Finding a place to put the new tower isn't only complicated by concerns of nearby residents, or the numerous government agencies that will approve the location, but the engineering requirements of the site.

The tower, which will be between 160 and 190 feet tall, will be kept upright and stable by four guy wires anchored about 120 to 150 feet from the base of the tower. The base will be secured by a tall wooden fence, although the guy wires will be sticking out about a hundred feet, said Joel Smallwood, maintenance supervisor for Coos Bay School District.

The tower requires a relatively level site, out of the marshlands around Eastside but close enough to sea level to get a good AM signal. The tower will broadcast a signal of about 1,000 watts, the same as the previous tower, said Steve Walker, radio and communications teacher at Marshfield High School.

Some residents are concerned the tower will leak frequency and interrupt signals for cordless phones, cell phones, television or Internet connections, but Walker said that's unlikely.

“Anyone who lives around a tower has that concern, but our engineer said we are required to work with the community to make sure the tower doesn't interfere with phone or television signals,” he said. “There's a tower in downtown Eugene and, believe me, if their computers and phones didn't work that tower wouldn't be there.”

Unlike cell phone towers, radio towers don't produce very much noise, Smallwood said, and since the tower won't be 200 feet tall, the district probably won't have to paint or light it according to FAA regulations. After installation, which will require vegetation clearing around the base, the district expects the tower to blend in with its surroundings.

Site three, although it wouldn't be the most cost efficient for the district, is probably the most likely location for the tower, Smallwood said. The site is more than 1,200 feet from any house and seems to be a middle ground between the port, the district and Eastside residents, he added.

- Staff Writer Hallie Winchell