Cell site gallery postings dead?

[larry]

I've noticed things have really slowed down in the gallery.

[ShoresGuy]

Yeah, they sure have, I've been busy the last week so I didn't really have time to add new pics.

[JFB]

There have been fewer pictures added just in the last few days, but people are still commenting a lot on exisiting pictures.
See here
Sometimes when a lot get added at once it is hard to have a good look at them all.

[adgsteve]

I added about 8 new ones in the last week. Found a bunch more that I need to get pics of, probably next week.(was in a hurry last week and couldn't get pics of all of them.)

[chuikov]

A new member with a handle I can't remember posted some of the best photos in the entire gallery today from WA.

The insides of outdoor Nokia GSM cabinets that everyone is using and a bunch of other good stuff - even some classic Lucent! And an artistic tower shot.

Not to mention my vicious goose!

[larry]

I think most of the contributors have already taken pics of the sites closest to them so it's hard to continue to find new towers.

[n7ryy]

Hey Im bucking for that coffee cup award

Actually the Lucent cabinets are brand new 1900 UMTS equipment. Unfortunately I didn't get a look inside.

I have tons more of Nokia GSM innards pics. I stuck my nose in with my wife's real digital camera while they were doing a colocate on one of my sites.

[chuikov]

Originally Posted by larry

I think most of the contributors have already taken pics of the sites closest to them so it's hard to continue to find new towers.

I understand your perspective if you live a settled lifestyle. I used to travel alot more than I do now too, but I still don't post everything I have because some of it is redundant or might be uninteresting to most people.

But there are thousands of different and interesting sites out there that are not depicted in photos here - especially the urban sites.

[adgsteve]

Originally Posted by larry

I think most of the contributors have already taken pics of the sites closest to them so it's hard to continue to find new towers.

Actually I've only scratched the surface in Seattle. According to the Mayor's Office there are over 500 cell sites in the city of Seattle, and I have something on the order of 125 of them posted.(the rest of mine are outside the city limits) So there's plenty left around for me to find, just gotta find the time to go get the pic's. But I will!

[ShoresGuy]

There are probably some 800 cell sites for all 4 networks in Cologne alone, I won't get them all but I'll add as many as I can.

[chuikov]

I also like the photos of the equipment, cable runs etc.

I know I'm kinda biased, but only looking at the antennas is kinda like looking down the barrel of an artillery piece and wondering how it works.

Maybe we can encourage people from other towns - especially those who work in telecom, to post more pictures.

[pbw]

Sometimes one has to or wants to go on hiatus. I had to pull some night shift work so that meant being out of action during the day and most of the weekends to recover. Also I recently took five days off to go to a wedding in South Carolina. So no posting during then, then it was back to work. A ten hour shift will take a lot out of a person =]

I hope to post some of the South Carolina pictures in the next couple of days. Maybe that will help clear the backlog?

[pbw]

Originally Posted by chuikov

I also like the photos of the equipment, cable runs etc.

I know I'm kinda biased, but only looking at the antennas is kinda like looking down the barrel of an artillery piece and wondering how it works.

Maybe we can encourage people from other towns - especially those who work in telecom, to post more pictures.

Heh. Come down to Washington, DC or Baltimore. Find an old AT&T Wireless PCS site that is cabinetized. You have a 40% chance of finding the cabinet left open and the electronics exposed to the elements. Since the TDMA network got turned off Cingular has been exceptionally sloppy with the old TDMA cabinets. Sadly it seems to be mostly rooftop sites so even a zoom doesn't help *that* much.

[chuikov]

Originally Posted by pbw

Heh. Come down to Washington, DC or Baltimore. Find an old AT&T Wireless PCS site that is cabinetized. You have a 40% chance of finding the cabinet left open and the electronics exposed to the elements. Since the TDMA network got turned off Cingular has been exceptionally sloppy with the old TDMA cabinets. Sadly it seems to be mostly rooftop sites so even a zoom doesn't help *that* much.

Or if you have a master key

I just foud one of two in the desk.

[chuikov]

I've foud 'em ajar too. That has to run up an electric bill!

Couldn't find the other keys

[ShoresGuy]

Originally Posted by chuikov

I also like the photos of the equipment, cable runs etc.

I know I'm kinda biased, but only looking at the antennas is kinda like looking down the barrel of an artillery piece and wondering how it works.

Maybe we can encourage people from other towns - especially those who work in telecom, to post more pictures.

Yep, I wouldn't mind seeing such aspects as well but the problem is that here in Germany, the BTS cabinets for rooftop sites are in buildings or in areas which you have no access to. The masts would be easier to get closer to since you can actually walk up to most fenced-off areas.

[JFB]

Originally Posted by pbw

I hope to post some of the South Carolina pictures in the next couple of days. Maybe that will help clear the backlog?

Nice...we don't have any pictures from SC yet.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by pbw

Heh. Come down to Washington, DC or Baltimore. Find an old AT&T Wireless PCS site that is cabinetized. You have a 40% chance of finding the cabinet left open and the electronics exposed to the elements. Since the TDMA network got turned off Cingular has been exceptionally sloppy with the old TDMA cabinets. Sadly it seems to be mostly rooftop sites so even a zoom doesn't help *that* much.

The TDMA network isn't completely decomissioned in the DC market. My brother-in-law's TDMA V60 still works. (Still trying to talk him into a V3, he says he's waiting for a price drop)

-Jay

[n7ryy]

I was able to get my T-Mobile Nokia Cabinet pictures because they are co-locating on three of my sites and so got to watch them build the sites. The Cingular buildings are next to two of my sites so I make friends with the techs and contractors and get to see the insides.

[pbw]

Originally Posted by Jay2TheRescue

The TDMA network isn't completely decomissioned in the DC market. My brother-in-law's TDMA V60 still works. (Still trying to talk him into a V3, he says he's waiting for a price drop)

-Jay

But the TDMA run by the former AT&T Wireless is dead, most likely the reason for the sloppy maintenance of their TDMA cabinets. This does not impact the Ericsson cabinets. One wonders, will Cellular move AT&T sites over to Nokia equipment? BellSouth Mobility DCS in NC is Nortel but in SC it is Nokia as is Cell/Cingular in DC and most other area formerly owned and operated by Southwestern Bell.

[ShoresGuy]

Originally Posted by n7ryy

I was able to get my T-Mobile Nokia Cabinet pictures because they are co-locating on three of my sites and so got to watch them build the sites. The Cingular buildings are next to two of my sites so I make friends with the techs and contractors and get to see the insides.

That's cool to say the least. Does T-Mobile use only Nokia as their BTS supplier? Ericsson doesn't seem to be as dominant as Nortel, Nokia or Lucent in the BTS supply field for the US.

[n7ryy]

Not too sure, all the new ones I have seen for both Cingular and T-Mo are definitely Nokia, as well as the GSM equipment that AT&T put in the Portland metro area around 2000-2001. Next time I see the T-Mo tech I will have to ask him. They should be starting a new site on one of my sites within a month or two.

[ShoresGuy]

Ok,

I think most of the BTS cabinets here in Germany are either Nokia or Ericsson.

[pbw]

Originally Posted by ShoresGuy

That's cool to say the least. Does T-Mobile use only Nokia as their BTS supplier? Ericsson doesn't seem to be as dominant as Nortel, Nokia or Lucent in the BTS supply field for the US.

Until last week I was of the mind that Ericsson was the exclusive GSM provider for T-Mobile, former AT&T Wireless PCS, Triton PCS (SunCom). I've only seen Nortel GSM stuff used in BellSouth Mobility DCS areas of NC and SC (parts close to NC). Otherwise it seems to be Nokia cabinets (Cingular overall).

[MOTOhooligan]

I haven't had a chance to expand my radius on cell hunts lately. I got most of the towers within a 30 mile radius. Now that I have a digital camera, I'll need to do some online searches and set off for another hunt.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by pbw

But the TDMA run by the former AT&T Wireless is dead, most likely the reason for the sloppy maintenance of their TDMA cabinets. This does not impact the Ericsson cabinets. One wonders, will Cellular move AT&T sites over to Nokia equipment? BellSouth Mobility DCS in NC is Nortel but in SC it is Nokia as is Cell/Cingular in DC and most other area formerly owned and operated by Southwestern Bell.

I guess that explains the degraded service...............

[pbw]

Originally Posted by JFB

Nice...we don't have any pictures from SC yet.

I've started my uploads. I'll try to finish up tomorrow or Wensday before my next shift starts. Depends on how fast I can process my notes =] Hopefully others will follow.