There is a general perception amongst the public that living near a mobile phone mast is not a desirable thing, unless of course a good mobile signal is a personal priority!  But is it that simple?

We’ve all seen mobile phone masts on the horizon, lurking between trees or adorning roof tops, but how many people realise that such antennas are often disguised to look like chimneys, street signs and any number of ordinary objects.  One can only surmise as to why operators do this.  But are they harmful to live near?

The answer is not necessarily.  Signals from mobile phone antennas can bounce around in a quite unpredictable way, distorted further by buildings and objects, so the strength of the signal can vary enormously.  The topography of the land also has a bearing; if you live in a dip you are much less likely to be affected by high levels of radiation from masts than if you live on a hill,  The beam of greatest intensity tends to fall between 150 and 300 metres from the antenna in a ‘lighthouse effect’.  Side beams can cause localised hot spots closer to the base of the mast, highest levels typically with 30 metres.  Furthermore, the drum-shaped transmitters have a very focussed beam, whilst the long oblong type tend to scatter their beam far and wide.

So if you can see a mast from your house it does not necessarily mean the signal level reaching it is at a harmful level.  And if you can’t see it, it doesn’t necessarily mean levels are safely low.   Interesting because estate agents know that houses near masts can be harder to sell and usually have to be sold with a discount on the price.

There is only one way of knowing what the strength of signal reaching a house is and that is to survey it.  If you are concerned by high levels reaching your home there are several effective ways of screening so remedial action is possible.