Contact with a guy wire attached to a radio tower appears to be the cause of the crash of a medical helicopter in Aurora, Illinois on Thursday, according to the National Transportation and Safety Board. But questions loomed concerning whether the tower was properly lit. MORE

Global Tower Partners Picks Up More Towers from SureWest
SureWest, a provider of digital cable TV, fiber optics, DSL, high-speed Internet access, data transport, and local and long distance telephone service, has sold more than 50 wireless communications towers to Global Tower Partners. Completion of the transaction is not subject to financing. The purchase price, expected to be in the range of $9.5 to $10.2 million, is impacted by the previous sale of the wireless assets to Verizon Wireless, according to SureWest.  MORE

Idaho Tower Wins Partial Reversal in Galena Cell Tower Decision
It is just a technicality, but Idaho Tower achieved at least a partial victory in its appeal of the rejection of a proposed cell tower atop Galena Mount by Sawtooth Forest Supervisor Jane Kollmeyer, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The decision was reversed early this month by Deputy Regional Forester Cathy Beaty, the appeal-deciding officer on the Galena Summit Communication Project. MORE

Wind Blows in Energy for Cell Towers in the Philippines
British Telecom is not the only one with renewable energy on its mind. A Philippine telco, Smart Communications, has begun using wind and solar energy to power cell sites in rural areas, according to the Sun Star, Philippines Internet News. Smart added five "eco-friendly" cell sites, three of which are hybrid stations that combine solar and wind power. Two others rely only on wind energy for power. The technology is ideal for the area, which suffers power shortages on a regular basis. MORE

Green is the Color of Energy for Vodafone
Vodafone has begun generating electricity with the installation of a wind micro-generating system for its wireless network in Portugal, according to a company press release. The introduction of this wind micro-generating system, added to other energy efficiency programs started two years ago, is enabling the company to achieve reductions of 15 to 20 percent in total electricity consumption and CO2 emissions by its base stations. MORE 

Ericsson Incorporating Wind Power Into Cell Towers
Ericsson has launched a wind-powered version of its stylish Tower Tube, working in conjunction with Vertical Wind AB and a Swedish university. The wind-powered Tower Tube harnesses wind power via a four-blade turbine with five-meter blades vertically attached to the tower. The vertical rotor blades work silently and minimize the load on the tower during operation. MORE

Funk Featured in Arizona Wireless Educational, Networking Event

The Arizona Wireless Association will hold its Knowledge & Networking Event 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 5 at The Buttes Resort in Tempe, Ariz. featuring Clayton Funk, managing director of Media Venture Partners, a Kansas City, Mo.-based investment banking firm specializing in various areas of telecommunications, media, and publishing. MORE

 

MDDCWA Event to Feature Former FCC Chairman
Former FCC Chairman Reed Hundt will speak at the fall event of the Maryland DC Wireless Association on Nov. 6 at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. The luncheon will last from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will be catered by Wolfgang Puck. The cost is $100 per person. Participants can register and pay online at www.mddcwa.com/Events.html.

Kaltman Creations has released a low-cost 2.4 GHz, bundled analyzer system called the AirSleuth Pro Bundle. The bundled system contains a 2.4 GHz signal generator, which generates individual and continuous signals on all of the eleven 802.11 Wi-Fi channels.  Also included in the bundle is the AirSleuth Pro 2.4 GHz analyzer, a software-based analyzer that displays RF activity in the Wi-Fi channels.
www.kaltmancreationsllc.com 

Connect-It Wireless has developed a lighter and more versatile 10-foot and 13-foot boom gate. The new universal foot set allows the boom gate to attach to guyed or tapered towers with up to an 8-inch round leg or a 6-inch angle leg, with a larger foot set available for legs up to 12-½ inches. The face of the mount easily pivots to adjust antenna azimuths and accepts up to five antennas. The boom gate comes complete with universal foot set, 3-foot standoff, face and support angles, two stiff arms, and three or four antenna masts, and the entire mount assembles in minutes.