Mystery Antennas--Utah

[AB5ID]

This is all foreign to me, what's the goal of this low speed network? Who is using the network and for what reason? I read a little on their website and Wikipedia but I just don't get it.

 

[mmckenna]

This is all foreign to me, what's the goal of this low speed network? Who is using the network and for what reason? I read a little on their website and Wikipedia but I just don't get it.

"Free" crowd sourced wireless network, I think.
I believe they were using it for mining cybercoin type stuff, and radio sites would get a cut of the profits. Not sure it's working out like they thought. Most of the sites are pretty low level and don't have much coverage. I'm thinking that someone realized that a network of high level sites with good antennas would really help out.
Most of the site locations, other than these mountain top/side sites, are pretty low level and don't get much coverage out of 900MHz at 1 watt.

 

[KevinC]

I may be an idiot. What do these use for backhaul? Is it a mesh system? How do I have an isolated site connect to the internet?

 

[mmckenna]

I may be an idiot. What do these use for backhaul? Is it a mesh system? How do I have an isolated site connect to the internet?

Yeah, mesh with a gateway type unit that hops back on to the internets.

 

[GlobalNorth]

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

These repeaters are also inside the US side of the border.

 

[CcSkyEye]

Interesting to say the least.

 

[Brales60]

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.

I just looked, and while way above my head, it's interesting. All the ones around me haven't made crap $$ wise, and a few seem to be inactive.

 

[mmckenna]

I just looked, and while way above my head, it's interesting. All the ones around me haven't made crap $$ wise, and a few seem to be inactive.

Yep, just another "get rich quick" scheme.

 

[n0xvz]

Yep, just another "get rich quick" scheme.

Where do I sign up?!? I'd like to get rich...quick...

 

[jwt873]

FWIW, here's a pretty good primer on Helium mining... What is a Helium miner and how does it work?

 

[MUTNAV]

Yeah, mesh with a gateway type unit that hops back on to the internets.

Wasn't there just a discussion from someone on RR about trying to do something like this, actually several.

Like this one, It probably isn't for the helium mining thing, it's for a commuter assistance network, but the needs seem similar.

It's worth keeping an eye out for people asking for advice on how to set up systems like this. This place has a wealth of experience in putting together things like it, or it could be just my occassionally suspicous nature showing itself.

I need someone to point me to a resource

I run the Commuter Assistance Network -- Commuter Assistance Net -- on two meters on workday mornings in the Capital District of New York State. The other day it occurred to me that, if there were a widespread problem that wiped out electricity, cell phones, and internet -- it would be...

forums.radioreference.com

Thanks
Joel

 

[prcguy]

I think someone in the Salt Lake City area who is familiar with this stuff should contact the people who grabbed the equipment and offer to look it over to see what it actually is. Then report back here.

 

[K5MPH]

Yes it a kind of Mesh system .....

 

[StoliRaz]

They look like they'd be fun to blow up 🧨

 

[avaloncourt]

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)

ehhhhhhhhh not completely correct. There's been a number of lost court cases where government agencies entered private property and put up connected trail cams without any knowledge of the property owner and nothing on the cameras to identify the owner or warning regarding removal. There's been several occasions where the property owner found and removed them. The owner was then greeted at his home by agents of various agencies and arrested for theft related to the removal of the cameras. The cases have gone to court and the property owner has lost every single time from the articles I've read.

In this article the person was arrested and fined. The land owner subsequently filed a lawsuit and lost because the judge said that there was no violation of the fourth amendment and there's no expectation of security because it was an open and unattended area.

Wildlife agents placed a camera on his property without a warrant, then raided his home after he removed it

How a Prohibition-era legal precedent allows warrantless surveillance on private property.

reason.com

 

[iMONITOR]

This story just kind of faded away. I think this was happening before the so-called spy balloons. Definitely looks like a radio repeater. I read they were removing some of them but I can't find a followup story as to what they were for sure. Even the balloons could have been radio repeaters as well, but crickets! No one is talking! Why?

Below is an article on them with a great clear close up picture. Any ideas?

Mystery Antennas Keep Popping Up In The Hills Of Salt Lake City, And Nobody Knows Why

Mystery Antennas Keep Popping Up In The Hills Of Salt Lake City, And Nobody Knows Why

The antennas are all connected to a locked black box.

www.iflscience.com

 

[prcguy]

This story just kind of faded away. I think this was happening before the so-called spy balloons. Definitely looks like a radio repeater. I read they were removing some of them but I can't find a followup story as to what they were for sure. Even the balloons could have been radio repeaters as well, but crickets! No one is talking! Why?

Below is an article on them with a great clear close up picture. Any ideas?

Mystery Antennas Keep Popping Up In The Hills Of Salt Lake City, And Nobody Knows Why

Mystery Antennas Keep Popping Up In The Hills Of Salt Lake City, And Nobody Knows Why

The antennas are all connected to a locked black box.

www.iflscience.com

I looked real close at the antennas and the panel type is for anything from 900MHz to 5.8GHz and not for VHF or UHF. The vertical is of a construction used by most WiFi mfrs but it could also be 900MHz, 2.4GHz or 5.8GHz but not VHF or UHF. This is probably an Internet or data repeater or crypto mining gadget and fairly low power.

There are vehicle tracks in the picture so its possible someone simply drove the stuff up there and installed it with little effort. That is a lot of equipment to haul on your back not to mention the tools it would have required. It also looks like concrete at the base of the mast.

 

[chrismol1]

Like said previously its an idea they are Helium miners. Take a look on this map near Salt Lake, there's quite a few on them looks like on hills in the area

https://explorer.helium.com/

 

[iMONITOR]

I looked real close at the antennas and the panel type is for anything from 900MHz to 5.8GHz and not for VHF or UHF. The vertical is of a construction used by most WiFi mfrs but it could also be 900MHz, 2.4GHz or 5.8GHz but not VHF or UHF. This is probably an Internet or data repeater or crypto mining gadget and fairly low power.

There are vehicle tracks in the picture so its possible someone simply drove the stuff up there and installed it with little effort. That is a lot of equipment to haul on your back not to mention the tools it would have required. It also looks like concrete at the base of the mast.

Looking at the picture a little to the left of the equipment and way out in the back ground it appears there is another similar device.

 

[prcguy]

Here is one of the antennas retrieved from the exact type of system shown in post #36. The label says it all, mystery solved.