You never know where your reputation will take you. Allfasteners is known for providing a wide range of fasteners to an even wider range of industries. In fact, its initial entry into the tower business involved providing structural bolting and hardware for reinforcement. This reputation led one of its customers, a major towerco, to ask for help when it had a problem with concealment canister covers staying fastened to its towers.
“Most traditional concealment canisters have nylon bolts on the vertical seam, and they can be left off, broken or lost, leaving the antenna vulnerable to the elements,” Vern Wyman, Allfasteners Regional Sales Representative, said.
To solve this problem, Allfasteners engineers developed a solution that did a lot more than stay attached to the tower. It created the Raptor Radome Concealment Canister, designed to be safely and easily entered by a tower technician with 360-degree access to antennas on top of monopoles.
“It was through collaboration with tower owners, and general contractors, like Tower Engineering Professionals, that we got this product to where it is today,” said Bruce Carmichael, Allfasteners Sales Manager. “It was really cross-pollination of a great idea that helped it blossom.”
Each Raptor is custom-made to satisfy the carrier’s concealment requirements. The radome is designed to work with existing bulkheads and structural spines on existing poles, so it can be retrofitted to almost any monopole in the field.
The company has produced a wide array of sizes, from a radome as small as 12 inches in diameter, up to 96 inches in diameter. Vertically, the concealments stretch anywhere from 6 feet to 12 feet in height. A three-bay tower will receive three sections of Raptors.
Vented Canisters Solved Antenna Overheating
The innovation did not stop there. In a short period of time, Allfasteners developed an additional model of the Raptor Radome when carriers came to them with antenna overheating issues. The company developed a vented canister option, in addition to the solid product.
“Concealed canister overheating is happening in the north as well as in states like Texas and Arizona; really, all across the country,” Wyman said. “We continue to refine it to meet the challenges and difficulties of the industry.”
There is a third model in the Raptor Radome line, in the form of a standard panel replacement package for previously concealed poles. The replacement panels bolt right on to the existing bulkheads.
The Raptor uses panel material that can be specially formed and is UV-stabilized for protection against degradation from UV light for up to 15 years. It is impact resistant, as well as RF transparent up to 39 GHz.
Out of Sight, Out of Mind
Allfasteners’ concealment solutions help to hide wireless antennas from sight. They are designed to blend into cities, campuses, and other various surroundings without compromising performance.
“Elements of stealth and camouflage blend to create our concealment solutions,” said Carmichael. “The concealment structures are designed to wrap around a structure or antenna so that even the keenest eye cannot spot an antenna in any conceivable application.”
Along with the Raptor Radome Concealment Canister, Allfasteners offers several different products to conceal antennas and small cells, including: 5G-Approved Panels – The 5G Skin, concealment walls and windows, concealment canisters, and monopine concealment.
Pictured are an example of concealment walls and windows, and monopine concealment
In the future, Allfasteners plans to continue to develop the Raptor as the wireless industry evolves, remaining on the front lines with the latest technology. “One of the huge benefits of the Raptor is ease of access to the antenna for the contractor,” Wyman said. “I think the future design will increase the ease of install, as well as increase the ease of access.”
For more information about Allfasteners’ Raptor Radome and other concealment solutions, visit: https://allfasteners.com//concealment-solutions or email [email protected].
By J. Sharpe Smith, Inside Towers Technology Editor
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