A communications tower co-located at the Mendota solar distribution site, serving as the first junction hub for a statewide municipal ISP and carrier tower network across Illinois.
Strategically positioned between Rockford, Chicago/Naperville, Quad Cities, and Peoria to connect northern Illinois via high-powered point-to-point radio links.
Mendota, Illinois sits at the geographic crossroads of northern Illinois. Co-locating a communications tower at an existing solar distribution site creates a dual-use infrastructure asset.
Equidistant from Rockford (80km N), Chicago/Naperville (113km E), Quad Cities (110km W), and Peoria (100km SW). A single tower here becomes the junction for the entire northern Illinois network.
An active solar distribution site provides existing power infrastructure, land access, and aligned interests. The tower adds revenue to the solar project without significant impact on panel output.
Illinois prairie terrain is ideal for long-range radio links. With minimal obstructions, a 60m tower at Mendota has line-of-sight to relay points in every direction, enabling multi-gigabit backhaul links.
Mendota as the central junction connecting northern Illinois metro areas via point-to-point radio links. Click nodes and links for details.
Mendota sits at the geographic center of northern Illinois, making it an ideal junction point for connecting the state's major metropolitan areas via high-powered point-to-point radio links.
Configure tower placement on the solar parcel. Tower must be positioned to minimize shadow impact on solar panels and minimize fiber boring across the property.
At Mendota's latitude (41.55°N), the sun is always in the southern sky. Shadows fall north. NW or NE corner placement keeps shadows away from the majority of the panel array.
Longest shadow of the year. Critical for placement.
Moderate shadow. Represents average annual impact.
Minimal shadow impact during peak solar production.
Directional boring is the preferred method to avoid disturbing solar panel foundations and underground wiring.
Rate: $15-25/ft typical for Illinois (varies by soil conditions and existing utilities).
Minimizing on-property boring: Placing the tower in the NW corner reduces the fiber run across active solar infrastructure. Route should follow property edges, not cut through panel arrays.
Calculate signal viability for each Mendota-to-city link using real radio equipment specifications. Includes free space path loss, rain attenuation, Fresnel zone clearance, and line-of-sight geometry.
Based on VE2DBE Radio Mobile methodologies and standard RF engineering formulas. Use Radio Mobile Online for site-specific terrain analysis with real elevation data.
The tower is designed with distinct tiers: lower sections for mobile carrier tenants (revenue), upper sections for high-powered narrow-beam backbone radios connecting the statewide network.
Equipment shelters, fiber demarcation, power distribution, network switching gear
Mobile carrier antennas (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile), local WISP sector antennas, county emergency services
Higher-gain carrier antennas, 5G small cell backhaul, regional ISP point-to-point links
Municipal ISP backbone radios, inter-city point-to-point links to relay towers at DeKalb, Sterling, LaSalle-Peru
Highest-powered, narrowest-beam radios for the longest links. High-gain dish antennas (33-38 dBi) aimed at Rockford, Chicago, Quad Cities, and Peoria relay points.
Dual revenue streams: tower co-location leases from mobile carriers and municipal ISP subscriber fees. Adjust tenant counts and tower height to model different scenarios.
Revenue from leasing tower space to mobile carriers, WISPs, and public safety agencies. Rates based on typical Illinois rural tower co-location pricing.
Based on comparable municipal ISPs in rural Illinois. Mendota city population ~7,000 with surrounding rural area.
The tower requires fiber optic backhaul bored to the property for internet transit. Routing must minimize disruption to existing solar panel infrastructure.
Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) is the preferred method. Bores underground without disturbing surface infrastructure including solar panel foundations and underground wiring.
Route fiber from the nearest road right-of-way to the tower base, following property edges. Avoid cutting through the active solar array. NW corner placement offers the shortest bore path in most parcel configurations.
Illinois prairie soil (clay/loam) is favorable for boring at $15-25/ft. Total bore of 300-700 ft typically runs $5,000 - $18,000. Add conduit and fiber cable costs ($2-5/ft materials).
The Mendota tower is the first node in a community-owned broadband network. By combining tower lease revenue with ISP subscriber fees, the infrastructure pays for itself while serving the community.
Detailed cost breakdown for a 400-foot (122m) self-support lattice tower at the Mendota, IL solar distribution site. Designed for multi-tenant carrier co-location and municipal ISP backbone.
Fabrication, delivery, and crane erection of lattice sections
Geotechnical, concrete pier foundation for 400' lattice
Required federal/state/local permits for 400' structure
Compound, power, grounding, and access improvements
Directional bore from road ROW to tower compound
Initial backbone links and local coverage radios
Cost ranges reflect 2025-2026 Illinois market pricing. Actual costs depend on vendor selection, soil conditions, permitting timeline, and material pricing at time of construction.
With carrier leases starting month 1, ISP subscribers ramping by month 6
| Factor | 200' Tower | 400' Tower |
|---|---|---|
| Line-of-sight radius | ~28 km (17 mi) | ~40 km (25 mi) |
| Carrier tenant capacity | 3-4 tenants | 5-8+ tenants |
| Annual lease revenue potential | $50K–$80K | $96K–$175K |
| Construction cost | $350K–$600K | $700K–$1.37M |
| FAA requirements | Evaluation required | Full study + lighting |
| Backbone link quality | Good (relay needed for 80km+) | Excellent (direct 100km+ links) |
| Payback period | 24–36 months | 18–24 months |
The 400' tower costs ~2x more but generates ~2-3x more revenue through additional tenants and premium lease rates. The taller tower also enables direct backbone links to all target cities without intermediate relays, reducing long-term operating costs.
The Mendota Solar Tower is the first step toward a community-owned, solar-powered communications network spanning Illinois. The tower pays for itself through carrier leases while delivering broadband to underserved communities.