Overkill

[Turkeytop]

This tower went up recently near our home. It's in behind a place that runs a fleet of tow trucks. The tower is three-sided, about 10 ft wide on each side. And about fifty feet tall. All to support a skinny little whip antenna on top.

The height, I get. But otherwise, it seems to be really overbuilt for the job it's doing.

[Fingerboard Corners]

Two things come to mind.

1. It appears to be a self supporting tower, which would have a larger footprint.

2. It may be that they are anticipating adding additional sections and thus more height.

Correct me if I am wrong, but that could be lightning protection, and no antenna has been mounted yet. I don't see a transmission line either.

[Turkeytop]

I can't correct you if you're wrong. I don't have a clue.


I'll watch and see if they add any more height or a different antenna.

[Circle Seven]

Have they put a hut up yet on the ground? If so, take a picture of it if you can.
The size of that may just how much this tower may get populated before they are done.

[TC Talks]

Seems like a cell tower

[Turkeytop]

So today I zoomed in and got a close up image of the antenna. From down below, it' difficult to estimate the length of the whip but I'm guessing about 6 ft.

There is no hut down below, but the tower is right next to the garage they work out of.

[rugratsonline]

In terms of the transmission line for the whip -- maybe it's being run down one of the tower's legs?

[Fingerboard Corners]

The side wire that attaches to the vertical whip right above the top of the tower leg, assuming it is an antenna, does look like and impedance matching network. The appearance is rather ambiguous, as I would think the tower would have a lightning dissipating rod.

[Fingerboard Corners]

Based on this link and picture, I say it is a lightning dissipating rod. No antenna has yet been mounted.

http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p= ... aQodelEJ0A

I can only find information and pictures of gamma matching networks to dipoles, not for whips, but it does look similar to the "stiffening wire" on the lightning dissipating rod.

[k8jd]

That bottom piece looks more like a brace than a Z match like a Gamma match. i wonder if it is a partial completed job. Maybe the Cell company is going to erect an equipment shelter and put up a suite of antennas later. What county is that?

[k8jd]

Looks like that spike is bolted to the flange the next tower section would bolt to.
YES it must be a temporary lightning rod.

[Turkeytop]

That bottom piece looks more like a brace than a Z match like a Gamma match. i wonder if it is a partial completed job. Maybe the Cell company is going to erect an equipment shelter and put up a suite of antennas later. What county is that?

Middlesex County, in Ontario.

[k8jd]

Great, only 3,317 Square km to search on GoogleEarth to find that tower !

[Turkeytop]

On google earth, I just now zeroed in on the exact location of the tower. The tower isn't there. These images were recorded during the summer. There are leaves on the trees. How often do they update their images?

[Playswithtrucks]

Some areas don't get updated often at all... I've been washing the same pickup in my driveway according to street-view for nearly 6 years.
Overhead is about 3 years old for me, yet I've seen where some areas change yearly.

On google earth, I just now zeroed in on the exact location of the tower. The tower isn't there. These images were recorded during the summer. There are leaves on the trees. How often do they update their images?