Verizon proposes new cell antennas for downtown Bethesda

Verizon Wireless is proposing to erect new wireless communication antennas atop the Montgomery County-owned Woodmont Corner Public Parking Garage 11 at 7730 Woodmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda. The company intends to place antennas and related equipment "at a centerline height of 58 feet" onto the structure.

AT&T proposes new cell antennas at Westmoreland Circle in Bethesda

AT&T is proposing to add new cell antennas "within" the steeple at the Westmoreland Congregational United Church of Christ, at 1 Westmoreland Circle in Bethesda. Their plan includes adding three new antennas, and three new remote radio heads at 67' above ground level. Public feedback is restricted to any impacts you feel the antennas would have on nearby historic properties. EBI Consulting will receive any comments you have in that regard at 413-281-4650.

AT&T to modify and add cell towers in White Flint

AT&T is planning to modify its existing cell towers on the water tank at 11400 Woodglen Drive in the White Flint area. They will replace six antennas with new ones, the tips of which will be a maximum height of 113' above ground level. AT&T also plans to add new remote radio head units to the water tank. The tank and towers are in view of several residential buildings, particularly North Bethesda Market, which is diagonally across the street.

Cell towers to get taller atop The Promenade in Bethesda

Existing cell towers atop The Promenade are about to get taller. AT&T is proposing to increase the towers to a tip height of 213'.

AT&T wants to place cell towers atop DoubleTree Bethesda hotel, modify Promenade towers

DoubleTree Bethesda hotel

AT&T is proposing to place at least two cell towers on top of the DoubleTree Bethesda hotel, located at 8120 Wisconsin Avenue. The towers would be 159' tall. Meanwhile, the wireless company is also proposing to modify existing tower facilities atop The Promenade at 5225 Pooks Hill Road. The new tower tip height proposed for the Nathan Landow-developed condominium buiding is 113'.

Bethesda TV tower lights up after 6-week blackout

An 850' Crown Castle telecommunications tower in the 5200 block of River Road has operated for 6 weeks with no aircraft warning lights. The lights failed on Friday, September 9. White flashers installed on the tower in recent years had malfunctioned repeatedly, and went off entirely on three occasions in the last 22 months. Last night, the tower suddenly had warning lights again, this time the classic red flashers that are more appropriate for a residential area.

The unprecedented length of the outage suggests Crown Castle does not have adequate monitoring systems for failure of its warning lights, which is what I have suspected for several years now. With the company seeking to add small cell towers to utility poles and other mounts in residential areas, this should raise questions about their maintenance, monitoring and FCC compliance procedures.

On a positive note, I hope the red flashers are here to stay. A few weeks ago, a second Crown Castle tower on the grounds of the Kenwood Country Club reverted back to red lighting, as well.

RIVER ROAD TV TOWER LIGHT GOING CRAZY AGAIN IN BETHESDA

I've heard from a number of residents who live near the old Channel 20 broadcast tower on River Road, regarding the third light going bonkers at night.

I'd actually already noticed it, but it doesn't seem like it's going to change unless somebody says something. It flashes off nearby structures, and the intensity is in violation of light pollution regulations.

This isn't the first time, and it was even worse last time.

On Monday, June 7, 2010, all three of the tower's warning lights were replaced with these new white flashing light assemblies. When night fell that evening, it was clear that workers had either left the lights on too high of a setting, or had failed to install shielding on them.

What transpired was a cross between a laser show and a fireworks display. That goes on all night. As obnoxious as it was in nearby neighborhoods, imagine being in one of the top floor apartments next to the tower.

Obviously, I heard from people at that time, too.

When it went on a second night, I wrote about it on my blog on Wednesday, June 9.

By nightfall, the lights had been toned down to their normal illumination.

I don't know if pointing it out publicly will bring it to their attention again. I think it could have been an honest mistake both times, because, obviously, the bulbs get changed in daylight, and the problem is only apparent at night.

But it is a problem, and I will start making some calls if it doesn't get fixed soon.

I actually like this tower, and grew up around it. As a child, before I knew the layout of all the surrounding neighborhoods, I used to use the tower as a North Star of sorts when out exploring.

The tower is 850' tall, and is owned by Crown Castle. It used to broadcast several TV station signals; the building at its base is the former home of WDCA Channel 20.

There is no broadcast television anymore. Hence, TV is no longer broadcast via this tower in the traditional sense.  It does broadcast radio (Hot 99.5, 94.7 Fresh FM), and cellphone signals.  There are satellite dishes around the base, and a variety of miscellaneous broadcast equipment around it.

Last year, quite extensive work was done on the tower, and a different antenna array was installed at its highest point.

I'll keep you updated on this story, of course, and keep those reader tips and gossip coming in!

PROBLEMS IN BETHESDA, ROCKVILLE WITH YOUR SPRINT CELLPHONE, VOICE OR DATA SERVICE? THERE ARE 13 POTENTIAL REASONS

Some Sprint customers in Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Rockville have experienced glitches with their cell phone, voice and/or data service over the last few weeks.

A Sprint service representative  wrote online that 13 Sprint cell phone towers are being upgraded this month.  All service levels - 4G, 3G, 1x - are getting an upgrade on the towers.  The towers all serve varying parts of the areas where customers have complained.

Later on Monday, the tech posted that service was fully restored.

Are you using Sprint?  How is your signal working recently?  Leave a comment below.