communications/radio towers

[firefighter14_22]

are communications/radio towers required to be inspected? in Pa yearly, quarterly, at all, etc.

if you want to build a communications tower and rent it out do you need to be the owner of the property the tower is on. or can you rent land from sumbody and then put a tower on it to then rent out?

 

[zz0468]

are communications/radio towers required to be inspected? in Pa yearly, quarterly, at all, etc.

Inspected for what?

if you want to build a communications tower and rent it out do you need to be the owner of the property the tower is on. or can you rent land from sumbody and then put a tower on it to then rent out?

That would depend on the rental agreement you hold with the property owner. A lot of leases and rental agreements specifically exclude subletting the property for any reason.

 

[SCPD]

Puttin' up a tower

are communications/radio towers required to be inspected? in Pa yearly, quarterly, at all, etc.

if you want to build a communications tower and rent it out do you need to be the owner of the property the tower is on. or can you rent land from sumbody and then put a tower on it to then rent out?

Your first hurdle is going to be the local municipality. They don't have a problem putting up a big tower behind the fire hall or DPW garage and collecting revenue from services on the tower like cell sites or SMR. But they often don't want John Q Public to get a slice of that pie. They may try to come up with an ordinance ot two that says you can't put a big tower up.

And you probably should ask who you ever it is you want to rent to if they would rent space BEFORE you put the tower up. I just today was talking to someone who has about 7 acres next to I-75, and wants to make some money by letting someone put a tower on his property. But everyone he has contacted are telling him that the area is saturated enough with sites, thanks but no thanks.

You better have the right lighting on it. You can't just hang some red light on a tower. Even a 20' tower that don't need a light, if you do decide to put a light on it anyway, has to have an FAA apporved lamp on it.

First and foremost, make sure you can make some money at the site before you erect. You gotta have some height, not just the height of the tower itself, but also height over sorrounding terrain. Folks are getting choosy now, as to where they rent.

 

[firefighter14_22]

zz0468 quote: Inspected for what?

do the towers need to be inspected for the condition of the tower, guywires, base of tower, etc. is ther regulations on inspections do you need a tower inspected every so often?
is ther regulations on tower maintenance?

 

[zz0468]

zz0468 quote: Inspected for what?

do the towers need to be inspected for the condition of the tower, guywires, base of tower, etc. is ther regulations on inspections do you need a tower inspected every so often?
is ther regulations on tower maintenance?

There are no hard and fast answers for all your questions that you're asking here. There are too many variables, and your questions are too vague, and this is not the proper venue for establishing requirements for a tower. So you need to lower your expectations on what you're going to achieve here at RR. That being said...

Yes, all towers need to be inspected periodically. Regulations for construction and inspection are generally local. Painting and lighting requirements are both FAA and FCC jurisdiction, as is tower registration. Some towers may require federal permits to construct, as well as local permits. A lot of that is driven by tower height, location, and proximity to an airport. And be careful what you use as a definition of an airport.

Regulations on tower maintenance vary. Lighting falls under federal jurisdiction, and is strict enough that if the tower is lighted, you have to make phone calls if a light bulb burns out. Same with painting... Federal guidelines will dictate whether the tower needs to be painted. Tower manufacturers may require annual inspections, whereas there may be no provision in local law to inspect. But heaven help you if the tower falls, kills someone, and you can't show that you had the manufacturer (but not regulated) recommended periodic tower maintenance done.

There may be OSHA requirements on maintenance of parts of the tower. Does it need a safety climb installed? That would require periodic inspection as well. OSHA requires that tower climbers be trained and certified. That's expensive. Does the tower require FAA and FCC registration? That falls under federal guidelines, and no one here can answer that for you.

Are you confused yet?

 

[firefighter14_22]

i am confused. but you answered a lot of my questions.
thank you.