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| Reviews Summary for EZ Hang |
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Reviews: 9
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Average rating: 3.9/5
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MSRP: $89.95
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Description: The perfect tool when you want to put up a wire antenna easily, quickly and safely! EZ HANG can be used to "shoot" a line over a tree or other object over 100 feet high.
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More info: http://www.ezhang.com/
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You can
write your own review of the EZ Hang.
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KB3CS
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 4, 2007 19:42
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wire antenna up 50ft and ready
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Both reviews by KE5KDA and WA2TCQ seem harsh in light of my experience with the EZ Hang tool (not the "EZ Hang Kit"). I supplied my own Mason's Line from Home Depot (500ft spool of florescent greenish 'string' on a winder just like what is shown as part of the "Kit").
I've done enough cast fishing to always remember to press the release button on the back of the reel first before flinging the lead fishing weight. Don't go increasing the drag setting either (the +/- wheel). The drag should be set easily halt the reel-in of the line if the weight gets stuck without breaking the line.
Grasp the weight firmly in the leather pouch. Adjust the position of the weight in the pouch until you're sure you've got a firm and stable grip on it. I grab it at the thicker end of the weight with the eyehook forward.
Pull the pouch back, stretching the bands only a couple inches. Aim for the sky. You'll want a high ballistic arc. It took very little band stretch to fire the 1/2 ounce weight more than 50feet up and 75feet downrange.
Reel back not more than about 5feet of monofilament - enough to lift the weight off the ground and leave it dangling in the air where you can go find it.
Tie a loop in the end of the Mason's Line and hook it on in place of the weight. Reel in the monofilament to thread the mason's line over your intended branch or along the canopy of your selected tree. You may need to unspool some of the mason's line to reduce reel-in drag. Sometimes releasing the monofilament and pulling back some of the mason's line is necessary. Take your time.
With the Mason's Line threaded and your chosen antenna support line attached, haul away to thread the support line in place so you can finally raise the antenna itself using the support line.
One other useful tool: a 10meter mast/pole - MFJ-1910. use it to push the ends of tree branches out of the way of the antenna or to nudge the wire clear of an inconveniently placed twig end of a branch or to guide a section of the antenna out of the way of an obstruction while you're raising it.
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WA2TCQ
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Rating: 1/5
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Jan 22, 2007 18:02
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Cheap Components
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Disappointing. I first had to replace the line on the cheap Zebco reel because it was invisible once you got a shot off. I replaced it with a green monofilament 15lb test. It continually would misfire i.e. the lead weight and or line would foul in the rubber bands. The reel is as cheap as they get. I had to replace line frequently due to rats nests inside the reel. I would look for other options.
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N2OAM
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 3, 2006 17:21
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Expensive, BUT.............
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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It sure does work. I've tried surfcasting rods & a bow & arrow. The surfcasting rod works, but it takes many casts to get the line where you want it. Bow will do the job, but you need a day with NO wind, not even a breeze. And I get dirty looks from the looney left neighbor (wait till she sees my M14). It took me a total of five shots to get lines up over 2 trees, one a 70'++ tall pine tree. Now my Windom is up at about 60'. :>)
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KQ4KK
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Rating: 4/5
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Nov 28, 2006 10:28
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It works.... Once you learn how
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Great concept. Great guys at the Ham Fest at their booth. I bought a kit, tried to get over a tree, jammed the reel and such. Gave them a call and they BROUGHT me a whole new kit, with extra weights.
Let a year lapse, leaves off the trees again, went out and spent 30 min learning to use a slingshotwithafishingreelattached. Yea, hard to read, not easy for me to do. But, I figured out how to "shoot a line". Got my Carolina Windom way up in the tree, this time, the first time.
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KU2US
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Rating: 4/5
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Nov 27, 2006 20:12
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FRUSTRATING BUT.....
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have had mine for over 4 years. 5 reels, two elastic bands and about 50 fishing weights later, I have installed about 8 different antennas in my trees over a period of years. A word of thought, for those who live in the North East, wait till all of the leaves come off the trees in autumn. Less tangling. My cottonwood trees are about 100 ft. high-quite challenging but it works with practice. Make sure you paint the weights a bright red or yellow. To pricey now, but resonable when I bought mine.
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KE5KDA
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Rating: 2/5
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Nov 27, 2006 19:14
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Good idea, but cheap quality and high price...
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Sorry, but I just did not have a very good experience with this. To begin with, when you spend $89 for a clever gadget, you expect decent quality. Mine came with a Zebco 33 attached to it (by the way, not near the same quality Zebco 33 made years ago) with 10lb line. I was attempting to hang a Cobra Ultralite (which I love!) and the line broke many times pulling just the light dacron line through the tree. The real jammed several times and by the time I finally got everything working okay, I had run out of line. Very frustrating! So I loaded the real with 20lb line and managed to get the center ladder line up and one of the side wires, but when attempting the third and last line, the stupid real fell apart! You know how it is, you are working on a project and all you want to do is finish. Who wants to have to go buy another real when they just bought one attached to a sling shot for $89?! Anyway, in anger I tossed the whole shabang into the trash and piched up my duaghter's $10 bow and arrow and tied it to the 20lb string. It only took 1 try with the bow and arrow and I was up in 10 minutes verses the 2 hours of hassle with the expensive EZ Hang. The EZ Hang is a great idea, but needs work. Simply put, it needs a better real, stronger line and all around needs much better quality. I would have still been frustrated, but if I had paid $35 for this, I would have expected the so-so quality. I know others have had great experiences with this and am sorry that I can't say the same.
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KD1CF
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 12, 2006 14:23
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Works very well
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Bought one years ago (paid $50) - it is pricey now in my opinion. It works very well. One can get the hang of it in just a few tries. For a weight use a socket from a rachet set, not a rock - nice because you just thread the line through the hole in the socket. It is very easy to shoot 50+ feet in the air - plan your landing path. Maybe be illegal in some states because it is a slingshot.
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AA2LD
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Rating: 4/5
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Nov 22, 2005 13:54
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Nice concept
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have used it to hang the central portion of my dipole. It is generally well built and the support is good (extra parts,etc.).
Warnings:
1. It is not 'legal' in some states (like New York where I live) because it's a slingshot
2. There is a very steep learning curve, and you may lose a few of the weights.
3. Take your time with the thing; it can be frustrating.
In summary, it's a good concept and execution.
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K6SDW
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 22, 2005 13:11
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SIICK!!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I bought mine several years ago and just threw it on the shelf. Well, I finally had a need to shoot some guy lines for a dipole into tall tall trees and took the wrapping off the EZ Hang. Well, after a couple of bonehead tries (definitely pilot error), I got the hang of it and the thing works SLICK....I mean I shot my line over a 60' tree across the entire yard and into the neighbor's back yard.
Quality built -- you shouldn't need to ever climb another tree if you have one of these kool things!!
NEVER a problem with tangled fishing lines!!
Cheers all!
ed
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