Guide to the North American Communications Tower

Almost all of us carry a cell phone these days. It takes a lot of infrastructure to support them, whether or not we use them as phones. The most recognizable part of that infrastructure is the communications tower. But what do you know about them?

Communication towers are all around us in various shapes and forms. Some towers serve several kinds of signals.Radio masts and towers are, typically, tall structures designed to support antennas (also known as aerials) for telecommunications and broadcasting, including television.

The terms “mast” and “tower” are often used interchangeably. However, in structural engineering terms, a tower is a self-supporting or cantilevered structure, while a mast is held up by stays or guys.

A Field Guide to the North American Communications Tower article tells you what is a communications tower and what you can expect to find in it. Most towers simply elevate and support communication antennas, but there are some called mast radiators that actually act as the antenna themselves. A cell site is mainly two things: arrays of two-way antennas that operate on cellular frequencies, and the equipment that makes that possible. There are several types of towers and sites out there. The stuff you see on the tower only makes up half the story.