Satgen 616  No Antennas here   by GM4IHJ  (BID SGEN616)  2001-01-13

One of the problems of Science, is that it is rarely sensational
enough for the media. Presently, the newspapers and TV are full of
reports suggesting that mobile phones cause brain tumours. There is
little or no clear evidence for or against this suggestion. But as
far as this writer is aware. No one has suggested that there is
evidence of an increase in brain tumours since mobile phones appeared
. Equally, no Radio Amateur has every sued a handtalkie manufacturer
for brain damage. While at much higher power levels, this scribe
spent several shipboard years in the 1940s, baby sitting powerful
radars. Perched a few feet away from temperamental magnetrons and
klystrons day after day from 2 hours before dawn flying stations to
an hour after sunset. With no untoward effects surfacing 50 years
later for oneself or for still active friends from those days.
Despite this, folks hereabouts are up in arms about mobile phone
relay antennas up on a hill a mile from the village. So we have to
face up to the fact that no amount of common sense talk is going to
change the minds of unnecessarily agitated people. Indeed ,many radio
amateurs will already have met people, who, worked up by the media,
are making a connection between mobile phone "dangers" , and the
amateur radio antenna next door.

What can we do about it ? A local church has one answer. It has hired
its bell tower to mobile phone firms , and no one seems to have
noticed. Unlike mainland European churches, the austere god fearing
Church of Scotland , does not decorate its church towers with heathen
gargoyles and saintly statues. Though they would make perfect
camouflaged antennas. None the less the crenellated stone towers
favoured by Scots Puritans , do lend themselves to the addition of
antennas whose colour blends easily with the adjacent stonework. The
types of antennas used are important. Yagi beams are an instant give
away. But colinears blend easily disguised as or with wooden flag
poles. However , at microwave frequencies it gets more difficult.
Though if your target is a slow moving Phase 3 satellite you may be
able to put a dish or a set of helices behind a suitable window .
While if space is at a premium, recent amsat publications have
featured designs for some useful short back fire antennas , which
make excellent high UHF or low microwave antennas. Meanwhile in UK
and perhaps elsewhere the change from analog to digital satellite TV
has produced a glut of surplus giveaway analog dishes , and several
sites near IHJ presently support camouflaged dishes which blend
easily with the garden shrubbery

But if the above suggestions are out of the question, there is still
the diffraction grating/lens antenna. Either painted on plastic sheet
,mounted near a window or skylight. Or if made of sturdy metal strip
, it can be placed behind and away from a window . Where all who
enquire can be told that it is the latest thing in Art Deco or
personal mandala. Thereby, keeping out the followers of the latest
media scare, till a new scare appears which does not affect ham
radio, and their antagonism shifts target. For while people will
unfortunately continue to get brain tumours. The reasons being cited
by the media are unlikely to be the correct. Indeed , the media may
be delaying pursuit of the real culprits.