WA Radio Scanner Users' Group

Of interest on the front page of the local paper is the decision by the South Perth council not to approve a mast at Canning Bridge, which is one of fourteen proposed for the Mandurah line for Control/Transit guards. Some more reading in the council minutes linked from here.

nachoman wrote:Of interest on the front page of the local paper is the decision by the South Perth council not to approve a mast at Canning Bridge, which is one of fourteen proposed for the Mandurah line for Control/Transit guards. Some more reading in the council minutes linked from here.

Quite a bit of ignorance shown by the councillors I must say. You'll probably find it'll end up getting built somehow anyway. The "not in my backyard" attitude of some people stinks.. bet they'd all be up in arms if they were in danger on the train, yet guards couldnt be contacted because a repeater wasnt allowed in that location..

Fastlane wrote: Quite a bit of ignorance shown by the councillors I must say. You'll probably find it'll end up getting built somehow anyway. The "not in my backyard" attitude of some people stinks.. bet they'd all be up in arms if they were in danger on the train, yet guards couldnt be contacted because a repeater wasnt allowed in that location..

Indeed. If it were a mobile tower it wouldn't have been an issue. Somehow, people think that mobile phones don't emit radiation so don't bat an eyelid when towers go up everywhere!

They'll get over it somehow even if the repeater doesn't go in the best place. I'm thinking big pole with antenna atop as a artistic feature at a train station

Funny you should say that, because there already is a mast at Canning bridge. It's a mobile tower.

Would be nice if they could just use the existing mast... Depends on the height they need though I guess. This one is just a round white pole and it's not really that high - high enough for the mobile phone antennas though.

Bonez wrote:Funny you should say that, because there already is a mast at Canning bridge. It's a mobile tower.

Would be nice if they could just use the existing mast... Depends on the height they need though I guess. This one is just a round white pole and it's not really that high - high enough for the mobile phone antennas though.

After reading the entire proposal in the PDFs on the CoSP website, the mobile phone tower was suggested by a council staff member as a possible choice, but New Metro Rail wanted it on it's own tower. Their response was: "The equipment being installed is for use by Railway Security Staff and provides the vital communications they need to perform their duties of protecting the Public. The location guarantees the best possible coverage for this important service and any change in its location will affect its function."

The antenna mast is apparently very similar in appearance to a street light - of which that area is already heavily populated with ... I don't see how one more can possibly destroy the whole look of the place!

It's interesting to note that the councillors who spoke against the motion (to allow the antenna mast) were carrying on about the health fears commonly associated with mobile phone towers. This is despite the council's own policy which says it's not authorised to debate matters of public health relating to electromagnetic radiation.

So effectively the council made a decision based on a subject that they have already acknowledged they can't make decisions on...

Now I remember how much fun it was dealing with councillors when I used to work for a local government... Grrrrrrr.

Ah well, the WA Planning Commission can probably override the council anyway - and so they should

Zebedee wrote: This is despite the council's own policy which says it's not authorised to debate matters of public health relating to electromagnetic radiation.

Doesn't stop them from making similar rulings about amateur radio antenna installations based on "safety".