Mystery Antennas--Utah

[p1879]

There are a lot of people here at RR to help with "removal".

Why are antennas popping up all over the foothills? Salt Lake City seeks to solve mystery

Salt Lake City officials are removing mysterious solar panels and antennas popping up all over the foothills.

ksltv.com

 

[K5MPH]

Would be nice to know whats inside the box.......

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Retevis 97

 

[p1879]

They look very similiar to the portable repeaters used for extended coverage on wildland fires, except the NIFC techs do a much neater job.

I loved the obligatory "technobabble" in the piece about cryptocurrency, seems unlikely, but perhaps I am the ignorant one.

The Mexican drug cartels frequently use such systems (portable solar powered repeaters) for their business down in Mexico and along the border.

My guess is this could be a prepper network or some GMRS enthusiasts.
It will be an interesting and easy reveal when they pop open "the box".

One thing for sure is the view--and potential coverage area-- is very striking.

 

[jwt873]

You'd think they'd have figured it out by now. Open the box, or check it with a spectrum analyzer.

As the announcer mentioned, one possibility is Crypto mining. A popular one is Helium.. You get paid for providing hot spots for a low speed WiFi network that serves the Internet of Things.. Helium Network FAQ | Helium Documentation

 

[6079smithw]

If it's placed on private property without permission there's nothing
to keep the land owner from taking it down and opening it up.
(Wish someone would set one up on my land, I'd love to have a
nice free portable repeater or solar panel for my RV lol)

 

[Quickcall]

 

[bharvey2]

Retevis 97

I was thinking Baofeng but you may be right. It looked to me that the antenna was mounted to the mast with one hose clamp. I'd think that if it were one of those higher end Retevis repeaters, they would have used two.

 

[KevinC]

You’d think if it was legitimate the owners would report their equipment missing. But who knows.

 

[KevinC]

Oh yeah, send me one. I’ll analyze it for free.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

View attachment 133813

He is about to get his picture taken!

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

I was thinking Baofeng but you may be right. It looked to me that the antenna was mounted to the mast with one hose clamp. I'd think that if it were one of those higher end Retevis repeaters, they would have used two.

Its hard to climb that mountain wearing flip flops.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

You'd think they'd have figured it out by now. Open the box, or check it with a spectrum analyzer.

As the announcer mentioned, one possibility is Crypto mining. A popular one is Helium.. You get paid for providing hot spots for a low speed WiFi network that serves the Internet of Things.. Helium Network FAQ | Helium Documentation

Figures they would have to make it sound nefarious like someone cashing in on "public land". Or it could be "terrorists", yeah, thats the ticket, terrorists!

 

[bharvey2]

Its hard to climb that mountain wearing flip flops.

PPFFTT! Duct tape, baby....

 

[N9JIG]

Why are antennas popping up all over the foothills? Salt Lake City seeks to solve mystery

Salt Lake City officials are removing mysterious solar panels and antennas popping up all over the foothills.

ksltv.com

Self-contained radio systems with solar, antennas and radios are appearing in the hills around SLC. Any ideas?

 

[mmckenna]

Some are thinking it is nodes on this network:

https://explorer.helium.com

Still illegal, where they've been installed.

 

[bneilson]

Yea these are 100% Helium mining stations.

The County I live in contacted me last year about some rogue equipment found near a repeater site I have equipment at. The setup was nearly the same and we were able to tie it back to a station in service on the network.

 

[N9JIG]

Some are thinking it is nodes on this network:

https://explorer.helium.com

Still illegal, where they've been installed.

I checked their site and it looks like there is supposed to be a site within a couple blocks of my house. I will have to go look for it when I go out on the bike in the morning.

From looking at the website I take it that they are creating an alternate cellular system as well as crypto-mining.

 

[mmckenna]

From looking at the website I take it that they are creating an alternate cellular system as well as crypto-mining.

900MHz LoRaWAN. Essentially a low speed data network using unlicensed spectrum. There are different companies offering this sort of service. We had one come sniffing around work and claiming we could make $1000/mo by letting them use our towers. I declined….

The site claims there are a lot of them around, but not all of them seem to be running. I think you have to have a good site to make money off it, and I guess people give up when the site they install at their home doesn't result in fat checks rolling in every month.

 

[KevinC]

I checked their site and it looks like there is supposed to be a site within a couple blocks of my house. I will have to go look for it when I go out on the bike in the morning.

From looking at the website I take it that they are creating an alternate cellular system as well as crypto-mining.

Interesting, one shows to be about a 1/4 mile from me. May have to hunt it down.