Commercial Antennas Have Become Less Intrusive

By Essie Osborn


The thick forest of television antennas that used to grow from the rooftops of suburbia has disappeared, a welcome result of evolving technology. Although the digital age has arrived, modern communications still rely heavily upon over-the-air, antenna-based reception and transmission, requiring the construction of many additional antenna structures. While excellent coverage is essential, those new units should not create a negative impact on daily life.

Any basic antenna is a system of wires, poles, dishes or other metallic devices that can send or receive electromagnetic signals. Those loosely defined as commercial antennas are being used for the purpose of making money, and may include radio, television, and cell phone towers. Devices that are used mainly in residences, such as amateur radio transmitters or home satellite dishes, are not.

Before a business can place a new installation, however, a number of local issues must be seriously considered. Although consumers purchasing new electronic communications expect that they will have strong, reliable connections, most simply do not want to actually see the necessary installations and towers that make the entire experience possible. Because of this understandable attitude, cities have created new regulations regarding antenna visibility, size, and location.

An antenna array that looks like a science fiction device may appeal to some, but not to most of those who might live next door. Communications operators have taken this attitude seriously in regard to new designs and locations, and attempt to make a final product that is unnoticeable to the casual observer. The need to make new designs nearly invisible has spawned some creative solutions.

One of the most cost-effective is termed co-location, an increasingly common practice. This process places the new array on an already existing tower, which eliminates the need for additional construction. Successful completion of this kind of project involves close cooperation between all the companies using the tower. New operations must never interfere with present users, and must also conform to aesthetic standards.

If co-location is not possible, then a multitude of local regulations must be considered before building another tower. While cities vary, most have enacted fairly stringent rules regarding new sites. If the area is residential, for example, many locales prohibit this sort of construction in front or side yards. Devices must never interfere with traffic, or even alter existing parking spaces.

New construction must not alter the overall view from neighboring homes, and the color schemes used must match the existing standards for the locale. Most neighborhoods also require that all connecting wires must be installed underground, and the above-ground portions concealed with vegetation or landscaping. While the proliferation of building rules may seem overly restrictive, the results have been overwhelmingly positive.

For many residents, the results look like nature. In California they may look like palm trees, while those in New York sport deciduous branches. Other towers have been disguised to blend into unique natural desert backgrounds. Although designing antennas to fit the natural world may initially cost a little more, it proven to be a popular practice that benefits both business and consumer.




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