Tower Wind Loading

Area exposed to wind is the greatest single contributor to tower wind load. Wind load is far less where a tower is an antenna than where antennas are mounted on a tower. It is very easy to double or triple wind load on a tower by mounting antennas, rotators, brackets, coax cables, and other items on it. Each added item necessitates a tower that is stronger, heavier and/or larger in cross section which tends to increase the wind load on a tower itself, necessitating an even more capable tower. Each item to be mounted on a tower therefore tends to increase the amount that must be spent on a tower to survive a stated wind speed. ©2004 Tigertek, Inc. All rights reserved.

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