[TowerTalk] Shipping Companies

[K7LXC at aol.com]

In a message dated 12/2/2010 12:01:13 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
towertalk-request at contesting.com writes:

>  I am in the process of purchasing the HDX589MDPL from  K0FF. I will be
picking it up in MO in March. I was wondering what the best  method of
transportation would be to get it from Missouri to California.  Ray, N6RV,
mentioned I should ask here to see if there is a reasonable  shipping
company. Skip, KJ6Y, said I could use a large U Haul flatbed. I  figure 
about
two days travel.


    Hauling it yourself can pencil out. Several years  ago I moved the same 
type tower from San Jose, CA, to the Seattle area. A  trucking company 
quoted me about $2k - I rented a flatbed truck and did it for  about 1/2 that. 
 
    There's a reason why UST uses a trucking company  that picks it up at 
the factory and delivers it directly to the customer - too  much handling and 
damage otherwise. If you consign it to a shipping company,  there's that 
damage potential. 
 
    The trick is that you need handling on both ends  - I think the danged 
things weighs about 2000 lbs. (it might be 3000# - it was  a bunch of years 
ago) - so you'll need a backhoe, wrecker, crane or something  similar. 
Driving it's easy - it's the loading and unloading that's the crux.  

Cheers & GL,
Steve     K7LXC
TOWER TECH