Cell Phone Towers Coming to Alton Bay

[onthebay]

Just wanted to relay a funny (ironic) story. A friend of mine picked up his boat in from the marina out by Alton last year for its maiden run. It was out in the middle of the week and not in particulary great weather. Out in the broads his engine cut out and began smoking terribly (possible fire). He Couldn't open the engine Hatch because power was gone.
There were no other boats in site so he called Marine Patrol (cell phone) and spoke with a dispatcher. They told him that the only other MP boat on the lake that day was responding to a call on the other side of the lake and couldn't get to him for a while. Since they were both concerned that the engine fire could get out of hand. The dispatcher suggested that he put on his life jacket, jump overboard, swim away from the boat and wait for her call.

[Grant]

If they are erecting any towers anywhere in the region, I'd certainly hope that they are carrying some GSM...GSM service is LAME on the eastern side of the Lake. Another reason to stay with Verizon if you are pondering a switch to Cingular or another carrier, and spend any time at the Lake when you need to be in contact via cell.

And, yes, I agree that it's a sad commentary on where our society has "progressed" when it's "essential" for people to remain so in touch. Case in point: I took off Monday and went fishing on the beach. Thanks to the cell phone, I fielded no fewer than five work-related calls...all of which could've been handled by someone else...or even dealt with the next day...

But I digress.

[Skipper of the Sea Que]

I empathize with the people hurt in the boating mishap described by mjp. Bad weather and a boater out in poor visibility with almost no control of the boat hits an island that they didn’t see coming… So they want to use a cell phone to call “911” but there was no cell service. What would 911 do anyway? You don’t know where your boat is and neither do they. There is no cell phone locator system in place around the Lake.

The real concern as Airwaves pointed out, (msg #35) is that the responders did not have the necessary communications equipment to do their work as efficiently as possible. Their radios should provide them with proper coverage and back-up comm procedures. If not, that issue needs to be addressed. Blaming a delayed response on cell phone coverage that does not yet exist is a hard concept for me to embrace.

Monitoring VHF Marine Radio channel 16 can be very informative. You can hear severe weather alerts from the Captain of the Mt. Washington, Mighty Mo, Marine Patrol and other boaters. Your call for help can reach many people all at once – some may be close to you. The new Marine VHF-DSC system on Channel 70 can (if connected to GPS) transmit your exact location and a distress call with the push of a button (the DSC system is not currently monitored by Marine Patrol, Tow Boat US or SeaTow). More and more boaters though are discovering and using the DSC features of Marine VHF radio and do monitor for DSC distress and routine calls.

By the way, kayakers and others who get real wet while boating, most cell phones do not like water. There are various reasonably priced waterproof or submersible Marine VHF hand held radios you might consider.

Even if/when there is cell phone coverage, cell service is not always available and calls do get dropped and lost.

[Winni]

Originally Posted by Skipper of the Sea Que

There is no cell phone locator system in place around the Lake.

By the way, kayakers and others who get real wet while boating, most cell phones do not like water.

Even if/when there is cell phone coverage, cell service is not always available and calls do get dropped and lost.

Regarding the above statements:

* The entire state, I believe, and if not the whole state at least most of it, has E911 locator capability. Most cell phones sold in the past few years even allow you to choose to have location on for anyone to find you or for only emergency (E911) location. Whether or not you choose to keep either or both on is up to you.

* Kayakers have for a long time now kept their cell phones in little waterproof and floatable containers attached to their person. At first we just hooked them to us, but now life jackets come with nice snug little covered pockets meant to hold your waterproof cell phone container containing your cell phone. I bought a new life jacket about 3 years ago and even that had one. I haven't seen a paddling jacket lately that doesn't have one of these.

* The final statement above, "...cell service is not always available and calls do get dropped and lost," is just one more great reason to get the towers! Let's fix the problem in the best possible way! What's wrong with having this in addition to your marine radios if you chose to have one and why not create the best possible odds for the cell phones to work when they are needed?

I guess I'm not really understanding why everyone is trying find workarounds or objections. No one is saying not to have marine radios if you want them; we're just saying why not make today's most common communication method as available as possible?

Sigh.....

[Airwaves]

onthebay:

The dispatcher suggested that he put on his life jacket, jump overboard, swim away from the boat and wait for her call.

You're joking, right

While it is obvious that you need to put your PFD on and get away from a burning boat, the dispatcher didn't use their own Marine radio to put out a call for assistance?

You didn't say what time of year this incident occurred but I will assume that water temperature and hypothermia would not have been an issue as it certainly would be in the spring and fall.

Anyone who has ever listened to a Marine radio has heard the Coast Guard put out a Pahn Pahn or Securitay on many occasions to aid a stranded boater or be on the lookout for an overdue boat. Even if the only patrol boat on the lake was 20 miles away a call by Marine Patrol to a nearby marina, a local town with an emergency boat, Sea Tow or Tow Boat/US would probably have gotten a response as well.

You're joking, right?

[Skipper of the Sea Que]

Originally Posted by MJP

Regarding the above statements:

* The entire state, I believe, and if not the whole state at least most of it, has E911 locator capability. {snip}

* Kayakers have for a long time now kept their cell phones in little waterproof and floatable containers attached to their person. {snip}

* The final statement above, "...cell service is not always available and calls do get dropped and lost," is just one more great reason to get the towers! Let's fix the problem in the best possible way! {snip} No one is saying not to have marine radios if you want them; we're just saying why not make today's most common communication method as available as possible? Sigh.....

I was trying to keep my message brief but I guess I wasn't specific enough.

Wireless E911 location system (phase 1) is indeed working in many areas. Phase One provides your cell number and the location of the cell TOWER handling your call to the 911 operator. That could put you in a large area inside many square miles. You need a GPS to provide specific location.

Wireless E911 location PHASE TWO is the system that aims at pinpointing your position within 300 meters. I do not believe that phase 2 is available around the Lake (or many other places) even though the FCC deadline was set for 6 months ago (and has since been extended). I haven't followed this as closely as I could have. Cingular and Verizon are each developing independent methods to meet the E911 cellular location mandate but it is still in progress. If you have more updated info about pinpointing cell users please enlighten me (us).

* I was not clear enough regarding cell phones and water. Of course I am aware of the waterproof pouches used to store cell phones and other items. Some plastics bags claim that you can use the item while it is still inside (albeit kind of muffled). I'm talking about USING them in very wet conditions. Communicating in very wet splash situations is better done using a device designed to be used in that environment. That is, an appropriate marine radio, not the average cell phone. Sure you can paddle to a dock or beach and find a calm or dry spot to use your cell but if you are out in the broads and need to call for help, your cell phone may not be the best choice.

* Dropped calls are a great reason to get more towers? Sorry to disagree here. While more cell sites can help, I live in an area where I can SEE several cell towers and I have dropped calls and no signal sometimes. It happens in isolated areas and in major population areas with lots of cell towers as well. Many reasons including cell LOCK OUT (no available channels). I'm not against cell phones (or towers), they have their place as do Marine Radios.

When it comes to locating someone in distress: I can find someone who is using a Marine VHF radio with simple direction finding techniques. Ham Radio operators have made a sport of finding hidden transmitters - we've been doing it for eons. We can not home-in on digital cell phone users.

The topic of WHO puts up the cell towers is something I'll address in another message later tonight (with pictures). McDude's thread starter has some interesting quotes that are important to explore.

[mcdude]

A segment from another letter to the editor that appeared in The Baysider on May 31.

The new Personal Wireless Service Facilities Ordinance enacted by Alton's residents clearly prohibits the type of facility proposed by ICE. Instead, it encourages more targeted low powered and new systems such as Micro Cells and Repeaters. One solution could be the use of a camouflaged repeater placed below the ridgeline on Rattlesnake Island. This repeater could take a signal from the cell tower on Old Wolfeboro Road, amplify it and rebroadcast it. Conceivably, it would cover most of Alton's Islands and Lake area, the gaps around Clay Point, Black Point and Robert's Cover and even the gaps in West Alton the applicant's plans will not cover. This is only one possibility. A RF Engineer specializing in Repeater Technology could provide several alternatives for service with safety. These avenues will not be explored by ICE because these options do not support their objective of obtaining critical real estate.

Under the Telecommunications Act (TVA) of 1996, the Federal Government has given Wireless Service Providers certain rights of redress if they feel local zoning ordinances or planning boards have prohibit ed adequate wireless service. Vertical real estate developers do not have these same rights. In an effort to merge the rights, granted by the TCA to wireless providers, with the desires of ICE, Rural Cellular Corp. dba Unicel is listed as a co-applicant. The applicant's attorney, Duval and Associates, has done this to blur the distinction between the two, but the difference between their objectives must remain clear. The objective of ICE is to create vertical real estate, whereas RCC's goal is to provide adequate service. Variances need not be granted to ICE in order for RCC to provide adequate service coverage. Duval and Associates have threatened to sue the town if they do not get their way. Furthermore, when asked if they would camouflage the towers, they flatly refused. These are not the actions of a benevolent service provider cooperating with the town, but rather a greedy developer who is trying to intimidate and bully the town into getting its way.

I applaud the ZBA, Planning Board and Town Attorney for taking the time to get it right. The learning curve on these issues is very steep. The developers and their attorneys are well practiced in twisting the TCA to intimidate small towns to get their way.

Gathered in one day is a signed petition of 152 Alton residents petitioning the Zoning Board to deny the variances for these cell towers. We ask that the ZBA and Planning Board to protect the well being of Alton's residents and the scenic beauty of Alton Bay while seeking the best and safest way to develop wireless service. Deny these variances!

Russ Wilson

Alton Bay

Russ Wilson
Alton Bay
May 31, 2006

Apparently there are 152 Alton residents against the further urbanization of the lake. I would've signed the petition myself if I weren't a non-resident taxpayer (a tax payer who is not allowed to vote).

I am for "seeking the best and safest way to develop wireless service." I am not against cell phones, per se, (I AM against the unsafe and/or intrusive* use of cellphones) I am simply against ruining the ridgeline view with cell phone towers. Let's take our time and explore the use of microcells and repeaters. As I keep saying, once the towers are installed they are not going to be coming down anytime soon.

*referring to the very well-stated response by Waterbaby