Dr. Jonathan Kramer's Cell Tower Photo Gallery

Copyright 2000-2023 Dr. Jonathan Kramer

Image search results - "monopine"
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AT&T's Upgraded Tree at Camp Pendleton Rest Stop501 viewsAT&T has just upgraded this monopine site to 4G and materially improved the camouflage. Much better than before. N/B I-5 at the rest stop.
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AT&T's Upgraded Tree at Camp Pendleton Rest Stop544 viewsAT&T has just upgraded this monopine site to 4G and materially improved the camouflage. Much better than before. N/B I-5 at the rest stop. Note the camo around the microwave antenna.
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So-So Sprint Monopine Close-up1234 viewsThis is a close-up of the panel array located at Sprint's monopine, located in Corona, California, is a good example of what happens when the antenna array extends past the branches. Also note the degraded and falling-off panel covers (socks). This site is now managed by TowerCo.
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So-So Sprint Monopine2029 viewsSprint's monopine, located in Corona, California, is a good example of what happens when the antenna array extends past the branches. Also note the degraded and falling-off panel covers (socks). This site is now managed by TowerCo.
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So-So Sprint Monopine1491 viewsSprint's monopine, located in Corona, California, is a good example of what happens when the antenna array extends past the branches. Also note the degraded and falling-off panel covers (socks). This site is now managed by TowerCo.
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Monorock, Interrupted952 viewsA pair of monopines in Murrieta, California. The right side monopine has a fairly decent but hardly great design and result given the lack of sufficient branch coverage; the left side monopine is very poorly designed/executed given the antennas extending out beyond the canopy of the branches.
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AT&T Monopine in Santa Fe, NM845 viewsAT&T's monopine site is above the 599 Bypass around Santa Fe, New Mexico (Mutt Nelson road). Note the BTS cabintes are mounted on a raised grill (good for drainage; snow, etc.).
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AT&T Monopine in Santa Fe, NM994 viewsAT&T's monopine site is above the 599 Bypass around Santa Fe, New Mexico (Mutt Nelson road)
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AT&T Monopine in Santa Fe, NM811 viewsAT&T's monopine site is above the 599 Bypass around Santa Fe, New Mexico (Mutt Nelson road). View from SR599.
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Monoblah (Oops...Monopine)910 viewsThis monopine, photographed in 2002 is in Culver City, California. It abuts the I-405 freeway near Washington Blvd.
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Monopine in Culver City738 viewsThis is a monopine, constructed in 2002, in Culver City, California.

By today's standards, this would not make the grade (low branch count; no antenna panel covers; bare; etc.).
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Can a Faux Monopine Have a Faux Disease?776 viewsNextel (now TowerCo) can take 'great pride' in its economical design of this monopine, located in a CalTrans yard at the intersections of the I405 and I10 freeways in West Los Angeles. References to Christmas trees owned by a certain person with the last name of Brown are appropriate.
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Monopine - Lake Elsinore, California1642 viewsThis monopine has some of the hallmarks of a good design, including very good branch coverage and the use of camouflage antenna panel covers.3 comments
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Cell Pine - Overview556 viewsHere's an overview photo of a cell pine (monopine) standing alone in a shopping center in Walnut, California.
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Cell Pine1023 viewsHere's a good merged image photo close-up of a cell pine (monopine) in Walnut, California. Notice the large 'acorn' (microwave dish antenna) that's front and center on the trunk. In most case in metro areas, the purpose of having a microwave dish is (1) to provide back-haul from the cell site to the mobile telephone switching office (MTSO), and (2) to save the cost of leasing data lines from the local phone company. The first purpose is required; the second should not be considered a valid justification in most metro cases.

Also notice that most--but not all--of the panel antennas have slip-on camouflage covers. This photo highlights the significant difference in appearance between covered and merely painted panels.

The bark cladding stops at about the level of the microwave dish. It should have gone all the way to the top as you can see the flat, more reflective metal surface above the cladding.
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Cell Pine Cable Port545 viewsConsider this a shot of the roots of the cell pine. Actually, it's one of two cable ports on the side of our little tree.
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Cell Pine Branch Attachment644 viewsThis close-up shows how the branch attachments occur on this cell pine tree.
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Overlooking Lake Elsinore, California (View 2 of 2)866 viewsA close up view of a Sprint site in Riverside County above Lake Elsinore, California (thanks to Larry for the update!).1 comments
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Overlooking Lake Elsinore, California (View 1 of 2)754 views...with this monopine antenna. Note the equipment located down the hill from the private home. This is a Sprint site that's actually located in Riverside County (thanks, Larry!).2 comments
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Battle of the Mono's...824 viewsIn this case, a sickly monopine and a basic monopole, both located at the top of a hill next to a water tank. Not much can be said for the monopole, but the poor branch coverage of the monopine sure sticks out like a sore thumb. Successful monopines have great branch coverage, antenna covers, and bark cladding all the way up the tree (unlike this example).2 comments
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Sort-of-Monopine776 viewsThis sickly Sprint monopine is located next to a water tank. Extremely poor branch coverage makes the overall appearance something less than stunning. No bark cladding. No antenna covers or branch coverage.2 comments
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