Spherical antennas (?) on commercial towers

[702Jeeper]

OK, I can't figure this out on my own: what are these spherical objects I've seen on antenna towers? In this case, it's a very tall mountaintop tower in Arizona, but I've seen them on other similar sites. Are they a type of antenna, and if so what for?

In case it helps, I also included a pic of the American Tower sign on the gate to the site.

(Sorry it's a bit fuzzy, I didn't have a decent zoom camera with me.)

 

[MtnBiker2005]

ASR Registration Search
Registration 1211383
https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistration.jsp?regKey=2608537

https://www.fccinfo.com/CMDProASRLookup.php?sASR=1211383&tabSearchType=ASR+Search

https://www.google.com/maps/place/35°39'07.0"N+114°18'40.9"W/

KMCC - ION TELEVISION LICENSE, LLC
http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/sta_det.pl?Facility_id=41237

WRAI378 - ION Television License, LLC

ULS License - Microwave Industrial/Business Pool License - WRAI378 - ION Television License, LLC

WRAI379 - ION Television License, LLC

ULS License - Microwave Industrial/Business Pool License - WRAI379 - ION Television License, LLC

https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/General_Menu_Reports/engineering_search_out.cfm?service_select=%25&accessible=NO&state_select=&begin_freq=&begin_freq_type=M&end_freq=&end_freq_type=M&polar=B&radio_ch0=PR&lat_ddd=35&lat_ddd_cfforminteger=Latitude+degrees+must+be+numeric.&lat_mm=39&lat_mm_cfforminteger=Latitude+minutes+must+be+numeric.&lat_ss=07.0&lat_ss_cfformnumeric=Latitude+Seconds+must+be+numeric.&ns_radio_ch1=N&lon_ddd=114&lon_ddd_cfforminteger=Longitude+degrees+must+be+numeric.&lon_mm=18&lon_mm_cfforminteger=Longitude+minutes+must+be+numeric.&lon_ss=40.9&lon_SS_cfformnumeric=Longitude+seconds+must+be+numeric.&ew_radio_ch1=W&radius=.1&distance_type=M&lat_ddd2=&lat_mm2=&lat_ss2=&ns_radio_ch2=&lon_ddd2=&lon_mm2=&lon_ss2=&ew_radio_ch2=&soundex_select=&wild_select=on&begin_grant_date=&end_grant_date=&begin_expiration_date=&end_expiration_date=&sortstring=%2C+lic_name%2C+file_num&limit_select=4

 

[702Jeeper]

Thanks, MtnBiker2005. I clicked around at those links, but I didn't find an answer to my question.

Suggestions I've received elsewhere are that those spheres are FM antennas inside some sort of cover (perhaps to protect from the elements). Or that they simply enhance visibility of the tower (either visually and/or by radar). I'm skeptical of the latter.

EDIT: Stand by, let me check all these new links you've added!!

 

[monitor142]

Thanks, MtnBiker2005. I clicked around at those links, but I didn't find an answer to my question.

Suggestions I've received elsewhere are that those spheres are FM antennas inside some sort of cover (perhaps to protect from the elements). Or that they simply enhance visibility of the tower (either visually and/or by radar). I'm skeptical of the latter.

Appears to be a standard UHF TV antenna array. At least two stations, might be more if combined or using different DTV slots off one transmitter. The migration to DTV has changed the landscape along with FCC incentive auctions. A lot of combining of what was physical channels to one stream carrying multiple channels.

And as always, Brian to the rescue. Always a wealth of info...

 

[702Jeeper]

Are the long, thin white strips in my first pic the TV transmitting antennas you refer to?

I'm trying to understand the info at the links provided above. I see there is a link between this tower and the towers on Arden Peak outside Las Vegas. I guess these TV-related transmissions involve one or more of the dishes mounted lower on the tower (see pic below).

So far, the best explanation I've found for the spheres are multi-bay FM antennas with radomes. Like the ones here:
Example FM antennas

 

[cmdrwill]

The antennas with the "rings" (first photo) top and side mounted are UHF TV. Those 'rings' have weather domes.
Second photo are probably a Microwave "dish" antenna with weather dome, and the two are satellite dishes.

 

[702Jeeper]

OK, I'm puzzled. The spheres look like the FM CP multi-bay antennas with radomes that I've seen in several pics. But when I use the FM Query, nothing comes up for this site. I searched by the ASR number, then by the coordinates. Came up with nothing either way.

But they don't look like the antennas I see when I do an internet search for "UHF TV broadcast antenna."

These VHF antennas, if they were in radomes, would look more like my spheres: FM ring antennas for VHF TV broadcast

 

[W8UU]

The sperical objects are radomes covering a rototiller antenna. Radomes are a plastic heated covering designed to prevent icing and weather damage to the antenna. The Rototiller® is a brand name for ERI but also can be a generic term for any circular polarized broadcast antenna; the shape of the elements looks like the rototiller blades you'd use to plow your garden. I'm not sure of the manufacturer or the frequencies in use, but the spheres you are seeing simply protect the antenna elements from the weather.


ERI Rototiller® (one element) in the attached photo. They're normally stacked on the side of the tower..

 

[702Jeeper]

OK, we've definitely determined these are radomes covering some sort of antenna. Probably VHF TV since there's no record of any FM stations transmitting from this tower. I'm satisfied, thanks for the help!