As used in this personal wireless service facilities
article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ACT
The Telecommunications Act of 1996.
ADEQUATE COVERAGE
Coverage is considered to be adequate within that area surrounding
a base station where the predicted or measured median field strength
of the transmitted signal is greater than —95 dbm. It is acceptable
for there to be holes within the area of adequate coverage where the
signal is less than —95 dbm, as long as the signal regains its
strength to greater than —95 dbm further away from the base
station. For the limited purpose of determining whether the use of
a repeater is necessary or desirable, there shall be deemed not to
be adequate coverage within said holes. The outer boundary of the
area of adequate coverage, however, is that location past which the
signal does not regain a strength of greater than —95 dbm.
ADEQUATE CAPACITY
Capacity is considered to be adequate if the grade of service
is p.05 or better for at least 50% of the days in a preceding month,
prior to the date of application, as measured using direct traffic
measurement of the personal wireless service facility in question,
where the call blocking is due to frequency contention at the antenna(s).
ANTENNA
A device which is attached to a tower, or other structure
for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic waves.
AVAILABLE SPACE
The space on a tower or structure to which antennas of a
personal wireless service provider are both structurally able and
electromagnetically able to be attached.
BASE STATION
The primary sending and receiving site in a wireless telecommunications
network. More than one base station and/or more than one variety of
personal wireless service providers can be located on a single tower
or structure.
CHANNEL
The segment of the radiation spectrum from an antenna, which
carries one signal. An antenna may radiate on many channels simultaneously.
COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT SHELTER
A structure at a base station designed principally to enclose
equipment used in connection with personal wireless service transmissions.
DBM
Unit of measure of the power level of an electromagnetic
signal expressed in decibels referenced to one milliwatt.
ELECTROMAGNETICALLY ABLE
The determination that the new signal from and to the proposed
new antennas will not significantly interfere with the existing signals
from and to other facilities located on the same tower or structure
as determined by a qualified professional telecommunications engineer.
The use of available technologies to alleviate such interference shall
be considered when making this determination.
EMF
Electromagnetic Frequency Radiation.
FACILITY SITE
A property, or any part thereof, which is owned or leased
by one or more personal wireless service providers and upon which
one or more personal wire service facility(ies) and required landscaping
are located.
FCC
Federal Communication Commission; the government agency responsible
for regulating telecommunications in the United States.
GRADE OF SERVICE
A measure of the percentage of calls which are able to connect
to the base station, during the busiest hour of the day. Grade of
service is expressed as a number, such as p.05 (which means that 95%
of callers will connect on their first try). A lower number (p.04)
indicates a better grade of service.
HERTZ
One hertz is the frequency of an electric or magnetic field,
which reverses polarity once each second, or one cycle per second.
MAJOR MODIFICATION OF AN EXISTING FACILITY
Any change, or proposed change in power input or output,
number of antennas, change in antenna type or model, repositioning
of antenna(s), change in number of channels per antenna above the
maximum number approved under an existing special permit.
MONITORING
The measurement, by the use of instruments in the field,
of the radiation from a site as a whole, or from individual personal
wireless facilities, towers, antennas or repeaters.
MONITORING PROTOCOL
The testing protocol, initially the Cobbs Protocol, which
is to be used to monitor the emissions from existing and new personal
wireless service facilities upon adoption of this bylaw. As the technology
changes, the SPGA may require, by written regulation, the use of other
testing protocols. A copy of the monitoring protocol shall be on file
with the Dalton Board of Appeals and the Dalton Town Clerk.
MONOPOLE
A single self-supporting vertical pole with no guy wire anchors,
usually consisting of a galvanized or other unpainted metal, or a
wooden pole with below grade foundations.
PERSONAL WIRELESS SERVICE
Commercial mobile services, unlicensed wireless services,
and common carrier wireless exchange services. These services include:
cellular services, personal communication services (PCS), specialized
mobile radio services and paging services.
PERSONAL WIRELESS SERVICE FACILITY
All equipment (including any repeaters) with which a personal
wireless service provider broadcasts and receives the radio-frequency
waves which carry their services and all locations of said equipment
or any part thereof. This facility may be sited on one or more towers
or structure(s) owned and permitted by another owner or entity.
RADIATION PROPAGATION STUDIES OR RADIAL PLOTS
Computer generated estimates of the radiation emanating from
antennas or repeaters sited on a specific tower or structure. The
height above ground, power input and output, frequency output, type
of antenna, antenna gain, topography of the site and its surroundings
are all taken into account to create these simulations. They are the
primary tools for determining whether a site will provided adequate
coverage for personal wireless services facilities proposed for the
site.
REPEATER
A small receiver/relay transmitter of not more than 20 watts
output designed to provide service to areas which are not able to
receive adequate coverage directly from a base station.
STRUCTURALLY ABLE
The determination that a tower or structure is capable of
carrying the load imposed by the proposed new antennas under all reasonably
predictable conditions as determined by professional structural engineering
analysis.
TELEPORT
A facility utilizing satellite dishes of greater than 2.0
meters in diameter designed to uplink to communications satellites
for transmitting in the C-band (4-6 GHz) spectrum.
TOWER
A lattice structure or framework, or monopole, that is designed
to support personal wireless service transmission, receiving and/or
relaying antennas and/or equipment.