Comments on: Whats on the pole?

Question: What’s on the pole?

Tenuki — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 14:43:51 -0800

Can anyone identify the device on this pole?

These poles are located every couple of miles along the Washington side of the Columbia River between Plymouth and Goldendale. At first I thought they might be some kind of antenna for the agriculture businesses or barges on the river but then I remembered that the Umatilla chemical weapons depot is right across the river and wondered if they might be some kind of chemical detectors. Does anyone know for sure?

By: rintj

rintj — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 14:55:40 -0800

They look like cell signal transmitters.

By: Steven C. Den Beste

Steven C. Den Beste — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 15:09:50 -0800

That's not what cell antennas look like.

By: muddgirl

muddgirl — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 15:11:17 -0800

Yeah, they usually look like palm trees. /snark

By: SpecialK

SpecialK — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 15:21:17 -0800

Actually, cell towers don't usually have toruses on them, they usually have bars. Those things would be useless as cell phone transmitters because cell phone signals are directional, not omnidirectional.

My guess is sirens for warning about a chemical leak. There are similar looking devices used for tornado or tsunami warnings in various areas.

By: SpecialK

SpecialK — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 15:22:30 -0800

(BTW, is anyone else miffed by knee-jerk responses to "what is this?" questions? There was one last week that was actually the bolt from a rifle, the first three responses all said it was a router bit even though it obviously had no rotational function nor attachment point...)

By: Good Brain

Good Brain — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 15:37:14 -0800

For what it is worth, I've seen notification sirens near the Dugway weapons depot in Utah, and I don't remember them looking quite like that, but they were similar.

By: jal0021

jal0021 — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 15:42:55 -0800

Indeed, it's a warning siren. More info here.

By: knave

knave — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 15:48:46 -0800

Check out the bottom of this very Web 1.0 page.

By: Doohickie

Doohickie — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 15:58:22 -0800

It's my toilet brush.... I've been looking for that!

By: ericb

ericb — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 16:01:43 -0800

Indeed, it's a warning siren. More info here.

Yep, you're right!

By: SteveTheRed

SteveTheRed — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 16:34:19 -0800

They are community warning sirens made by Federal Signal in University Park, IL. I used to build them in the early 90's.

You do not want to stand next to these when they go off. They are incredibly loud :)

By: smackfu

smackfu — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 16:36:21 -0800

So the next question: why would a siren look like that?

By: SteveTheRed

SteveTheRed — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 16:45:57 -0800

Inside, there are are four horns that sit horizontally in sort of an iron cross shape. The housing protects the horns and associated electronics from the elements. More discs = more dB.

On a side note, I once tested one of these discs inside the factory at my bench, but I forgot the resistor array that we used to attenuate the sound. The bad part was that I lost my hearing for about two hours. The good part was that I couldn't hear my boss chewing my ass. :o)

By: CrayDrygu

CrayDrygu — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 17:42:11 -0800

Holy crap. I've been wondering the same thing about poles like that near me, but never remembered to post about it once I got home.

Thank you.

By: Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese

Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 18:40:10 -0800

Hmmm.... I think SteveTheRed deserves a "best answer" for building the damn thing under question.

By: zek

zek — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 18:44:12 -0800

I was thinking exactly what Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese said.

By: Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese

Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 19:04:51 -0800

I didn't mean my post above to sound as grumpy as it might be read. I should have ended it with a ! to indicate how impressed I am by this thread.

By: forforf

forforf — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 20:40:10 -0800

Not answering the question, just clarifying some misinformation on cell towers from above. Cell towers are usually, but not always directional. There are plenty of omnidirectional antenna choices for cellular (and also directional that look omnidirectional). However the giveaway that the device is not a cell tower is the lack of any sizable ground equipment.

Comments on: Whats on the pole?

Question: What’s on the pole?

By: rintj

By: Steven C. Den Beste

By: muddgirl

By: SpecialK

By: SpecialK

By: Good Brain

By: jal0021

By: knave

By: Doohickie

By: ericb

By: SteveTheRed

By: smackfu

By: SteveTheRed

By: CrayDrygu

By: Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese

By: zek

By: Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese

By: forforf

Comments on: Whats on the pole?