Looking for Info on a tower that is not listed on sites

[shortwaver]

I hope I am posting this question to the correct group.

There is a tower near my house that is at least 100 feet tall, and has multiple small antennas on it. It is not listed on either Antenna Search, or the FCC's site. Close coordintes of the antenna are:

41.999803, -71.537424

I am looking to find out what services this tower supports. I have no great need to know, but I'm interested as it's one of the tallest structures around, and on the highest point. I assume coverage for these antennas is fairly wide.

Thanks!

 

[mmckenna]

Google Earth doesn't show anything. Neither does Google Maps. Must be new.

A photo might help us help you identify the antennas and the type of service they are providing.

Another option is to go to the site and see if there is anything that would identify a company, owner, etc.

Usually something new that goes up that isn't well identified tends to be wireless internet providers. At least that has been what I've found in my area.

 

[iMONITOR]

I am looking to find out what services this tower supports.

Possibly a StingRay site?

 

[TampaTyron]

Could also be a rogue cell site, like a stingrays but run by organized crime or hostile foreign nations. I have seen a few reported near military bases and govt buildings here in the SE US. TT

 

[KK4JUG]

Could also be a rogue cell site, like a stingrays but run by organized crime or hostile foreign nations. I have seen a few reported near military bases and govt buildings here in the SE US. TT

Yeah, right.

 

[iMONITOR]

Stingray Tracking Devices: Who's Got Them?
https://www.aclu.org/issues/privacy...ogies/stingray-tracking-devices-whos-got-them

Like Tampa Tyron said, used by organized crime. Just look at the major players at the bottom of the link posted above!


Law Enforcement Uses StingRays To Spy On Americans And Lies About It
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/kris-hermes/law-enforcement-uses-stin_b_12080634.html

Yes, law enforcement can spy on your cellphone. The FBI insists it's not doing it.
https://www.pri.org/stories/2016-02...py-your-phone-fbi-insists-theyre-not-doing-it

D.C. court rules tracking phones without a warrant is unconstitutional
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/d-c-court-rules-warrant-is-required-for-stingray-cell-phone-tracking/

 

[ecps92]

If you go to STREET Level View at the end [cul-da-sac] of Fairmount St, it is visible
as well as the Business Complex on the other side.

Still hard to see other than the shadow from those two angles.

an FCC Radius search shows nothing near-by, except the Part-time Fire Station down Fairmount St
Searched 0.1000 Mhz to 999.9999 Mhz and 2.0 Mile Radius

Google Earth doesn't show anything. Neither does Google Maps. Must be new.

And Re-looking at the Original Aerial View, there is a shadow, that could be the tower, depending on the time of the photo, it would be from the sun setting in the west.

A photo might help us help you identify the antennas and the type of service they are providing.

Another option is to go to the site and see if there is anything that would identify a company, owner, etc.

Usually something new that goes up that isn't well identified tends to be wireless internet providers. At least that has been what I've found in my area.

 

[shortwaver]

Google Earth doesn't show anything. Neither does Google Maps. Must be new.

A photo might help us help you identify the antennas and the type of service they are providing.

Another option is to go to the site and see if there is anything that would identify a company, owner, etc.

Usually something new that goes up that isn't well identified tends to be wireless internet providers. At least that has been what I've found in my area.

Thanks for the follow ups guys.

Google earth does show it, but because there isn't a shack nearby, it's almost impossible to see, except for its shadow. **First, shut off the 3D feature in Google Earth. Then find the dead-end of Fairmount St; the antenna is in a straight line from Fairmount St, about 400-500 feet away to the west, just over the North Smithfield line. The antenna is in the top third of that clearing.

Thanks for the info, I'll try to get pictures of it so some can perhaps identify the antennas.

 

[mmckenna]

If there is no visible infrastructure at the base of that tower, that sort of adds some info.
A cellular site would have a considerable amount of equipment for the base stations, power, generator, cooling, etc. at the base.
An LMR tower would be similar.

But I've seen sites where an FM broadcast transmitter gets stuffed in a garden shed at the base of the tower.

Likely if there is no visible or very little visible infrastructure at the base, that sort of points towards a Wireless Internet Provider.
They are kind of known for tossing up systems "overnight" with no FCC info, as many of their systems are not "licensed".

Photos would confirm that.

 

[shortwaver]

If there is no visible infrastructure at the base of that tower, that sort of adds some info.
A cellular site would have a considerable amount of equipment for the base stations, power, generator, cooling, etc. at the base.
An LMR tower would be similar.

But I've seen sites where an FM broadcast transmitter gets stuffed in a garden shed at the base of the tower.

Likely if there is no visible or very little visible infrastructure at the base, that sort of points towards a Wireless Internet Provider.
They are kind of known for tossing up systems "overnight" with no FCC info, as many of their systems are not "licensed".

Photos would confirm that.

I'll try to get some pictures shortly. Thanks

 

[Motoballa]

Interesting, never heard about StingRays before. Curious to see what it ends up being.

 

[mikewazowski]

A cellular site would have a considerable amount of equipment for the base stations, power, generator, cooling, etc. at the base.

Those are the old days.

These days, the base stations are 1-2RU high, the radios are tower mounted, the switch is 1RU high, the power plant is about 12RU high, the cooling is free air and the only backup power are a couple of deep cycle batteries.

All that fits in a couple of small cabinets at the base.

 

[W1KNE]

Looks like a receive site of some kind. There is a connex trailer at the base of the tower.
Not visible on GE current view, but rewind to 4/2012 and you can see it clearly.

 

[TampaTyron]

Could also be NTIA frequency jurisdiction and thus out of public search mechanisms. TT

 

[nd5y]

It might not be an antenna.
https://oeaaa.faa.gov/oeaaa/external/searchAction.jsp?action=displayOECase&oeCaseID=128687639

 

[KK4JUG]

There goes the spy theory.

 

[iMONITOR]

When we go to Soaring Eagle Casino in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. There is a transportable/temporary cellular tower (similar to the illustration) set way back on the edge of the woods on M20. I've often suspected it being a StingRay system, and being in the vicinity of a casino might make sense. It's been there a few years now.

 

[ecps92]

In my experience, most NTIA are generally renting from an existing commercial structure
Good thought tho....

Could also be NTIA frequency jurisdiction and thus out of public search mechanisms. TT

 

[ecps92]

It is a CoW [Cellular on Wheels] Many Cell/PCS providers put them out at sites where a high volume is sporadic [events], many times used to also determine if they need a Permenant site, or leave the CoW [many Stadiums see an influx of them for Play Off games]

When we go to Soaring Eagle Casino in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. There is a transportable/temporary cellular tower (similar to the illustration) set way back on the edge of the woods on M20. I've often suspected it being a StingRay system, and being in the vicinity of a casino might make sense. It's been there a few years now.

 

[shortwaver]

It might not be an antenna.
https://oeaaa.faa.gov/oeaaa/external/searchAction.jsp?action=displayOECase&oeCaseID=128687639

Just a note also that the tower has been up for at least 2 years.

Interesting, but it doesn't look like a wind turbine, and it doesn't have any lights on it, as stated in the FAA form linked. The structure name listed matches the name of the owner of the property, St. Antoine, which runs a nursing home and assisted living facility there.

I tried to get a good pic yesterday, but the pathway seen leading to it from the north is quiet overgrown, and taking my truck down there would have been noticed.

The tower itself doesn't appear to have any dishes or vertical antennas on it. It does have horizontal antennas approximately 10 feet in length that are set up at intervals, kind of link a discone, but with them sticking straight out, and only 2-4 per segment.