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Re: [TowerTalk] Question for Hazer owners

To: "Byron Lichtenwalner" <w3wkr@verizon.net>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Question for Hazer owners
From: "Rick Karlquist" <richard@karlquist.com>
Reply-to: richard@karlquist.com
Date: Wed, 8 Aug 2007 15:38:09 -0700 (PDT)
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
With the "improved" configuration, I had trouble with the
thing getting stuck going UP.  So a pull down isn't a panacea.

Rick N6RK



Byron Lichtenwalner wrote:
> Anybody tried a positive pull down like many of the current crank up
> towers
> are using?
>
> Byron, W3WKR
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "W5CPT" <w5cpt@bellsouth.net>
> To: "Randall Mullinax" <rcm@icnet.net>
> Cc: <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2007 5:06 PM
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Question for Hazer owners
>
>
>>I also have been considering a Hazer. The GM literature offers a wheel
>> kit
>>for the Rohn 25 Hazer. They are not spring loaded but I think that it
>> would
>>be a good investment as I also have heard stories about stuck Hazers. The
>>investment for me would be $ while yours will be time, $ and materials.
>>
>> Clint - W5CPT
>>  ----- Original Message -----
>>  From: Rick Karlquist
>>  To: Randall Mullinax
>>  Cc: towertalk@contesting.com
>>  Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2007 3:57 PM
>>  Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Question for Hazer owners
>>
>>
>>  You have hit on the biggest bugaboo of the Hazer, namely clearances
>>  vis a vis any tower imperfections.  I have a GM1850 tower with GM
>>  Hazer, and it definitely have problems with getting stuck.  The
>>  original design of the Hazer is fairly loose and allows it to
>>  rattle around.  With that configuation, if it does get stuck, I
>>  can just wiggle a guy wire to shake it loose.  I bought a kit
>>  from GM to convert to an "improved" configuration using plastic
>>  blocks with V grooves that fit the corners of the tower (the
>>  tower legs are angles, not pipes).   This was a disaster, and
>>  was hopeless in terms of getting stuck.  I will admit that if you
>>  sight along the tower you can detect a very slight warp or twist
>>  in it.  IMHO, this is no excuse.  The Hazer needs to be able to
>>  deal with a less than perfect tower.  (I bought this tower used,
>>  so for all I know, the owner sold it because he was having
>>  trouble with it getting stuck).
>>
>>  Of course, just making the Hazer loose isn't desirable because
>>  then it rattles around in the wind.  However, this rattling hasn't
>>  been a problem in 4 years.  Just realize that you don't want to
>>  make it looser than necessary.
>>
>>  What I suggest you do in terms of a homebrew Hazer is to make two
>>  improvements that GM should have done:  use rollers instead of sliders
>>  and spring load them with stiff springs.  One other thing I don't
>>  like about the Hazer is that you are standing at the bottom of
>>  the tower cranking the winch.  The GM winch doesn't have positive
>>  braking and in any event, if something goes wrong, you are a sitting
>>  duck underneath the antenna.  I do wear a hard hat, which is some
>>  protection.  If I was homebrewing, I would go with a motorized winch
>> and
>>  be done with it.
>>
>>  Someone will no doubt post that their GM tower/Hazer works perfectly,
>>  etc.  I am happy for any satisfied owners, but I stand by my
>>  less than desirable experience.
>>
>>  Rick N6RK
>>
>>
>>
>>  Randall Mullinax wrote:
>>  > I've heard all the negatives about the Hazer but I'm getting old and
>> don't
>>  > want to climb anymore.  I've got an existing 12' face, solid leg,
>> free
>>  > standing  broadcast tower.  The tower doesn't have leg flanges so a
>> hazer
>>  > type tram would word but I'll have to home brew one since the tower
>> legs
>>  > are larger than a 25G.
>>  >
>>  > My question of Hazer owners is.....what is the clearance between the
>> Hazer
>>  > and the tower leg.  It must be a pretty close since I've heard of
>> Hazers
>>  > getting stuck due to slightly bowed 25G's.  Put another way....what
>> is
>> the
>>  > distance between the Hazer frame the tower leg.
>>  >
>>  > Thanks for any information you can provide.
>>  >
>>  > 73
>>  > Randy
>>  > AD5RM
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>>
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