With cellular dependency growing, signal boosting antennas are continually springing up to meet demand. Many find the structures intrusive and some municipalities require that cellular antennas be hidden from view. Concealing the antennas with standard building materials such as steel and aluminum becomes a challenge because metals can interfere with cellular signals and degrade an antenna’s performance. The solution is Strongwell’s fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites. The fiberglass composites are electro-magnetically transparent and therefore, invisible to cellular signals, radio waves, microwaves and other electromagnetic frequencies.

ComposiCon, Strongwell’s fabricator in Northern California, has worked with several cellular antennae screening applications. The fabricator knows that screening the antennas with Strongwell’s
FRP structural shapes will not distort the signal strength andcan be designed to be aesthetically pleasing.

ComposiCon combined Strongwell composite products to produce attractive cellular antenna screenings, as seen on this rooftop in San Francisco. The fabricator used EXTREN^® structural tube for support posts. SAFPLANK^®, Strongwell’s interlocking fiberglass decking, was attached to the square tube with FRP plate clips and Strongwell’s composite nut and bolt system, FIBREBOLT^®. ComposiCon completed the application with their custom fiberglass cornice. The resulting screen does not affect cellular signals, completely camouflages the antenna and blends aesthetically with the design of the building. FRP was the only reasonable option and the customers were well pleased with the results.

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