Best of the ISP-Lists

Hidden Towers

Members of the ISP-Wireless list reveal the secrets of hidden towers: How to hide wireless sites in palm trees, pine trees, or disguise the sites as church towers or birdhouses.

[December 16, 2000]

In December, KJ reached the closet spymasters on the the ISP-Wireless list by asking,

"I operate my ISP out of my basement with a T1 line. I would like to offer wireless broadband to my residential neighbors, but I don't think my homeowners' association would be too happy with an eighty-foot tower in my backyard. Any suggestions?"

A number of respondents suggested contacting professional site-diguisers:

[SW advised] "Disguise your tower as a tree or a birdhouse."

[KN agreed] "There are a few companies that sell large artificial trees designed specifically for wireless. Some are hollow and have a ladder inside with a door at the top. It might be just what you need."

[FA added] "Here's a couple of companies that market hidden towers: www.fwtinc.com, envirocell.bizland.com. How would your neighbors feel about a palm tree? Or perhaps a ninety-foot flamingo?" Others offered some similar but do-it-yourself (DIY) solutions:

[MW observed] "We have the same situation at my house. We put an extension inside our exhaust fan pipe, with an omni inside. Our house is the only one on the block with five feet of exhaust vent, but no one has ever noticed. And because we're at the top of a hill, we can cover all the houses on the plateau behind us, all the houses down the hill, and three developments across the main road."

[KEM countered] "You wouldn't necessarily need a tower. Will the homeowners association object to antennas on your neighbors' homes? You could use rooftop antennas as relays to roof-hop the traffic to and from your home. Not very efficient, but possible. If you charge high enough monthly fees, it might be worth trying."

JP introduced a lighter note to the discussion:

"Just paint the tower sky blue, then take videos of it and run it through a Chroma Key device to remove the tower from the picture. Then you can use that as evidence that it isn't a noticeable obstruction of view…"

—End

 

Related articles:
	[Sep. 13, 2000]	Licensing for Antennas and Towers
	[various]	Disguised Sites Photo Gallery