[FADCA] re: Updating Digital Network

[David Calder]

The problem is Logistics. I am a Field Support Manager for SpectraSite.
One of the largest tower companies in the world. We own over 10,000
nationwide.
We have approximately 400 just in Florida.

When a carrier wants to co-locate on one of our sites we have to go thru
a lot of paperwork and tests. Structural tests to see if our reserve
loading is good enough to take the equipment they want to add. Intermod
test to make sure they will not bother any of the other carriers. Precon
meetings. FAA issues, FCC issues, punch walks ect. It takes about $5,000
to add a carrier to one of our towers in time and manpower. 

So, you can see why the "big guys" won't just let someone add something
to a tower. We tried getting SpectraSite to let us add last year with a
letter and I was going to provide the labor. (As only an approved vendor
on our list can climb one of our towers.) It didn't go thru as you can
see.

Dave
n4zkf




-----Original Message-----
From: fadca-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:fadca-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Paul J. Toth-NA4AR
Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2004 10:15 AM
To: fadca at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [FADCA] re: Updating Digital Network

The other problem many of the large Tower Management companies have is
working the level of 'professionalism" found in the Ham community.  Rich
and Chuck....you guys do this for a living.  You know what the technical
expectations and standards are at a commercial tower site.  Many Hams
don't.  Trying to weed out those who have a professional installation
from those who have no clue what a professional installation requires is
a time consuming and non-dollar generating proposition.

If more Hams really knew what a professional repeater installation or
Digi installation entails and followed the crtieria (i.e. grounding,
spectral purity, filtering, etc.), we would all be better off.  You
can't cut corners and play with the 'big boys".  

73 de Paul-NA4AR
_______________________________________________
FADCA mailing list
FADCA at mailman.qth.net
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/fadca