Telecoms ยท 5 min read
The essentials
- Mast type, height and quantity. Guyed or self-supporting, and the height you need.
- Site location. Address and GPS coordinates, plus terrain and any known exposure to strong winds.
- Equipment to be mounted. Every antenna, dish, radio, cable, light and platform: size, weight, wind area, mounting height and direction.
- Future equipment. Allowance for what you may add later. Planning for it now is far cheaper than strengthening a mast later.
Design information
- The wind-loading criteria or design standard required.
- Any special loads, such as ice.
- Soil and geotechnical information, and whether the foundations are designed and built by the supplier or by others.
- The intended use and expected service life.
- Requirements of any authority, landowner, insurer or funder.
Site and access
- Access for delivery vehicles and, if needed, cranes.
- Space for the mast base, guy anchors (for guyed masts) and a laydown area.
- Known hazards: buried or overhead services, existing structures, neighbouring activities.
- Power arrangements, cabinets and solar support if required.
Choosing the type of order
Decide whether you need the mast supplied only, supplied and delivered, or supplied and installed. Installation of the mast is separate from installing, connecting and aligning your own radio equipment, so state clearly if you need both.
Why "not yet known" is fine
You will not always have every answer at the start. Mark unknown items as such. A supplier can then state its assumptions in the quotation, and you can confirm them before design is finalised.