[TowerTalk] My Nello Tower

[Vic]

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 //