GSM Base Station photos - Cellnet, Vodafone and Orange
The Cellnet antenna array below is again unusual in that there are just two directional antennae (rather than the usual four or three) mounted on each corner, similar to a GSM1800 set-up. The Orange array at the bottom of the photograph is unusual too, in that the six antennae are mounted each pointing 60 degrees apart, rather than the usual three pairs mounted 120 degrees apart, as is so often seen with GSM1800. The reason I would give for these changes (ie the smaller number of antenna units for Vodafone and Cellnet and the different arrangement for Orange) is that this site is on a very high hill with a very wide outlook. Cellnet and Vodafone probably want to limit the number of channels used (as the frequency re-use distance must be large for this site), and presumably for Orange this array provides better coverage over the wider area. (I don't know for sure - just guessing!) |
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Mike Pratt - 3rd January 1999