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    Towers Give Cell Signals Needed Boost


     
     
    A temporary cell phone tower has been set up near the Old Gym, within sight of Storke Tower's permanent antennas.
    Though no kin to bovines, UCSB has a breed of COWs currently pastured on campus.
    The temporary antenna, known as a Cellular on Wheels, near the Old Gym is operated by Cingular Wireless and is serving its campus customers while a permanent antenna is built atop South Hall. Cingular has negotiated a five-year lease for South Hall, but the temporary tower may be needed through next January, according to Julie Sears of the Office of Business Services.
    Another COW, run by AT&T, is located by Harder Stadium. Since AT&T has a permanent antenna on top of student-owned Storke TowerÑas does VerizonÑthis COW was originally set up to provide coverage while improving the Storke antenna's power supply. Another project in Isla Vista has forced AT&T to extend its lease into February.
    The Cingular COW has a 35-foot tower to relay microwave cellular transmissions. It and the larger AT&T tower are "perfectly safe" for passers-by, said Jim Casto, Environmental Health & Safety's radiation safety officer.
    In fact, Cingular's COW is strong enough to serve only the campus, said Paul Valenzuela, operations manager for Communications Services. "It cannot reach I.V. through the trees," he said, "and it probably won't help people at the airport, either."
    Profits collected from the lease of permanent and temporary cellular antenna sites on university buildings will be funneled into helping the disabled on campus, according to Sears and Linda Raney, chair of the advisory group managing the revenue.