TOWER

[Steve Foss]

It is a necessity nowdays dont worry its only the beginning ,there will be more going up . Just hope you own some ground that will work for one, they pay well, 900 to 1200 a month theyll pay for rent ,at least here in northwest Illinois.

Pretty soon people who own a lake property but can't quite afford it will be competing to host a cell tower and bring in the rental jing. Not unlike the payments power companies make to farmers to allow access to their land for wind turbines.

[SledNeck]

last time I was on frazier I noticed 4 towers to the south

[fishuhalik]

sledneck, you have mail.

[delcecchi]

Is this the same tower I can see the strobe from looking southeast across wakemup bay? I had not noticed it until recently.

[jparrucci]

I'm wondering exactly where this is as well. Anyone have a more exact reference point? Also which carrier is it (please be Verizon).

[Stizo]

Site Name: LAKE VERMILLION MN

Site Number: 273111

Address: Frazer Bay Rd.

City: Tower

State: Minnesota

Zip Code: 55790

Latitude: 47 - 51 - 36.9 N 47.86025

Longitude: 92 - 29 - 2.60 W -92.48405

Map to Google

Map to MapQuest

Tower Data

Tower Number: 273111

Structure Height (AGL): 400 ft.

Structure Height (AMSL): 400 ft.

Clearance: 0 ft.

Total Height (AMSL): 400 ft.

Type: Guyed

FAA #: Not Entered

FCC #: Not Entered

Site Specs

MTA: Minneapolis-St. Paul

BTA: Duluth, MN

MSA/RSA: Duluth, MN/WI

Ground Elevation AMSL: 0 ft.

Datum: NAD83

County: ST LOUIS

Region USA

Comments:

Driving Instructions:

Utility Information

Telco Provider:

Power Provider:

Backup Generator: No

[PSU]

Can anyone map this? I am curious as well due to our point being on the N side of Frazer going into Smart's Bay

[Stizo]

PSU,

It's inland 1/10 of a mile west of Frasier Bay Road & 3/4 mile southwest of the public launch located on the southern shore of Frazier Bay. Type in 47.86025,-92.4840555556 in the fly to box on G-Earth and it will show the exact location.

Stizo

[jparrucci]

I was able to map out the location too, pretty close to me some I'm pretty happy (and I face the other way so no blinking light except when I'm out on the water at night). Thats some good info you found Stizo, where did you get that from? Are we sure of whose tower it is yet? I believe my Verizon should work on the Sprint CDMA network as well, but not the GMS of Tmobile and AT&T.

[Stizo]

JP,

Another poster mentioned American Tower so I giggled it and found site locations for all of their towers. I don't know who sold or leased the land to American for this purpose or what service providers are slated to lease it from American.

Stizo

[Minnesota Fats]

The tower is not on lakefront property (no lake frontage), its up the hill but visible from the lake. The guy who is leasing the space for the tower gets a decent amount of change monthly (not even close to $900/month, but still good) in exchange for a long term contract to have the tower on his land. I am aquainted with him, he is a good guy, and he is providing land that has value to be used by a commercial operation, and should be compensated. If you don't like the tower, blame cellphone user demand rather than this landowner. If it wasn't him, it would be the next guy. Personally I'm happy to get better coverage up there. My phone has an off button, and it's off 99% of the time. When I need it, it's there. My 2 cents.

[toughguy]

Cell tower = no fun

You got that right. One of the reasons I love the gunflint area so much. No coverage. I'm sure that it will change there too. It gives you a built in excuse to not get or make any phone calls when there is no service. Yes phones do have off buttons but when your wife/family/job expect you to call, you call. But if you can't you have a built in excuse. That being said I don't live up there or spend more than a few weekends a year in the north woods.

[guideman]

Some people call this progress I guess it all just depends on your point of view.

We never had very good cell service until a just a few years ago and it never seemed all that important to us.

I do recall listening to tourist complain, without end about the horrible cell service they got up here. So if you weekenders have a problem with the towers, it is most likly a direct result of all those complaints.

It brings to mind an old Chinese proverb, "Be careful what you wish for, because you will surely get it".

As far as fighting development, believe me I have spent years trying to do just that. The one thing I learned to be true was this, The Money always wins, always!!

"Ace"

[rocstar]

Boy! I'm sure gland I don't drive a $20,000 to $40,000 boat around your lake with a 120 HP kicker. I might get beat up at the boat landing.

[Steve Foss]

Some people call this progress I guess it all just depends on your point of view.

We never had very good cell service until a just a few years ago and it never seemed all that important to us.

I do recall listening to tourist complain, without end about the horrible cell service they got up here. So if you weekenders have a problem with the towers, it is most likly a direct result of all those complaints.

It brings to mind an old Chinese proverb, "Be careful what you wish for, because you will surely get it".

As far as fighting development, believe me I have spent years trying to do just that. The one thing I learned to be true was this, The Money always wins, always!!

"Ace"

[WCS]

I know it seems horrible to have a cell phone tower in Northern Minnesota. We have a few of them down in SE Minnesota as well. They are just as ugly. It is hard to argue that Lake Vermilion is one of the many beautiful places in Minnesota. I also consider the Bluff Country down here to be one of those beautiful places. Hike up any bluff and look around and you'll see a tower in most any direction. Towers are here to stay. No matter where they are placed, people are going to be upset about them messing up the view. I can't place blame on a person for deciding to lease his property for a tower any more than I can blame a landowner for selling his lakefront property to a developer or a farmer for tilling up the prairie to plant crops. It is their property and as long as local ordinances allow it, good for them. It is not greed, its a personal finance decision. I believe that we are fortunate to live in a country that allows its citizens to better themselves. It used to be what we called the American way. Anymore, a person that is successful and is fortunate enough to make a good living is labeled as greedy. Some people definitely are greedy, but don't label a guy for being greedy that you don't know only because he made a decision to lease his land for a tower.

I can guarantee that this is not the last cell tower to go up on the lake, just as I will certainly see more of them in my slice of heaven. Just be glad you don't have windmills....yet.

[SledNeck]

in california they have cell towers made to look like giant palm trees

they should make ones up here look like giant pines

[Hank48]

in california they have cell towers made to look like giant palm trees

they should make ones up here look like giant pines

They do!!! check out these sites:

http://waynesword.palomar.edu/faketree.htm

http://www.utilitycamo.com/sites.html

[jparrucci]

Anyone figure out whose tower it is and if it is active yet?

[muskieswen]

Only had one "real" use for the cell phone in the area and that was when I called the VC and asked Margret if should could deliver me some beer. Her answer...get off your a$$ and come get it. Never saw that one coming

[Frank Boling 41]

MUSK,

LOL,good one!

[Cliff Wagenbach]

WCS,

We do have windmills!

Just look West as you leave Virginia and you will see a whole hill of them growing! More expected in the next few years also.

Another required evil if we want to keep energy costs down they claim! But why are they asking for a huge rate hike if that is the case?

We all have to learn to live with changes I guess! Not easy though!

Cliff

[WCS]

I guess I haven't been up in a few years. I think we have more windmills than trees down here anymore. I figured they would be there sooner or later. Just didn't realize sooner is here. I like how you said "growing". Once they start a wind farm, it does not take long to see a bunch of them sprouting up all over. Maybe someone can figure out a way to disguise a wind mill as a palm tree.

[delcecchi]

Windmills are not cost competitive with coal fired power plants, unless you count the tax breaks, subsidies, and green mandates placed on the power companies.

Whether they are a good thing is beyond the scope of this discussion I believe.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Windmills are not cost competitive with coal fired power plants, unless you count the tax breaks, subsidies, and green mandates placed on the power companies.

Whether they are a good thing is beyond the scope of this discussion I believe.

Amen to that!

Cliff

[Hooker]

Can anyone map this? I am curious as well due to our point being on the N side of Frazer going into Smart's Bay

[PSU]

Wow, excellent pictures! We were up this weekend and I have to say, pretty ugly.....I spoke to a couple folks fishing in Birch Narrows and they commeted negatively as well.

Personal note, thank goodness it's not directly in our line of view from our point in Smart's Bay/Frazer Bay area. I feel for the folks this directly effects though

[RonZ]

Shoulda put it on the tower/soudan mine...

[jparrucci]

Any word yet on whose tower it is and if its active yet? Any changes in cell coverage that anyone has noticed? My contract is long expired, and I'll jump ship to whatever company has the new tower/coverage. Headed up tommorrow night. Weather appears to be perfect, can't wait!

[PSU]

Two weekends ago, it clearly wasn't AT and T although it may not have been up and running yet.