Tower Accessories
Tower accessories and support structures are essential components in telecommunications and wireless communication systems, providing stable platforms for antennas, broadcasting equipment, and communication hardware. These towers and mounting solutions are widely used in personal communication systems, commercial and amateur broadcasting, home television, and cellular network installations. Selecting the correct tower type depends on factors such as land availability, soil conditions, height requirements, and overall load capacity.
There are two primary tower types used in most installations: self-supporting and guyed towers. Self-supporting towers are free-standing structures that do not require external supports. They are commonly constructed as three- or four-sided steel lattice pyramids, box-style frames, or tubular monopoles. Their compact footprint and structural stability make them suitable for sites with limited space or where guy wires are impractical. Guyed towers, by contrast, are slender steel structures that rely on high-strength steel guy cables anchored to the ground to resist lateral forces. While capable of supporting their own vertical load, guyed towers require significantly more land area due to the spacing of guy anchors, which are typically installed at distances approaching 80 percent of the tower’s height.
Bracketed and lattice towers offer additional flexibility for specialized installations. Bracketed towers are mounted adjacent to buildings using structural brackets at one or more points along the height of the structure, allowing the tower to extend above the roofline without roof loading concerns or guy wires. Lattice towers, whether self-supporting or guyed, are typically constructed in triangular or square configurations and are valued for their strength, adaptability, and ease of assembly. Proper grounding is critical for all tower types and must comply with National Electrical Code (NEC) requirements, including bonding metallic towers into the grounding electrode system using correctly sized, low-impedance conductors and approved grounding methods.
FAQs
Q: What are the main types of communication towers?
The two primary types are self-supporting towers and guyed towers. Self-supporting towers stand independently, while guyed towers require tensioned guy wires anchored to the ground for stability.
Q: What is a self-supporting tower?
A self-supporting tower is a free-standing structure, typically made of steel latticework or tubular steel, that does not require guy wires. These towers are often used where land space is limited.
Q: How does a guyed tower differ from a self-supporting tower?
Guyed towers rely on multiple levels of steel guy cables to remain upright and resist wind and lateral forces. They require more land area for anchor placement but use less structural steel than self-supporting towers.
Q: What are bracketed towers used for?
Bracketed towers are installed alongside buildings and secured using wall or structural brackets. They are commonly used when roof-mounted installations are not feasible due to load restrictions.
Q: Why is proper grounding important for tower installations?
Grounding protects equipment and structures from lightning strikes, electrical faults, and static discharge. NEC guidelines require metallic towers to be bonded into the grounding electrode system using properly sized conductors and approved methods such as exothermic welding.
Why Buy Tower Accessories from RSP Supply
RSP Supply provides a broad range of tower accessories and support structures designed for telecommunications and wireless applications. Our selection supports self-supporting, guyed, bracketed, and lattice tower configurations to meet a variety of site and engineering requirements. Customers rely on RSP Supply for dependable industrial components, clear technical guidance, and solutions that align with recognized electrical and structural standards.