flydive 0 #1 November 20, 2004 Recently scouted a tower in my local area that is begging to be jumped... perfect landing areas on all sides, nothing around for miles, hole already cut in the fence suggesting current use?...but it is covered with signs warning of electromagnetic radiation hazards, way more than I've ever seen at a tower. First question... every tower I've ever been to has, at a bare minimum, a building with a bunch of air conditioning units and power units and generally making a racket from all the juice it's transmitting. This tower, however, is dead quiet, not making a sound. The only sign that it even has power are the red lights every 100 feet or so on it. Is it safe to assume that this tower is not transmitting due to the apparent lack of noise from any of the associated shacks at the base? Second question... if it IS transmitting, and it has all these warning signs on it... what are the ramifications of climbing it? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NickDG 23 #2 November 20, 2004 Before you do anything else determine if this is an AM or FM tower. If its AM, and its in operation you need to make a decision. There is some risk in climbing live AM towers because you are being dosed with mega amounts of Electro Magnetic Radiation. Doctors believe we all have a cancer switch inside our bodies, but they say what flips that switch is different for different people. AM towers sit on big glass insulators and the guy wires are also so insulated. The entire AM structure is radiating a signal. Touch the tower itself while standing on the ground, or somehow being grounded while in contact with the tower, or if the tower should somehow shorts itself out while you are on it, and it's the electric chair. FM towers just stand to hold up smaller radiators that are insulated from the tower itself and the current advise is just stay away from these smaller radiators. Of course, in either case the safest tower is a non-operational one. Check with the FCC and you may be able to find out if this tower is in operation. (Tell them you're looking at some property in the area). Every BASE jumper should be buying satellite radio. The sooner Sat Radio takes off, the sooner the over the air stations will start going out of business. Someday the world is going to be full of non-operational radio towers. NickD BASE 194 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mt7wildcard 0 #3 November 20, 2004 Generally speaking, all radio waves can be harmful. Low frequency or high they all have a detrimental effect on our bodies. Frequency meaning wave length. AM is medium freq. but x-rays and ultra-violet are extremely high freq. FM is High freq but a lot closer to AM wavelength. The bottom line is the power generated by the amplifiers in the buildings at the base. Yes, the more power output the more cooling required(i.e. air conditioners running) Some AM stations have "?00,000 watts of power" to send the signals long distances. Wi-fi is 1 or 2 watts to surround your house. Of course the exposure time and combination of watts/freq. ratio can alter the potential damage to your cells. Nick is right about the FM generally not being the same power strength. Is it alarming that cordless phones operate at the same freq. as microwave ovens? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
460 0 #4 November 22, 2004 Get the FCC tower registration number and look it up on the FCC website. That will tell you some basics about the tower. I have been on some TV towers where each TV transmitter emits 5 megawatts. RF will cause tissue heating similar to a microwave, but I'm guessing a microwave is optimized to produce significant heating using a specific radiating frequency (band), in the region of the water resonance frequency around 22GHz - the K band.Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
meekerboy 0 #5 November 22, 2004 When I am attempting new objects, I take a radiation meter with me. Its called a Radman and can often be found going for around $100 on Ebay. It is designed for engineers climbing towers and will recognise safe limits from 50Hz to 3Ghz, i.e. electricity towers to microwave antennas. It beeps and flashed when you hit 12% 25% 50% and 100% of the recommended safe limits set by the US. Meeker Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 36 #6 November 23, 2004 QuoteEvery BASE jumper should be buying satellite radio. The sooner Sat Radio takes off, the sooner the over the air stations will start going out of business. Someday the world is going to be full of non-operational radio towers. NickD BASE 194 Which will be condemed, torn down, and the wide expanse of safety zone around them developed. I think you better keep them running.I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NickDG 23 #7 November 23, 2004 >>Every BASE jumper should be buying satellite radio. The sooner Sat Radio takes off, the sooner the over the air stations will start going out of business. Someday the world is going to be full of non-operational radio towers.<< >>>Which will be condemed, torn down, and the wide expanse of safety zone around them developed. I think you better keep them running. <<< Some stations may do the right thing, and spend the tens of thousands in tower removel costs, however, the majority are going to cut and run . . . Nick BASE 194 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 36 #8 November 23, 2004 Not if the local community condems them, takes them down, and puts a lein on the property. Check my user name for my perspective. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
