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[TowerTalk] My Nello Tower

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Subject: [TowerTalk] My Nello Tower
From: "Vic" <wb4slm@cox.net>
Date: Thu, 9 Jul 2009 14:19:35 -0500
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Group // 

First off I do not work for Nello -- nor do I have any association with them -- 
I can only tell you my experience with the product -- 

and that IMO the product is fine -- I've got 100 feet of 55N & no problems -- 
galvanize is fine -- I can't see much difference between Rohn & Nello -- 

Now for the install -- 

I called a "recommended ham tower installer" here in the southeast -- he came 
out & put the tower together on the ground & suggested he could get a crane in 
and set all 100 feet at one time -- sounds easy enough -- but I was skeptical & 
concerned about weight issues on the structure lifting 100 feet at one time -- 
also the installer complained about the sections not lining correctly --so he 
used a drift pin & BMFH to dowel the holes together -- knocking off some 
galvanize in the process -- I wasn't too impressed -- with either the tower or 
the work at that time -- 

I then called a long time friend who has been a commercial tower installer for 
55 years -- asked him to come out look at the tower before it was "lifted" .. 
couple things came up real quick -- first, the Nello sections are "jig aligned 
& jig bored" -- meaning the little welded tab on each section is to be aligned 
with all the little tabs welded on each section -- all those tabs should be on 
the same legs going up --- .. the first person I contacted did not know this or 
he would have done so -- second the commercial installer said he thinks no more 
than 50 feet should ever be attempted and he preferred no more than 20 .. 

-- we took the assembled tower apart on the ground & lined the welded "tab" up 
for each leg -- amazingly the tower straightened out, the bolts fit, went 
together like a glove -- wasn't a problem with the tower, it was a problem with 
the first assembly .. it was wrong !! ..

I asked the commercial installer what about Nello and the quality of tower -- 
he said their main product is for the cell phone industry -- he said they do 
use a double galvanize process which adds a little weight to the tower, but the 
structure is no different from Rohn or anyone else .. as far as climbing, he 
says the only difference is the bottom "stringer" is bent back to the tower and 
sometimes a shoe lace could catch on the metal, but since most guys who climb 
for a living don't have hanging loose fit shoe laces -- he provided that titbit 
for my information & safety .. 

Sales & customer support -- it was and is satisfactory -- I bought my sections 
through the distributor in Florida -- I had a little communication problem with 
the shipping to a depot in Macon, GA -- the pallets broke and the tower was 
scattered across the ramp -- had to stop the gorilla driving the forklift from 
lifting the sections with the forklift & knocking off the galvanize .. follow 
up support for the missing bolts that got lost in shipping was handled 
overnight at no extra charge .. 

I think the Nello product is fine for commercial & amateur applications -- as 
long as you follow the manufactures instructions to line up the little welded 
tabs on each section -- 

 -- cheers de Vic WB4SLM - EM82dp // 


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