Answer to Question #1874 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

The following question was answered by an expert in the appropriate field:

I have a small cottage on Cape Cod located near an old fire tower. There has been a cell phone base installed in the fire tower. The panels are vertical and located about 75 feet at the top of the tower. Unlike some towers I have seen there are no round disks and no beaming lights. At night, the tower and cell phone material are dark. Does this make any difference in any related health issues with RF exposure and is it possible the tower is a receive-only transmitter ?

The round disks on many cell phone towers are microwave communications antennas, used to connect to the land-line telephone system. Instead, many cell phone towers connect directly to the land-line telephone system using hard wires. There is no requirement for lights on a tower or set of antennas for it to work correctly; lights are usually put on only when required by the Federal Aviation Administration for safety reasons.

Gary Zeman, ScD

Answer posted on April 27, 2002. The information and material posted on this Web site is intended as general reference information only. Specific facts and circumstances may alter the concepts and applications of materials and information described herein. The information provided is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be relied upon in the absence of such professional advice specific to whatever facts and circumstances are presented in any given situation. Answers are correct at the time they are posted on the Web site. Be advised that over time, some requirements could change, new data could be made available, or Internet links could change. For answers that have been posted for several months or longer, please check the current status of the posted information prior to using the responses for specific applications.