Anybody ever done any cell phone tower work?

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aronmatt3

Member
Location
texas, USA
Yes, I too have worked in cellphone tower and almost all are into pre-fabricated building as it costs less for the cell phone company and no one will allow them to build a permanent structure in their property, so it is easy in all aspects.
 
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ceb58

Senior Member
Location
Raeford, NC
How long does a normal cell phone tower job last? I noticed that the maitenance buildings are prefabed.

Doing what? Our contractor can have one of our tower sites ready for equipment in about 5 working days after the tower is up. Ground ring, pour slab, set building and generator. Some times the fence takes a little longer.
 

jxofaltrds

Inspector Mike®
Location
Mike P. Columbus Ohio
Occupation
ESI, PI, RBO
Yes, I too have worked in cellphone tower and almost all are into pre-fabricated building as it costs less for the cell phone company and no one will allow them to build a permanent structure in their property, so it is easy in all aspects.

I say that it is permanent just as a manufactured home is considered permanent at times.

(B) Manufactured Home Service Equipment. The manufactured
home service equipment shall be permitted to be
installed in or on a manufactured home, provided that all of
the following conditions are met:
(1) The manufacturer shall include in its written installation
instructions information indicating that the home
shall be secured in place by an anchoring system or
installed on and secured to a permanent foundation.


They move stick built homes too. I know I've seen it on TV. :D
 

ceb58

Senior Member
Location
Raeford, NC
All of it start to finish.

Depends on the conditions. We contract all of our new tower work. The tower crew can come in and drill the pears 3 x 60-80 ft deep, for a free standing, set the rebar and pour concrete in about 10-12 days. Then they must wait at least 27 days to start building the tower. On a 480 ft tower they can do it in about 10-15 days not counting hanging the dishes and ice protection. Then the building and generator about 5-7 days.

I say that it is permanent just as a manufactured home is considered permanent at times.

(B) Manufactured Home Service Equipment. The manufactured
home service equipment shall be permitted to be
installed in or on a manufactured home, provided that all of
the following conditions are met:
(1) The manufacturer shall include in its written installation
instructions information indicating that the home
shall be secured in place by an anchoring system or
installed on and secured to a permanent foundation.


They move stick built homes too. I know I've seen it on TV. :D

I see nothing about these buildings that resemble a home. We have changed out a building including service and radio equipment in about 8 hrs.
 

jxofaltrds

Inspector Mike®
Location
Mike P. Columbus Ohio
Occupation
ESI, PI, RBO
I see nothing about these buildings that resemble a home. We have changed out a building including service and radio equipment in about 8 hrs.

I am talking about permanent structure. MH (550) was just an example.

Just trying to say that it is not a temporary installation. (590)
 

Eddy Current

Senior Member
Ive got a couple more questions. What are tower hands is that just like a ground man? How much prep can they do on the ground is it similar to setting light poles? I've noticed some of them have the cables run straight up the side and they almost look tie wrapped similar to something from a cable tray.
 

mike_kilroy

Senior Member
Location
United States
Depends on the conditions. We contract all of our new tower work. The tower crew can come in and drill the pears 3 x 60-80 ft deep, for a free standing, set the rebar and pour concrete in about 10-12 days. Then they must wait at least 27 days to start building the tower. On a 480 ft tower they can do it in about 10-15 days not counting hanging the dishes and ice protection. Then the building and generator about 5-7 days. ... We have changed out a building including service and radio equipment in about 8 hrs.

YOU GUYS ARE FAST!

i watched the guys add a second carrier to our non-lit (200'?) tower a year ago - took them a good two weeks -week to gin pole up the antennas, another to add the new electronics in the building!

Then 6 months ago there was some kind of new security (terrorist?) regulations (so they told me) where they had to replace a bunch of electronics in the building; a good week.

Today my curiosity got the better of me so finally stopped to watch the pressure test by the state fire marshal for the fuel line on the new genrad generator they have spent the last week+ installing!

The period before construction around here is even longer! new verizon site on another of our farms has been ongoing for last year. at least they send archeologists first to look for old indian burial ground & relics and such before the build!
 

junkhound

Senior Member
Location
Renton, WA
Occupation
EE, power electronics specialty
Time for the job is trivial, it is the permits take the time.

Verbal agreement last September for a 130 ft tower in the back yard.

Preliminary RF studies into November, 8 folks did a site visit for a few hours then.

Dec and Jan the survey guys spent 3 days in the back yard, surveyed the location and height of nearly 200 trees.

End of Feb, all the plans done, 25 ft by 40 ft plot. Tower folks say the county permit 'feeandtaxacrats' will take at least 3 months milking it for permit fees, impact studies, etc. Could be as much as 6 months.

Will be interesting to see how fast the actual work goes after all that. Will be a prefab building.
 

ceb58

Senior Member
Location
Raeford, NC
Ive got a couple more questions. What are tower hands is that just like a ground man? How much prep can they do on the ground is it similar to setting light poles? I've noticed some of them have the cables run straight up the side and they almost look tie wrapped similar to something from a cable tray.

From the guys I have watched do our free standing towers the ground guys get the cross bracing bolted together. Then they rig them up to crane them up to the guys on the tower to bolt to the legs. They also do other rigging for the legs and ice bridges. On the guide wire towers they will bolt together about three sections on the ground and connect the first set of guide wires. They then set the sections and connect the guide wires to the anchor points. They usually do 3 sections at a time until its up.
The "tray' you are talking about is called a ladder. The wave guides and coax cables are attached with special clamps.
 
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