Report - Comm Tower, Heswall - November '11

[Xan_Asmodi]

Visited with MaybeNot1330​

It had been a successful night; we nailed one lead, only needing more equipment and got some intteresting observations of the another one. After this we headed to Vauxhall Trade Effluent, MaybeNot hasn't seen it and I could try my new lens underground for the first time.

Rolling up we made our way across the field, headed across the dirt track. Hitting it, we started to make our way to the canal when MaybeNot stopped me in my tracks.

"Can you see that light?" he asked in a serious but hushed tone.

"What light? Where am I looking?" I honestly thought he'd seen something over at the airport or a navigation bouy on the canal

"There!" he almost hissed

Casting my eyes in the direction he was pointing, I did indeed see what he was referring to; and yes, it looked like a bobbing torch. Remembering what happened to Bigjobs just a couple of hundred meters down the road, I suggested we promptly fuck off. We covered the distance across the field in a fraction of the time we did on the way in.

"Where to next?" Was his question after we got back to the car.

"We could try the comm tower in Heswall we looked at the other night."

"Cool" and we where off.

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Not much I can find unfortunately. I've searched Wirral Borough Council's site, but there's no references sitefinder.ofcom.org.uk list several mobile transceivers and the Airwave TETRA , there's also a load of microwave relay antennas. I didn't get the height from my GPS though.

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Thanks for looking

 

[Danski90]

This is something I’m wanting to do soon, anything to look out for? Great post.

 

[Wastelandr]

This is something I’m wanting to do soon, anything to look out for? Great post.

Looks like something that would fry your brain

 

[Danski90]

Looks like something that would fry your brain

Haha would be worth it for the views!

 

[Xan_Asmodi]

I was surprised to see this thread make a come back! 🤣 One thing I'd say is I was silly last time I went up here because I knew nothing of the potential risks, and now I know a little bit I'm not sure I'd do this again.

I've since learned about what might be described as backscatter from transmitters, more technically know as side lobes, a visual representation of which can be seen below.

From what I understand, the back lobe can be half the power of the primary lobe, which means that you'll be exposed to non-ionising radiation when climbing the tower. Unless you know the power of the transmitters, it can be difficult to quantify the amount of radiation, but it will be governed by the inverse square law but that's beyond my knowledge. What I do know is that while non-ionising radiation isn't linked to causing cancer, it can cause thermal burns.

TL;DR - There is risk from climbing the tower, but it's difficult to know what the risk is. You can get burnt.

 

[Danski90]

I was surprised to see this thread make a come back! 🤣 One thing I'd say is I was silly last time I went up here because I knew nothing of the potential risks, and now I know a little bit I'm not sure I'd do this again.

I've since learned about what might be described as backscatter from transmitters, more technically know as side lobes, a visual representation of which can be seen below.

From what I understand, the back lobe can be half the power of the primary lobe, which means that you'll be exposed to non-ionising radiation when climbing the tower. Unless you know the power of the transmitters, it can be difficult to quantify the amount of radiation, but it will be governed by the inverse square law but that's beyond my knowledge. What I do know is that while non-ionising radiation isn't linked to causing cancer, it can cause thermal burns.

TL;DR - There is risk from climbing the tower, but it's difficult to know what the risk is. You can get burnt.

Thanks for replying man, haha ah now you’ve got me worried about doing it haha, really want to get up there and see the views, I can’t lie I don’t understand any of what you’ve just posted apart from it’s dangerous to your health haha.

 

[tweek]

There's a really useful thread on here somewhere about it.

Edit: this one... FAQ: Antennas, Masts, Aerials etc | General Exploring Chat Forum

 

[Xan_Asmodi]

There's a really useful thread on here somewhere about it.

Edit: this one... FAQ: Antennas, Masts, Aerials etc | General Exploring Chat Forum

Cheers, man! That's probably where I learned about lobes other than the brain kind! Hope you're well! 👍

 

[Danski90]

There's a really useful thread on here somewhere about it.

Edit: this one... FAQ: Antennas, Masts, Aerials etc | General Exploring Chat Forum

Ah thank you man, I still have no idea whether this mast is gonna be okay to climb I’m so desperate to get up there and check the views.

 

[Danski90]

Cheers, man! That's probably where I learned about lobes other than the brain kind! Hope you're well! 👍

Do you remember much about doing this bro? Like how far did you go up and how did you feel? Did it genuinely feel okay to do?

 

[Wastelandr]

Do you remember much about doing this bro? Like how far did you go up and how did you feel? Did it genuinely feel okay to do?

There's probably a non-live one around somewhere not mega far away, keep your eyes peeled

 

[Xan_Asmodi]

Yeah, I definitely second doing a non-live one. When I went up there it was cold and I don't feel any long term effects, BUT, and this is a bigger but than Carol Vorderman's, the equipment up there is vastly different now than it was when I climbed it; there appears to be far more mobile phone transceivers up there now. I'd agree with Wastelandr, look for a less active site.