Communications Industry and Hobbyist Towers
Antenna towers are used throughout the world by the communications industry as well as by hobbyists. From HAM (Amateur) Radio to high-speed wireless internet, antenna towers are a critical part of modern wireless communication and other industries.
There are a variety of major types of antenna towers, including self-supporting, bracketed, guyed, and rigid tube towers. Each has benefits and drawbacks; self-supporting towers are supported entirely by the tower structure and a solid cement/concrete base. The concrete base and the crane service in order to initially erect the tower make this style of tower significantly more ex ...
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Communications Industry and Hobbyist Towers
Antenna towers are used throughout the world by the communications industry as well as by hobbyists. From HAM (Amateur) Radio to high-speed wireless internet, antenna towers are a critical part of modern wireless communication and other industries.
There are a variety of major types of antenna towers, including self-supporting, bracketed, guyed, and rigid tube towers. Each has benefits and drawbacks; self-supporting towers are supported entirely by the tower structure and a solid cement/concrete base. The concrete base and the crane service in order to initially erect the tower make this style of tower significantly more expensive than other options. Bracketed / guyed towers use either brackets or guy wires attached to adjacent buildings or anchors in order to provide support to the tower. Such a support structure makes the tower much less expensive, and it can be erected without the aid of specialized cranes or other hoisting equipment. These towers are in the widest use, but are the least secure from an objective standpoint – if one of the guy wires is damaged or improperly installed, the entire structure can come down. Rigid tube towers make use of a “lattice-style” rigid tube structure to provide internal support in a cross-bracing pattern for the entire height of the tower, strengthening it greatly as compared with other tower types. This type of tower structure is very labor-intensive to install, but does not require specialized equipment such as cranes or other machinery in order to erect, making it popular in remote locations or areas in which maintenance is undesirable but topography makes crane use unattractive or impossible.
While the most common use for antenna towers is mounting of communications devices, the same construction technologies are used for many other tower fixtures ranging from renewable energy to light fixtures. Rigid tube tower structures are popular for low sodium lighting installed at outdoor sporting fields and stadiums, and guyed or rigid tube construction is a popular method for remote installation of wind turbines or other alternative energy systems.
If you are interested in extending the range of your company’s wireless network or other communication system, antenna towers offer a cost effective and practical way to do so particularly in remote or rural areas where tall buildings cannot easily be utilized for this purpose. Whatever your communication needs, a high-quality antenna tower can extend your signal’s reach.
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