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write your own review of the US Towers TX Series Crank-ups.
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N3MKC
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Rating: 2/5
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May 11, 2011 19:07
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Heavy
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have a TX-455 with a manual winch this is a job cranking it up and has a lot to be desired for the design of the winch cable set up. A Block setup would of been better. Going motorized is much better but expensive. A big issue is what happens if a cable snaps this is a very bad situation and can cause major damage and hopefully nobody is near it if it goes. Position locks would of been good but you would need a crane if its locked in position and you lose a cable. But that would be cheaper than replacing all your antenna gear. Just my thoughts.
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AH6WX
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Rating: 2/5
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Feb 27, 2011 13:55
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TMM-433HD+motor...NO INSTRUCTIONS!
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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Let me tell you a little bit about my unique situation. I live on Hawaii's Big Island in a HOA w/ CC&R's...I know, I know...However after a long battle I won the right to erect a crank up tower. I chose the TMM-433 HD as it was the only one the met all the engineering and setback requirements imposed. And I selected the MDP-750 motor as I'm well into my 60's. This is also my first tower. In addition I purchased the raising fixture, indoor remote unit, outside remote control unit.
I had the entire installation done professinally. The basic tower appears to be solidly built and meets my expectations. Everything else did not. To start with the raising fixture began to corrode from day one. It was not made of galvanized steel as the tower was.
The provided instruction for the basic tower installation and maitenance were very minimal and next to useless. Even the tower installer couldn't make sense of some of them. US Tower apparently is deathly afraid of lawsuits if someone follows their instructions and gets injured. My view is they are also liable if someone gets injured because there are no instructions.
The instructions provided for wiring from the tower to the circuit breaker box do not reflect the proper gauge of wire. I needed 10 gauge wire for a 50' run versus the stated 12 gauge. Fortunately the error was corrected by the electrician during installation.
There were absolutely no wiring diagrams provided for the outdoor remote cabinet, motor, or limit switches. This is criminal!...Well I had problems! The motor burned out w/ no warning after less than five months of use. After considerable hassle, US Tower replaced the motor under warranty. It was determined the probable cause of the motor failure was a limit switch that worked out of the correct position during shipment. Since there was no diagram to inspect, I had no way to check the switch position location.
Installing the new motor was quite a challenge. The provided US Tower instructions refered to some wires that don't exist. After lengthy efforts to resolve that, a US Tower person provided me with the correct wiring over the phone but not in writing.
By trial and error with a lot of continuity checks, I now reasonably well understand the wiring. The new motor is working! However this is a dusty environment w/ fairly frequent high winds. The motor and attached capacitor need to be protected in order to keep the grit out. There are holes on the side of the motor for accessories I think, but no place for condensation to drain. I am concerned that the replacement motor may fail quickly as well due to this poor design.
To summarize, the basic tower seems well made. But if you can handle a winch, I would entirely avoid the motor. Note if the tower gets stuck in the up position due to a power failure or motor problem, it is an extremely laborious process to manually lower the tower. If you insist on buying the motor anyway, you should have experience with electric motors, an electrical engineering background, and be very proficient with tools and diagnostic procedures.
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W7TJ
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Rating: 5/5
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May 26, 2007 06:19
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Rugged & Well Engineered
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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The TX 455 is an outstanding tower & Customer Support is great. - Practical Considerations B4 your installation:
Living in the Country or owning Acreage, 100ft + free standing towers would be the norm with most, and points contained here would be mute; however many live in areas where if you are going to have a tower, crank ups are the only option as Real Estate is limited.
During my 43 years of Amatier Radio, I have owned/put up Rohn 25,45, and 55G at heights of 50 to 200 feet with big antennas to match...there are DEFINITELY differences everyone considering a crank up installation should factor in to their decision making process. Practical information is tough to come by according to US Tower's Reps ( unless you know someone first hand with an installation ) as {most} Amateur Dealers have not taken the time to learn the details and practical/technical tradeoffs in installing a crankup tower.
Three Key areass demand special Attention:
1. Tower delivery to QTH and antenna site
2. Concrete Base
3. Antenna Maintenance, Repair, Changes, etc....
First, be aware you are not dealing with individual tower section weights, but one large compressed structure weighing 700-1200+ pounds. Mistakes/Poor Decisions can result in tremendous property damage, Injury, and other unthinkable consequences. Arrangements will have to be made for Winch/Boom trucks to off load the antenna at the freight dock or your Antenna site or you will have to have your own antenna crew of big strong folks to do the same. [ keep in mind if you arrange your own shipping, you are on your own if the tower arrives damaged where the Manufacturer will assume this responsibiltiy if you use their shipper] If you have a sprinkler system, or other landscapte amenities, large trucks will not be practical due to weight/size and turf compression.
Second, the Concrete Base is the most important consideration as ALL the tower and antenna weight is concentrated as no guys. There can absolutely be no Compromise here...size of hole, rebar, and concrete ( plan on 1.5 to 2+ Cubic yards ) and leveling must be perfect. Hire a Concrete Contractor. Concrete trucks may or may not have access to your antenna site, therefore your might consider hiring a Concrete Pumper as they can lay hose and "Pipe in " the necessary Concrete quickly filling your tower base and sparing you countless trips with a wheel barrel etc.etc. Allow more than 28 days for a good cure.
Third, it is unreasonable to think you will never have maintenance, adjustment, or repair to your system and even working at a cranked down or "nested height" is not the easy task that most think. The tower cannot be safely climbed in the vertical nested position, as there is no place for feet or hands, let alone another climber..precarious at best. Unless you have access to a low roof, nearby structure, scaffolding,wheeled self supporting ladder, or hydraulic scissors work platforms, BUY the Companys Raising Fixture. This will allow safe lowering of the antenna and tower to the 30 degree position and completely eliminate the aforementioned equipment and necessity of rounding up the antenna crew everytime you wish to make a small adjustment or change something out. Building a jack stand to place under the tower when lowered offers an extra margin of safety as the weight is then supported by the tower's raising fixture,base pivot point, and jackstand, ( treated 4x4s approx. 4 1/2 feet tall with bottom and top cross members will do the trick at a low cost.)
Cranking these toweres up with antenna loads is WORK even if you are in shape. Anything over 55 feet you definitely want the motorized version, with a 55 foot tower one can be ordered or added to the tower winch at a later date.
US Tower will provide an online manual upon purchase, their products and accessories and customer support are outstanding. Carefully consider the practical points prior to embarking on any crankup installation.
Randy W7TJ
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K4DTC
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Rating: 4/5
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Mar 30, 2007 20:35
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Very well made and reliable
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have owned a used TX-455 with TRX-80 lifting fixture for about 1.5 years. The tower is an older model, and was stored on the ground for awhile before I bought it, at least third hand. The tower had very little rust, and was still in very good shape. Digging the hole for the base, making the rebar cage and installing the concrete was challenging, but worth the effort and dollar savings. The only contact I had with US Tower was in buying the TRX-80 lifing feature. They shipped the wrong parts, and then shipped the wrong parts a second time. Finally, I sent them pictures and talked to a knowlegable person, and they made it right. But it should have been right the first time. Once I got everyting installed, I can say that the lifting fixture, though expensive, is WORTH THE MONEY. Don't be cheap! It is so easy to work on my Mosley CL-33, rotator and cables. No climbing!!! So I am very happy with my tower, which never seems to be strained, even in strong winds. 73!!!
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W9KNI
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 10, 2007 14:22
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Terrific Tower!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I just put up a US Tower model HDX-589MDPL. This very substantial tower was not inexpensive, but it offers very good value if you need the capabilities it offers.
The design and execution are spectacular. It truly instills confidence.
I have avoided crank-up towers for years, for reasons of price and safety concerns, instead using guyed Rohn 45, but the terrain of my new QTH does not allow for guy wires, and I am getting to the age where a lot of climbing in years to come is not an attractive prospect. A careful study of the US Tower design removed my concerns for the relative safety of a crank-up tower, at least so far as US Towers are concerned. The positive pull down feature and clearly very conservative wind load ratings gave me confidence in my decision.
I will of course still exercise due caution as appropriate, but having been closely involved in its erection and seeing how sturdy and well built it is I have great confidence in it.
The tower, with the addition of the erection fixture, goes up easily and well, thanks in no small way to its precision manufacture. This is clearly a well engineered and well thought out tower.
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WA8NWN
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Rating: 4/5
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Jan 28, 2007 13:28
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Good Strong Tower
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I bought my TX-455 tower used and traveled 300 miles to pick it up. Fully nested, it was about 26 feet long counting the mast and weighed about 700 lbs. I have had it for about a year.
This is a serious tower and I think all towers like this are inherently dangerous to handle and erect. If you don’t think you can do all that is required, you should sit back, relax and let a professional tower erector do it. Digging the hole, building the heavy rebar cage and pouring the concrete is no picnic. I did it all myself over the summer in little steps. All went well. Even though the 10 year old cables looked to be in perfect condition, I replaced them anyway. (Expensive) New anchor bolts were also required. I am not crazy about the hand wenches used on the raising fixture and tower. Although they work ok and have an automatic brake, they seem light in construction and the ratchet pawl is small.
My approach on this is to put it up and leave it alone. The less you mess with it, the better. It’s a good tower and the company is good too.
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VY0PW
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 19, 2005 14:33
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recommended
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Have my TX-455 up now for three years.
Carries an A-3S and no problems with the wx or winds. Well built and coated.
Cranking it up and down is a bit of an exercise but keeps you in shape.
The customer service was outstanding.
Highly recommended, both the company and the product.
73
Peter
VY0PW
ex VE8PW
ex VK8PW
ex F0BAU
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WB6Q
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 12, 2004 07:28
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Would But Again
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I owned the TX455 for about 5 years in California and had no problems with it. I understand they have changed the base configuration and the size of the concrete base to increase the windloading which should make the tower an even more attractive buy. When winds were expected in the 40 mph range I always cranked it down for safety. Cranking it back up while not difficult always made me wish I had motorized it.
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KA4P
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Rating: 4/5
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Sep 7, 2004 12:46
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Nice tower, good service
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I saw a few reviews on the US Tower crankups recently so I figured it was time for my 2 cents.
I have owned a TX472MDPL (motor drive version) since April of 2003.
General Observations:
It takes a good bit of work and planning to dig the hole, set the rebar, set the base and pour the concrete. Better plan also on how you expect to remove the tower from the truck and attach it to the base. My version of the tower weighs 1210 pounds.
I was lucky in that I have a neighbor who is a tree cutter and I was able to rent his crane to move the beast around.
After the pour, I let the concrete set for a full month before attaching the tower to the base. This is not a project for the impatient. I understand you can actually order the base before you take delivery of the tower.
I also ordered the raising fixture for the tower which allows me to crank it over for service. I would highly recommend this accessory.
Pros:
The tower is well constructed. All the cables were intact and in good shape. All associated hardware was there and fit all the appropriate holes.
The people at US Tower are very responsive to questions and concerns. I had problems described below and they helped me through every step of the way.
Cons:
I had problems with the motor drive almost from the beginning. Sometimes the motor would refuse to start, just sitting there humming. Other times it seemed to work just fine. I went from a 14 gauge extension cord to a 12 gauge. This seemed to help a little but did not eliminate the problem completely. One day last fall I was having difficulties and the electrician at US Tower suggested changing out the starting capacitor. I was surprised to find that the compartment holding the capacitor was full of water......NOT GOOD!
After replacing the capacitor and sealing up the compartment, problems continued. This spring I went out to lower the tower and the motor just sat there humming. I removed the drive belt from the motor and found that I could keep the motor stalled with my bare hand. The electrician at US Tower offered to exchange motors with me.
As I removed the motor from its electrical connections, it became apparent that there was water inside the motor itself. The electrician at US Tower reported to me that the inside of the motor had extensive corrosion. Obviously this motor had a leak somewhere! FYI....this motor is manufactured by Marathon Electric in Wisconsin.
In any event, the new motor arrived and I installed it without difficulty. Even with the new motor I still had problems with the thing wanting bog down when trying to raise the tower.
Eventually, I went to 10 gauge wire and this seems to have solved the problem. My electrical run is 125 feet and I would strongly recommend using 10 gauge wire for anything greater than 100 feet. If I had to make a run to the tower longer than mine I might consider rigging the motor for 220V. (This is fairly easy to do.)
Another problem I encountered was with the rotor base plate. The holes in the plate would not exactly fit my Orion 2800 rotor. I actually was aware of this problem before I bought the Orion. I am not sure where to place the blame for this one as I understand other rotors such and Hygain and Yaesu fit the plate just fine. After a little drilling, I got the Orion mounted. Also with Orion rotors, make sure you specify the round and not the oval mast clamp. The oval clamp will not fit inside the TX series towers.
Conclusion:
This is a strong, heavy, well constructed piece of equipment. It is just the thing for a ham like me who does not like to climb anymore.
Much planning and patience is required during the installation.
I saw one reviewer complaining about cable problems leading to crashes. The documents with the tower recommend periodic inspections and lubrication of the cables and pulleys. They go on to say they recommend replacement of the cables every 3 years. I don't know if I would attempt such a task this often, but I will certainly do the inspections to make sure they are in good condition.
Anything with moving parts requires maintainence.
I am happy. In spite of some of the difficulties I had, I would buy another, and the folks at US Tower are fine people.
73 to all, Tom, KA4P
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WB6MMV
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Rating: 4/5
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Sep 3, 2004 18:59
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Great Tower
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I purchased a TX-455 tower two years ago with the tilt down feature. I have a 3 ele steppir yagi on it. I have taken the tower down and tilted it over a number of times in the process of putting up my antenna. The quality of construction of the tower is good, the welds are acceptable, and the cabling is fine. I had my tower sitting in a rainy environment for almost a year prior to putting it up and it shows no sign of rust or corrosion anywhere despite being on the ground. I find that cranking the tower up and down is by far the only thing that I dislike about the tower. We get high winds in my area on occasion and with a light antenna like the steppir, the tower easily handle the wind load.
I found US towers to be responsive and accomodating when I needed drawings with a PE stamp for my state. The additional material was sent immediately and at no cost.
I have had the tower up for a relatively short period of time, however during that time I find the tower to be well worth the money.
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