[TowerTalk] cell phone antenna on ham tower?

[Jim Thomson]

Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2015 06:18:36 -0400
From: n4zkf <towertalk at n4zkf.com>
To: 'tower' <towertalk at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] cell phone antenna on ham tower?

I am in this business. This is what I do. Gene and Bud are correct.
(although the balloon gets me?) Also don't forget the taxes are going up.


73 Dave n4zkf

##  being a cell cxr, they no doubt will want 24-7-365 access, plus
UPS power , and or either an on site diesel gen set, or bring one in on
a trailer in the middle of the night.   They may well want you to provide
24-7-365  parking for several vehicles, and any refueling rigs etc. 

##  Ok, what happens when joe ham wants to change-add yagis and ants
on his ham tower, when there are cell ants part way up the tower ?  What
happens if you temp interfere with their cell coverage ?    What happens if the
ham tower comes crashing down  from a freak ice /snow storm /windstorm,
right after joe ham overloads his tower with his new 40m yagi ? 

##  The cell cxr  may well want $$  from you since you just cost them a ton of
lost revenue. There could easily be a legal liability issue here.  Whos responsible
for the maintenance of the ham tower....the ham, unless stated otherwise. 

##  before I retired from the telco in 2009, a typ new cell site was aprx $500K. 
That’s not including the $$ spent each month to a farmer, to lease some of his
property, bring in new AC drop wires, equipment shelters, parking etc. 

##  A lot of folks signed  20 year contracts with cell co, back in the 90s....
only to kick themselves after the fact.   Rooftops are worth gold these days,
ditto with prime sites on farmland,  private land.   Loads of sites on private 
property were leased for a mere $600  per month on a 20 year term.   New
sites can easily go for  $5000- $6000  per month. 

##  be extremely cautious what you sign.  And be wary of the issue IF  you decide
to sell your home + property, what then ?  Any potential  new owner may not want the tower
+ ants on his property.   Who gets the revenue from the cell company, the new owner /buyer,
or the old owner /seller ? 

##  a few hams here in town were asked  by wye fi companies for access on their ham towers.
They were offered a paltry sum of $50.00  per month + 10 mps ‘free internet’.   Huge 
stipulations on the contracts, like what I noted above.  Unless its some serious $$ they are offering,
I would be inclined not to go along with it.   Now if ur on 5-10 acres, and they want to install
their own monopole at the other end of the property, sure go for it.  There are law firms that
specialize in just this type of scenario, and will ensure the homeowner is covered. 

Jim   VE7RF