[TowerTalk] Interstate antennas/trucking weigh stations

[Pat Rundall]

Brian,

The poles you've seen in Florida (and many other states) are probably
a part of the new trucking weigh station system. Companies like 
Lockheed are installing poles in many states and, my understanding is
that trucks are allowed to be checked once, then drive through a state
bypassing weigh stations via a system that queries on-board computers
via RF and gives drivers a "green light" as to whether they should
be permitted to bypass the weigh station. 

By the way, I manage a team of embedded software engineers who are
working on fleet management systems for the trucking industry (among
other things). If anyone on this list needs help with virtually any 
embedded software project let me know.

Our specialities are embedded Java, telecom, networking protocols,
automotive/telematics, GPS systems, cellular/wireless, training,...
Our rates are very reasonable and our experience in delivering
real product to market is impressive. Some of our customers are
Nortel, Motorola, Ericsson, XATA, Qualcomm, Symbol Technologies, ...

(Sorry for the plug - looked like a good opening)

Pat,  NØHR


alsopb wrote:
> 
> I was recently traveling down I-95 in Northern Florida and noticed
> something odd at one of the truck weigh stations.
> 
> Among the light poles there were some same height poles topped with
> what looked like umbrellas without any fabric.  There appeared to be
> ten or more arms/umbrella.  About 15' under these were some kind of
> tiny UHF antenna. There appeared to be no vertical radiator on top of
> the unbrellas.
> 
> Was this supposed to be some new-fangled type of lightning protector?
> 
> Instead of beeding off charge I guess these umbrellas would reduce the
> volt/meter at the top of the poles.
> 
> Didn't see them anywhere else.
> 
> de Brian/K3KO
> 
> List Sponsor:  ChampionRadio.com - Trylon self-supporting towers,
> safety equipment, rigging gear, LOOS tension guages & more!
> http://www.championradio.com
> 
> -----
> FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/towertalk
> Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
> Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
> Problems:                 owner-towertalk@contesting.com

List Sponsor:  ChampionRadio.com - Trylon self-supporting towers,
safety equipment, rigging gear, LOOS tension guages & more!
http://www.championradio.com

-----
FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/towertalk
Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems:                 owner-towertalk@contesting.com