The Raptor Radome was designed by Allfasteners as a customized antenna concealment solution for a major towerco that was struggling with panels blowing off its towers or coming loose in the wind. Its creators never could have imagined what one of the tower concealment products would endure in the fall of 2022 when two hurricanes arrived 41 days apart.
In 2018, Allfasteners entered into a collaborative effort with the major towerco and other tower owners to design a concealment canister that could stand up to high winds and ease of access. “We spent a lot of time on the development side identifying different pain points to create a design that would be as resilient and accessible as possible,” said Bruce Carmichael, Allfasteners Sales Manager. “The thin piece of material that covers the antenna is exposed to such high wind loading that it really needed rigidity added to the whole canister.” The resulting concealment canister, known as the Raptor Radome, is now being used to protect antennas for all of the major carriers in the United States.
Over the years of development, Allfasteners tested the product in a wind tunnel, subjecting it repeatedly to 5-second bursts at 150 miles an hour in a nationally accredited laboratory. Coincidently, the maximum sustained winds were at 150 mph when Hurricane Ian came ashore on Florida’s west coast near Cayo Costa, FL, at 3 p.m. on September 28, tying the record for the fifth-strongest hurricane on record to strike the U.S.
Although the hurricane knocked 1,500 cell towers out of service, one tower with 4 -10 ft. Raptor Radomes located in Vero Beach, FL, sustained high winds and came out unscathed. “It was really a tribute to the collaborative work that we did,” Carmichael said. “Our customer was very happy that the tower could sustain this type of event.”
Forty-one days later, when Hurricane Nicole made landfall around 3 a.m., November 10, the same tower was tested again by Mother Nature. This time, the hurricane was a direct hit and the tower had to withstand sustained winds of 75 mph. It remained online and came out with minor damage.
“We feel pretty good about the performance of the concealment canister and the way it protected the antennas,” Carmichael. “We have analyzed what caused the damage and will make improvements.” Allfasteners determined that the damage to the Raptor Radome will be covered under its exclusive warranty, which includes the materials and the workmanship.
Luckily, hurricanes don’t hit everywhere in the U.S., but every state has its wind events. As storm fronts move through, cell towers standing many feet in the air catch the brunt of the winds. Loose bolts, straps, and buckles, as well as panels can be easily damaged and go missing. The Raptor Radome is designed and engineered to be resilient to whatever nature throws at it.
For more information, go to https://allfasteners.com/, email Bruce at [email protected] or call them at 888-859-6060.
By J. Sharpe Smith, Inside Tower Technology Editor
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