Types of Tower Antennas

Lattice Tower Antennas

• Also known as a self-supporting tower, a lattice tower antenna is held up by an interconnected web of supports running from the base to the top of the tower. The central pole is surrounded by supporting poles that run diagonally from the base to the top and a network of lattice that connects the central pole to the surrounding poles for added support. Most lattice towers have three sides and a triangular base, but some four-sided designs with a square base are also used.

Monopole Tower Antennas

• As the name suggests, a monopole tower antenna is made up of a single tall pole, without added supports on the side. Due to the lack of external support, these towers tend to be much shorter than more resistant options such as lattice or guyed tower antennas, and are most often found in areas without extreme weather conditions. The antennas run along the side of the pole tower and the structure is also usually limited to lighter, shorter-range antenna equipment.

Guyed Tower Antenna

• Similar to a monopole tower antenna, a guyed system involves a tall central pole, but adds guy wires for added support. Guy wires run diagonally from the top of the tower to separate foundations placed around the central pole, sometimes far away from the central pole when a very tall tower antenna requires a lot of support and anchoring. Although this system is very simple and inexpensive, the guy wires increase the amount of land occupied by the tower and its foundations, making it an unpopular choice for urban antenna towers.

Stealth Tower Antennas

• In response to public concerns about the unsightly profusion of tower antennas, but recognizing the importance of the structures to modern telecommunications, many areas have passed zoning restrictions that require that tower antennas be camouflaged into the landscape. These stealth tower antennas can be shaped to look like trees or other tall natural structures from a distance, reducing the visual impact of their construction. Stealth towers sometimes also use preexisting structures such as church steeples or water towers as a base, reinforcing the structure and adding antenna equipment inside. Stealth tower antennas have the highest construction costs but are common choices for historical or natural protection areas.