Talk:Radio masts and towers

Merged

This is a merged and tidied up replacement for transmission tower and radio mast.

I've split some content, that seems less relevant in an 'overview' piece like this one, into two other pages: mast radiator and radio masts and towers - catastrophic collapses.Spliced 17:40, 14 June 2005 (UTC)

Wooden Towers in the UK

Where did in the UK radio towers built of wood exist? When were they built, which was there use (MF-broadcasting, NDB, etc.?) and when were they demolished? Check therefore also http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=6123287#post6123287 — Preceding unsigned comment added by 85.75.36.46 (talk) 13:27, 9 November 2005 (UTC)

there wasone in Kent, converted from a windmill. Mjroots (talk) 15:22, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Copyright

The beginning of this page seems to have been copied directly, except for my edit, from answers.commeccaneer 23:08, 18 April 2006 (UTC)

• It's the other way round: answers.com copies from wikipedia, as the GFDL permits, and as the answers.com page acknowledges. Harumphy 06:30, 20 April 2006 (UTC)

Mast or tower?

I've reverted a contribution under this heading which seemed very odd. Apparently in the US there is a difference in the terminology used by structural and broadcast engineers. In the UK there is no such difference - both use mast and tower the same way - although, as explained, colloquial British usage is to call all such structures masts. Let's discuss any refinements here please, before changing this part of the article, which seems to have been stable for some time now. Harumphy 12:08, 10 October 2006 (UTC)

It is quite clear that the structures described here are universally called "towers" in the U.S. broadcasting industry, including by the FCC. I have seen the term "mast" is used to describe two kinds of structures:

1. Antenna-support structures constructed on top of some other structure; e.g., a pole on the roof of a building to which an FM, TV, or auxiliary antenna is attached. (This usage is not universal, with some writers using "tower" for these structures as well [1], but the exception seems to be restricted to masts of significant size—no one would call the five-foot pole their STL antenna is mounted on a "tower".)
2. Telescoping antenna-support structures which form part of a vehicle for remote program origination (i.e., a remote truck).

The term "mast" is never used for a vertical radiator, regardless of construction—even when on a rooftop, it will be called a "tower" or more typically an "antenna". Unfortunately, I don't have the time to develop reliable sources on this subject (although I don't doubt that any radio engineer would confirm it). (I had hoped that my edit would prove uncontroversial.) One source editors might consider is this installment of Tower Site of the Week, which explicitly describes the structure atop Four Times Square as a "mast".

I can't speak for the terminology used by civil engineers in the U.S. but the fact that this article (and many others like it, including List of masts and mast radiator) has continued to use this terminology suggests that there is some constituency for the distinction even if not among the broadcasters I am familiar with.

121a0012 02:05, 11 October 2006 (UTC)

OK. It's also the case in the UK that small antenna supports are called masts even if they are not guyed - e.g. a 5-foot pole, or a pump-up mast on a vehicle. Would it suffice to add a comment that these smaller supports are normally called masts rather than towers, on both sides of the pond? Harumphy 16:07, 12 October 2006 (UTC)

• • With respect to the use of the f-word in the text, is the distinction as used by engineers who may not copulate have any relevance here, or are we only concerned with those engineers who do copulate? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.243.56.229 (talk) 10:59, 28 September 2007 (UTC)

Vandalism fixed. --Harumphy 11:46, 28 September 2007 (UTC)

Radio masts and towers - catastrophic collapses - article merge

How have candidates been chosen? What counts as a catastophic collapse? Secretlondon 15:47, 14 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Not sure. I've just split list out this from Transmission tower.Spliced 16:11, 14 Jun 2005 (UTC)

April 2007 article merge

It appears that User:Jorfer has merged in Radio masts and towers - catastrophic collapses. Was there any prior discussion of this?

Radio masts and towers was created in 2005 to merge Radio mast and Transmission tower. The list of collapses was split out from the latter on the grounds that they weren't a good fit for an overview article. Ditto mast radiator. Everyone seems to have been happy with that for two years. So why the hurry to merge this article now without a word of prior discussion? --Harumphy 11:15, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

I went ahead and was bold with this article because it seemed like a good fit to be merged into this article (at least for me). Though the section is notable by itself, it is easier to access if it is on this page. If their is significant support against this then I am fine with it being moved back, but I think it is only appropriate that it be placed in this article.--Jorfer 20:22, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

Proposed article merges

You have proposed that List of tallest buildings in the world be merged with List of tallest churches in the world and List of tallest buildings in Europe. Please see my discussion comments concerning this and definitely take a look at List of buildings. Bhludzin 02:48, 15 April 2007 (UTC)

Introduction

I read the beggining sentence or two, and it says "Radio masts and towers are, typically, tall structures designed to support antennas (also known as aerials in the UK)" By saying this they assume the reader doesn't come from the UK, and english wikipedia is meant for all people speaking english. So it should be changed. Jezzamon (talk) 07:51, 14 May 2008 (UTC)

Barber pole real?

Is there a source to show the brightly coloured 'barber pole' in Durham actually exists and isn't a photoshop? Since most kit is made to be discrete it seems unlikely that the local authority would allow it, and the picture is very oversaturated and bad quality. It's an interesting photo, but unless it can be verified I propose it should be removed from the article. 199.89.212.202 (talk) 13:14, 9 September 2008 (UTC)

Telecommunication tower German Telekom

In case you (technicians?) find anything special about this tower that escapes me (I usually write about films and novels), feel free to put the pic somewhere into the article. I photographed a whole lot of possibly interesting stuff in Steinfurt because my mother's birthday will be soon and she loves this town, something she seems to have in common with German Telekom (which is based there).

German Telekom tower

Nordhorner II (talk) _The man from Nordhorn 01:50, 6 August 2013 (UTC)

Hidden comment removed from article

I'm not sure how this managed to languish in the article for over five years (even if it was "hidden" in an HTML comment):

the list of tallest towers only includes those that have collapsed or been dismantled, what about those still standing?

I assume this issue has been addressed by now. - dcljr (talk) 19:06, 30 August 2013 (UTC)

Use of "cantilevered"

I question using the word "cantilevered" as it introduces an inconsistency with Wikipedia's hover-over popup link. Cantilevered structures are most commonly thought of as horizontal, extending from some vertical structure like a wall or similar support. I'm thinking balcony or diving board. It _may_ be technically correct to consider a tower as being cantilevered in the sense that it supports itself without auxiliary supports like guys, buttresses, etc. but I don't think it's well applied in this context. CaptCJMsigs 08:00, 17 November 2021 (EDT)