[Scan-DC] What antenna is this?

[John Wilson]

    I know this general type of configuration as a mobile trailer 
mounted "crank up" cell phone tower.  In the early days of cell phone 
comms these rigs were used for doing site surveys at different locations 
to gather cell range coverage, etc.  Possibly they are being used here 
as a temporary mobile cell site so there will not be any signal 
dropouts, etc.  About 20 years ago a former private contractor to AT&T 
who did site surveys for them listed one on EBAY for a "Buy it now" 
price of $5,500.  The location was about 40 miles away and a fellow ham 
and I drove down to look at it.  I already had a tower and I encouraged 
my friend, also a ham, to buy it.  It was well made and had a motorized 
sectional antenna which I guessed to be at least 40-50 ft. extended.  He 
had to think about it.  The next day the mobile cell tower was sold.  My 
friend waited too long.  He called the seller and obtained the new 
buyer's phone number who he called offering him $6,500 for it and the 
new buyer refused.  Of course by then it was "I shoulda, coulda,". I 
also never let him forget his mistake by not following my advice. The 
winner was in Canada and it was well worth drive to VA to to pick up a 
rig which originally sold for about $25,000.

John
W4UVV


Joel Kahn wrote:
> I believe it is called a "cow" and was probably there to support the Women's March or Right to Life demonstrations this past Friday and Saturday.  You only has 2 bars because it was probably shut down.
> There were several more along the mall during the inaugural.
>
> Joel R Kahn
>
>      On Wednesday, January 23, 2019, 9:52:27 AM EST, Andrew Leyden <andrew at leyden.com> wrote:
>   
>   Spotted this vehicle and antenna assembly on the Mall near the MLK Memorial. A second one has been installed across from American History Museum. Big AT&T logo on the vehicle but not your standard looking cell tower. (My AT&T phone only had 2 bars next to it).
>
> Can’t possibly be a permanent mall addition.  Fencing and temporary roads next to each and the whole assembly is on a truck trailer.  Any ideas? 5G testing? Temporary service for some recent event?
>
> https://www.flickr.com/photos/penguinsix/shares/X3UPK2
>
> Sent from my iPhone
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