerCo.
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1232 views
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New Concept: A wireless site without antennas or base station equipment1228 viewsThis SCE tower features a three sector panel mount without panels. It also lacks any base station.
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Spectrum from the Spectrum1222 viewsThis camo cell site is at the Irvine (California) Spectrum shopping center.
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Pt. Sur (Ca.) Lighthouse Water Tank1209 viewsAT&T Wireless rebuilt this tank in Big Sur to house a cell site (thanks to Neal McLain for this photo). Check out Neal's site www.antennastructures.blogspot.com.
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15 - Vandals Strike!1206 viewsOkay, I'll start by saying it wasn't me! Really!! Someone(s) climbed our little friend and installed some cute "eyes" at the top of the pole. The eyes remained in place for about two weeks near Christmas time 2002.1 comments
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A Sassy Looking Mono-Cypress1202 viewsVerizon's mono-cypress tree in Lake Elsinore is Sassy! (Sorry, bad joke: That's VZW's site name...go figure!) Here's a close-up of the tree coverage.2 comments
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Peeking Inside a Wireless Rock1196 viewsThis is what an antenna looks like mounted inside a cellular rock. The two coaxial cables indicate that the antenna is actually two antennas inside one radome: one for transmit, and one for receive. Another panel antenna can easily be added on the mounting pole in the foreground.
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Bolts Holding Down Cactus?!1191 viewsThis detail show shows how the faux cactus is bolted to the concrete pad. The faux rock hiding the coaxial cables can be seen at the rear of the cactus. Larson-USA design. www.utilitycamo.com
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17 - Side view of Our Little Friend1189 viewsJanuary 2, 2005 was a cold, damp day in Southern California, but I managed to snap a photo of our little tree to better show the new antennas mounted off of the trunk, and the new sickly green quad antennas. Also notice a small "Keep Out" sign at the lower left corner of the front fence. I'm sure that it is very effective.
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What's that below the fans?1188 viewsTake one poorly configured camouflaged cell palm tree and then abandon any desire to keep it camouflaged. How? Just add non-camo antennas bolted onto the 'trunk' below the fans as seen in this photograph. To see what this cell palm looked like before the addition of the bolt-on antennas, see "...before the mast" in this section!
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Very Large Mono-Cross1187 viewsThe East Valley Free Will Baptist Church in Mesa, Arizona features a very large mono-cross. This site was constructed by Cingular.
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Chris Hicks, Chief Engineer1186 viewsChris Hicks is the Amaturo Group's RF engineer responsible for getting the new KMLT from dirt to on-the-air. He's (proudly) standing by the KMLT transmitter, which is temporarily installed in a trailer while the permanent underground transmitter building is being constructed nearby.1 comments
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Time for a new Flag and some paint1178 viewsThe flag flying at this Cingular site, located at a Post Office in San Marcos, California is ready to be replaced. Disposal is subject to the U.S. Flag Code. Also, a wee-bit of paint is about due, here, too!
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08 - Faux Branches Installed1175 viewsOur little tree is taking shape now the branches have been installed. Notice the unprotected coaxial cables running to the tree near the base (right side).
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Monorock, Interrupted1174 viewsSprint has demonstrated that it can build very nice monorock sites. This isn't one of those good sites. Too many square edges, and not continued around the back enough to hide the edges from passersby. For an example of how Sprint does this type of design correctly search this site for "Now You Don't See It, and Now you Don't!"
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A Blessed Signal1169 viewsSpreading the word from the tower of a church.
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Sickly Monopine1169 viewsOff of the Old Las Vegas Highway outside of Santa Fe, this poorly designed monopine stands out like the sore thumb it is. The branch coverage, branch count, and panel antenna socks are inferior. A properly designed and executed monopine would not all the antenna stand-off arms to be seen, much less be painted a highly visible green.

By the way, in this case, Las Vegas refers to Las Vegas, New Mexico, rather than to Lost Wages, Nevada.
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The many colors of Red, White, and Blue1163 viewsFlag maintenance (and federally required lighting) should be a condition of approval of flag cell sites like the one above. Note that some of the red color stripes have faded to orange.1 comments
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Close enough to Camo1162 viewsThis is a close-up of the 2300 Chestnut St. site in San Francisco. Note that this photo was taken in 2001. Do you see the antennas?
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Sprint Camo Cell Pine1161 viewsThis Sprint site, under construction as photographed, features a tree designed and installed by Radian Communications Services Corp. The branch coverage is excellent, and the panel antennas are virtually invisible due to branch coverage and camo covers. So, who says it can't be done right? Quite nice!1 comments
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Waves in the Shakes?1151 viewsMickyD's hosts this Nextel site in Norwalk, California.
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Monopalm in the Sepulveda Pass1150 viewsWorking on the little tree (July 2001). This monopalm is located on Sepulveda Blvd. south of Mulholland off of the I-405 freeway in Los Angeles.
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18 - Our little friend has changed and grown!1148 viewsThis photo, taken in November, 2004 shows (1) that the second-to-the-right antenna has been changed out without much regard to color matching, (2) that a new dual-band antenna has been added on trunk below the prior-existing antennas, and (3) that the faux branches have been extended down the trunk to provide partial cover for the new antenna.

Note that the replacement dual-band antenna has its four cable ports visible on the bottom of the antenna, unlike the existing with hidden rear connectors. Most unsightly!

Sad, sad little tree.
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Is that an AIRCRAFT warning light on the tree?1148 viewsI continue to update the gallery with new photos of this ever-changing site. The latest is the addition of new panel antennas.4 comments
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No Buns!1144 viewsT-Mobile's flagpole site at a McDonald's in Huntington Beach, California is not yet complete. This closeup shows the antenna, the tower-mounted-amplifiers, the remote tilt activators, and all the other fun stuff that makes this site play.
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1142 views
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Looking at the antenna of an FM broadcast station1134 viewsThis is the omni-directional cross-polarization antenna used at KMLT-FM in Thousand Oaks, California. It's a one-of-a-kind antenna design by SPX Corporation's Dielectric division.
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What time is it? It's Cingular Time!1129 viewsHere's an attractive Cingular Wireless clock tower cell site in Buena Park, California. The BTS equipment is located at ground level behind the block wall.
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One bump too many1127 viewsThis Cingular site cable transition to a flagpole site at the USPO in San Marcos, California features impacts. It's too close to the driveway.
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Yet another ____ Pole1121 viewsOnce again we have a flag pole antenna site missing an important element: The Flag! This is a Cricket site in Spring Valley, California. Notice that the GPS antenna is visible above the CMU wall enclosing the BTS cabinets; it's a bad design, and unnecessary.
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Mono-cross1112 viewsTight close-up of the mono-blah-cross at a Mesa, Arizona church. Notice that the antenna cover at the top is askew.
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Cell Palm head1111 viewsThis is a close-up of a cell palm. Note the GPS antenna stuck on to right-side of the frame for the panel antennas.2 comments
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A small herd of cows...1102 viewsHere are two COWs (cell-on-wheels) set up at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, for "THE BIG GAME" on, well, January 1, 2005. Nextel has a very pretty COW; Sprint's COW is a bit haggard. Both have their own power generators. See the detailed photos in this gallery.
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Cell site, microwave mounted on wood pole1098 viewsWe don't need no stinking steel tower!1 comments
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Camouflaged Antenna, Exposed BTS Cabinets1097 viewsNotice the BTS cabinets of the two carriers installed on the roof of this shopping center adjacent to the tower camouflaging the antennas. This photo take from an adjacent commercial site parking lot.
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Outstanding T-Mobile Church Site1097 viewsThis is a photograph of T-Mobile's outstanding installation in the exiting bell tower of the Piedmont Community Church in Piedmont, California. The antennas are hidden behind the faux vents. T-Mobile originally proposed a faux stained-glass design, but the City's planners wisely opted for the vent design far more in keeping with the normal look of a bell tower.
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Camo-ish on-building cell site1093 viewsThis is an example of how surface mounted antennas can be detailed to blend, if not disappear, into the background of the structure.
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No Dead Zones Around This Site1093 viewsCingular's very slick stand-alone site is located on the grounds of a cemetery.2 comments
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Barn There; Done That1090 viewsVerizon's site along I-580 in Berkeley, California is hardly noticeable to 'civilians' driving by at a raging 3 miles per hour.
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Wireless Adobe1089 viewsLooking southwest to Cingular's wireless adobe site. It's on a bluff above California Highway 62 southeast of Yucca Valley, California. It appears to be 'just another house on a hill' until you get up close and personal. The site is owned by InterConnect Towers LLC (FCC ASR 1050520).
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1085 views
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Sprint's Signal is SMOK'N!1085 viewsThis is a faux chimney site, built by Sprint, in Oceanide, California.
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Days'd and Confused1084 viewsNextel need only extend the flashing to and across the top of its antenna enclosure to make this a very good site.
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1082 views
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Waving the Flag and the Signal1081 viewsThis camo flag is adjacent to a major freeway. Note that under federal law the flag must be illuminated at night (it's not).
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Irvine, Califoria multicarrier site1078 viewsThis is an outstanding multicarrier camo site in Irvine, CA
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Sign of the times (2 of 2)1074 viewsNotice how the base station equipment is mounted on the advertising sign pole mount.
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Faux Cactus, Faux Rock1073 viewsThe faux rock on the bottom center of the cell cactus hides the cable entry into the Saguaro cactus design. Larson-USA design.
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1071 views
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"...before the mast"1069 viewsHere's what the camo cell palm looked before the bolt-on antennas were added (see "What's below the fans?" photograph in this section).
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Good signal track(ing)1069 viewsThis is the multi-carrier radio tower at the Irvine, California AMTRAK station.
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1068 views
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Wireless Rock1065 viewsThis 'rock' houses one or more wireless antennas. The lifting ring bolt at the top of the rock is a nice touch. Santa Susana Pass, California. 1 comments
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Wireless Adobe1062 viewsCingular's wireless adobe site on a bluff above California Highway 62 southeast of Yucca Valley, California. It appears to be 'just another house on a hill' until you get up close and personal. The site is owned by InterConnect Towers LLC (FCC ASR 1050520).
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Cell Pine under construction - Close up1060 viewsHere's a close-up of the branch attachment pegs for this cell pine. Notice how well the cables, seen at the very top of the photograph, are hidden by the branches. Also, notice the faux pine needle cover on the antenna to the right of the trunk. A good job by American Tower.
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Cingular Flag Pole (Close-up)1059 viewsThis photograph highlights the reason for conditioning wireless flag pole sites flying the American Flag to routinely inspect the condition of flag, and to follow the requirements of the United States Code, Title 36, Chapter 10. As seen in this photo, the US Flag on the Cingular camo flag pole is tattered.1 comments
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Is that an AIRCRAFT warning light on the tree?1057 viewsThis site is on USMC property in San Diego County. The red light on the trop of the cell pine tree warns off low flying helicopters. Notice how the bark cladding stops at the level of the lowest branches. Also notice how much reflective the trunk is without the cladding. The bark cladding should have been extended all the way up the tree trunk.
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Oh, say can you see!!1056 viewsAn example of a flag pole cell site.
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Radome above light standard1053 viewsThis Sprint* site, in Thousand Oaks, California, is a low-impact micro cell designed to serve a small area of twisty streets.

*Thanks for clearing this up, Jimmy!
1 comments
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A Sad Little Cell Palm1051 viewsIt is a cell pine? It is a monopole with a few palms attached? It is an example of how to 'sell' the community on a cell pine without delivering? You decide.

No texture on the pole; no real attempt to provide adequate palm cover.

Spotted off the I405 near Inglewood Blvd. in the Southbay area of Los Angeles.
1 comments
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1050 views
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With the 'buns' in place1042 viewsT-Mobile's antennas are now covered at this McDonald's site in Huntington Beach, California
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Mono-cross1039 viewsClose-up of the mono-blah-cross at a Mesa, Arizona church. Notice that the antenna cover at the top is askew.
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14 - Mother Earth Starting to Reclaim...1035 viewsNature (with the help of plantings by the carrier) is starting to retake the base of the site.
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Well, it's mostly a camo site!1032 viewsNotice how the panel antennas peek over the top of the faux-whatcha-ma-call-it. This is possibly due to an antenna change out that didn't consider (or perhaps care) about the length of the new antenna.

Not a good design.
1 comments
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Lots of Signals1032 viewsThis multi-carrier, multi-owner site is in Mesa, Arizona. The tower registration shows Verizon as the anchor of the lattice tower. The City of Mesa has multiple sites on the top of its water tank.
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Camo ____ Pole Site1028 viewsThis ____ pole site is owned by AAT Communications Corp. It's been quite a while since a ____ has flown on this ____ pole. It sure would look better if a ____ were flying here, wouldn't you agree? Gosh, I'd even be willing to bet a nickel that a ____ was featured in the design as approved by the city.
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Nextel Field Light Standard Radome Antenna Mount1025 viewsNextel's Santa Margarita Christian High School site (Rancho Rancho Santa Margarita, California) uses a field light standard to support the antennas, and the radome that covers those antennas.

The mountain in the background/right of the field light standard is Santiago Peak, the key radio site in Orange County, California.
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Cardiff Sports Park1025 viewsMulti-pole, multi-carrier site in the Cardiff Sports Park in Encinitas, California.
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Cell Pine1023 viewsHere's a good merged image photo close-up of a cell pine (monopine) in Walnut, California. Notice the large 'acorn' (microwave dish antenna) that's front and center on the trunk. In most case in metro areas, the purpose of having a microwave dish is (1) to provide back-haul from the cell site to the mobile telephone switching office (MTSO), and (2) to save the cost of leasing data lines from the local phone company. The first purpose is required; the second should not be considered a valid justification in most metro cases.

Also notice that most--but not all--of the panel antennas have slip-on camouflage covers. This photo highlights the significant difference in appearance between covered and merely painted panels.

The bark cladding stops at about the level of the microwave dish. It should have gone all the way to the top as you can see the flat, more reflective metal surface above the cladding.
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