5G Antennas: How They Work And How To Recognise Them

Over the last few years, you’ve probably heard a lot of hype around 5G. In fact, if you like to keep a foot in the tech world, then you’ve probably heard more than a few people talking about how superfast 5G infrastructure should be a priority for governments and how the speed and convenience of 5G will revolutionise our lives.

That being said, here at WaveWall, we know that you’re not interested in all the hype and hyperbole the mass-market media like to throw at new technology and neither are we. That’s why today we’ll be doing a full breakdown on what 5G is, how it works, what the benefits are, and what the real cost looks like.

How Mobile Data Changed The World

If you were born before the millennium, then you’ll know just how much the world has changed in the last three decades. From the mass adoption of mobile phones in the late ‘90s and early 2000s to the rise of smartphones and mobile data contracts, the on-the-go internet age has changed almost every part of the way we live our lives in some way shape or form.

In 1993 if you wanted to know the distance from the earth to the moon, you either had to find some knowledgeable friend or look the information up in a book. In 2023, that’s the kind of information you can google, wherever you are. (It’s 384,400 km by the way.)

The point is that access to such information, as well as a handy source of communication for text, image, video, and audio files, has become so commonplace that there are adults alive today who take such things for granted. For better or worse, we’ve become addicted to the internet and that addiction won’t be going away any time soon.

What Is 5G?

5G is the latest generation in the decades-long race to improve our mobile communications infrastructure. Ever since the 1980s, this technology has been developed time and time again, moving from analogue to digital in the ‘90s and introducing access to mobile data in the early 2000s.

If 3G was like dial-up for your mobile phone, then 4G was broadband on the go. Throughout the 2010s, 4G slowly became the standard for mobile internet, and while there were some who suggested it may pose unforeseen risks, for the most part, people were happy to adopt the technology as it provided convenient access to the internet no matter where you were.

Then came 2020 and the mass roll-out of the new, superfast 5G network and concerns began to rise.

Busting Myths About 5G

First things first, we should say that there is no evidence to the claims that there was a connection between 5G and the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the technology was rolled out at a similar time, there’s no plausible reason to believe that electromagnetic waves can spread a biological virus.

On the other hand, the fact that 5G is not capable of spreading pathogens does not necessarily mean that it poses no health risks. After all, 5G, much like other mobile and internet infrastructure, operates through the transmission of electromagnetic radiation. Therefore, if you’re worried about the dangers of EMF radiation, then you may want to read on.

How To Recognise A 5G Tower

At a glance, you probably won’t be able to tell the difference between a 5G tower and any other piece of standard mobile communications infrastructure. The reason for this is that, for the most part, they work on pretty much the same principles, only using a more advanced form of the same technology.

If you want to reliably find and identify 5G towers in your area then your best bet is to use online resources that will help you to find 5G towers. Fortunately for all of us, we’re not alone in being worried about EMF technology. In fact, there’s a whole community of people online who are dedicated to finding and sharing information to help you keep yourself safe.

All this to say that the best way to find local 5G towers is to check one of the many 5G maps available online. It’s also worth looking for local action groups who may be able to provide more detailed information about your area.

Five Reasons To Be Concerned About 5G

If you’ve got this far and you’re wondering what all the fuss is about, then let us elaborate.

Perhaps you’re sat there thinking that 5G is just a harmless upgrade to our already useful technology. Or else maybe you think we’re making a mountain out of a molehill. If so, then here are five reasons why the EMF radiation from 5G could be a very real problem:

1. Evidence Suggests EMF Can Be Dangerous To Humans

Here at WaveWall, we’ve written extensively about the dangers of EMF and a quick glance through our blog will show you plenty of articles explaining why electromagnetic radiation can pose a potential danger to human beings.

To summarise what we’ve said elsewhere, EMF radiation consists of invisible waves moving through the air carrying data from one device to another. The problem is that, in order to do this, the waves have to travel through your body. It’s hard to know for certain what effect this might have on the human body and there are many who would prefer people didn’t talk about the dangers posed, but the fact of the matter is that there’s reason to suspect electromagnetic waves are causing real harm to real people. Meanwhile, big tech companies get away with practically ignoring the problem altogether in the hopes that it will disappear of its own accord.

2. The Government Can Build These Towers Right By Your House

Given the potential for EMF to cause harm, the fact that the government/telecoms companies can build these towers on any land they deem appropriate ought to be raising some alarm bells.

After all, do you really want 5G towers in your backyard?

3. They’re An Unnecessary Eyesore

Even if we ignore the dangers, we can’t ignore the great big metal towers being built all over our beautiful countryside. It’s bad enough that we pave asphalt motorways and overhead powerlines through the British countryside, but to construct even more mobile towers, right in the middle of some of our most beloved areas of natural beauty would be a great tragedy for all of us.

4. Mobile Infrastructure Can Impact The Environment

Speaking of natural beauty, 5G towers will do more than just spoil the horizon line. The fact of the matter is that while we ought to be doing everything we can the preserve the environments where nature can thrive, a great deal of taxpayers’ money goes towards doing just the opposite.

Building new 5G towers can have an effect on local hibernation patterns, avian migration cycles, and even plant life. Not to mention the fact that running and operating all this new infrastructure will only increase the demands on our already stretched energy grid, leading to more burning of fossil fuels and more greenhouse gases.

5. Not Enough Research

At the end of the day, the most compelling reason to be worried about the dangers of 5G and EMF in general, is the same reason that so many people dismiss the topic: we just don’t have the answers. Scientists globally still need to conduct a lot more research to be certain of the safety of any of this new technology. Until that is done, there are many who would like us to simply bury our heads in the sand and pretend that the dangers don’t exist. But should we really be listening to them?

What To Do If There’s A 5G Tower Being Built In My Area

Now we come to perhaps the most important part of this article: direct action. If you discover that a new 5G tower is being constructed in your area, or else you would like to preemptively prevent such an occurrence, then the most important thing you can do is start a direct action group.

Find people in your local area who also worry about the risks posed. Speak to friends and family to open a dialogue about the potential problems. The most important thing you can do is start to build a community because once you have a community you have a voice and you can use that voice to say no to 5G.

Can I Petition My Local MP?

Absolutely!

In fact, if you haven’t already, then this is one of the first things you should do if you want to make any real change. While many of them would like us to forget this fact, you have to remember that our politicians work for us. It’s their job to represent their constituency, and that means that your concerns matter just as much as the concerns of every other person in your area, and far more than those of party donors and lobbying groups.

In order to get yourself heard, the best thing you can do is start by sending a letter. If one letter doesn’t work, send another. Get others to join you and let your local MP know that this is an issue you care about. Because if you care about it, then they should too!

Living Near A 5G Tower

If you or a loved one are already living near a 5G tower then all the above advice on direct action and contacting your local MP still applies. That being said, there are a few things you can do to help shield yourself in your day-to-day life.

Firstly, avoid walking too close to the tower. If you take regular walks, either in your commute, for fitness, or with the dogs, then you’ll want to make sure these don’t take you anywhere near the tower. After all, your exposure to EMF will increase the closer you get to a 5G tower.

The second thing you should do is try not to use your phone on mobile data. Difficult though this might prove for some, turning off mobile data and getting used to relying on local WiFi connections will absolutely minimise your exposure to EMF.

Lastly, don’t panic. Living near a 5G tower might feel worrying, but the truth is any potential negative health consequences can take years to come into effect if they ever do at all. This means you have plenty of time to either move house, petition your local government, or find other methods to cut down your exposure.

Is 6G Just Around The Corner?

This problem isn’t going to go away any time soon and, if you follow the news closely, then you’ll know that 6G is already in the pipeline.

How is 6G different from 5G?

While the technology is still in its early days, the main difference between 5G and 6G networks looks to be speed. Faster speed means more data, which means more EMF. On the one hand, this means that any risks posed by 5G will only be increased by 6G. Alternatively, while we certainly don’t want anyone to get hurt, the more powerful the technology, the harder the dangers will be for governments and big tech companies to ignore.

At the end of the day, this isn’t a problem that’s going to go away overnight. After all, the dangers of smoking are well known, but tobacco, though heavily regulated, is still legal. Right now we need to push for more research and more hesitancy from governments when it comes to approving this kind of technology. It may take time, but together we can encourage people and politicians to take this issue as seriously as they should!

If you want to add your voice to the conversation and help to promote EMF discourse, then why not follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram? Furthermore, if you’re looking for some handy ways to minimise your exposure to EMF and keep yourself safe in your day-to-day life then head on over to our store to check out our wide range of EMF shielding phone and laptop cases today!