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Reviews For: EZ Hang (tm)

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : EZ Hang (tm)
Reviews: 40MSRP: $89.95
Description:
Sling Shot wire antenna installer
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.ezhang.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00403.7
AB1HL Rating: 2010-07-28
Reasonably good but dangerous. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have the version with just lead weights (not the tennis balls).

On the plus side, I've successfully hung multiple antennas in trees with the EZ-Hang. The small, heavy projectile makes its way through leaves and twigs pretty well and I've had no problem getting it back to earth.

On the minus side, the lead projectiles are pretty dangerous. I have had some nasty close calls, both with my head and with nearby windows. This has caused me to stop using the EZ Hang. It's also too bad that the reel jams most of the time.
M6FBS Rating: 2010-07-26
Great Idea, Crazy Price, Build your own! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is a five star product but the price is extortionate - hence three star rating and the fact that I built my own! (I have put 'time owned' as 0-3 months as I have never actually owned one, only borrowed one then homebrewed my own!)

I used one of these belonging to a friend and decided that it was a 'must have' piece of kit - not, however at $100 (plus postage to the UK)! Some company somewhere is laughing all the way to the bank! I decided to build my own:

Catapult with arm support £10 (ebay)
Fishing reel with line £10 (ebay)
Fishing weights 80p (local shop)
2 screws and 2 hose clips -say 20p (in toolbox)
Bit of old dowell - negligible (peice in woodshed).

TOTAL £21 (about $35).
The build took all of 45 minutes!

The end result is every bit as good as the pro EZ hang for about a third of the price. The catapult I used is a bit stronger than the one on the EZ hang. It clears my 120ft Lime tree with ease using a 3oz weight. Thanks EZ Hang for the idea - but don't buy one, build one!
W8VZM Rating: 2010-05-23
Why didn't I get one sooner? Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I finally have wires in the air at my new QTH. I am amazed at how easy it was. Lest you think I am a newbie I have been a ham 32 years. This is the first time I was able to put my G5RV in the tree at the height I wanted on the absolute first attempt. I purchased a used EZ Hang at Frostfest in Richmond, VA this year. Knowing that I had good trees at the new QTH and knowing the trouble that I have had in the past, I thought I would take a chance. I have spent hours trying to throw, flip, or any other method of getting the rope over the right limb of a tree. Today on the FIRST shot I got the rope in the right place on the right limb. Of course there were a couple of practice shots first but the first real thing worked flawlessly! I was absolutely amazed and within a short while I was on the air and wondering "Why Didn't I Get One of These Sooner?!" The workmanship is great. The reel was in good shape and was the original. As with anything inspect before use. Follow the directions and you too can get your wire in the sky quickly!
NK1S Rating: 2010-04-12
Great tool! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After a few "practice shots" in which I lost a couple of the yellow, one-ounce weights, the fourth shot went exactly where I wanted it, as did the next shot to the second tree. My antenna is now at least twice as high as it had been. Unlike some other reviewers, I had no trouble at all with the reel. Very useful product.
K8OCN Rating: 2009-04-30
I still like mine Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Yes the reel is junk and fell apart and finally I replaced it but I now have my antennas up higher then ever in my life! Also with a little practice It is quite accurate.

I purchased mine after I lost a favorite wrench in a tree (It still haings up there mocking me).

Yes its expensive, cost more than I could have made it for but there is nothing wrong with someone that came up with a good idea making some money on the deal.

If I ever loose mine (Its always on lone to someone) I will purchase another one (I will replace the reel as soon as I get it)

Delbert McCord KA8OCN


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Earlier 5-star review posted by K8OCN on 2006-09-26

I have owned our cabin for over 10 years, here I have trees all over the place and they are tall! Over the years I have tried everything I could think of (my best thing I found was a wrench tied to some nylon line, I still have a wrench hanging in a tree at about 30 feet mocking me)
I told myself I just could not pay 100$ for a slingshot, so I look on eBay (Never ending swap and shop) I NEVER saw one, and I looked many times over quite a few months.
This told me something, people that have purchased a Ez-Hang kept it, hmm
I broke down and ordered one, It came quickly and it laid in my office at home for 2 months before I had the chance to go upnorth.
When I got up here the first day is spent getting the field turned back into a lawn (if The XLY is not happy noone is happy) the next days it was antenna time, I agree you dont need to pull it all the way back, I am not sure if the first weight ever did come down, it may be in orbit I dont know.
I pulled enough to break the fishing line and tried about (that God I purchased extra weights) the second weight worked great, I put up 3 G5RV,s up over twice as high as they ever have been.
It does take some experence to not over shoot big time, and I am in the woods here so what I have found is almost straght up and is you dont pull it back to far its almost like a clay pigion is kind of hovers or at least slows down at the peak and you can see it very well then, I good my hand and slowed down the fishing line and I could feel it going down on the over side and saw it fine.
One of my lets goes over a pond and it has stuff growing up all around it and I never could get over it very well, I just aimed at the back yard and pull back a little harder (Going a long way) and it landed in the back yard within 3 feet of where I was tieing it off, to bad it was fun and I kind of wanted to do it again!

Is it expensive, yes but its worth twice as much!
The only complaint I have is they send you some very nice colored twine, and I even looked under a lighted magnifing glass and could not find the end, Finally I had to ask the XYL, she found it for me, he guys a lot of us old guys are half blind please made the end easier to find!
K8WV Rating: 2009-04-30
Simple and Great Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've been using an EZ Hang for the past year. It is great. I typically launch lines 80-100' in just a few minutes.

The value of this produce is not in the cost of the components, but in the utility of the assembled device. If you can build one for a few dollars, with a better reel, go right ahead. If it works, you love it. It was worth the price to me to have everything assembled and handed to me.

BTW, the reel is absolutely sufficient for the purpose.
KI4PSR Rating: 2009-04-30
Still working great! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Ok folks, after yet another year of ownership and use, this is still a favorite antenna tool of mine. Two years on, and it is still working great and totally reliable. I have helped many Hams get on the air with dipoles at great heights (>40') with this tool. Yes it can get hung up, yes you will lose a sinker or two in the snags, just like fishing. But at the end of the day it is by far the easiest way I've found to raise antennas, and this device in my hands has raised at least 2 dozen great dipoles. Some were temporary for MARS or special event operations, the ones that were meant to be permanent are still up there. This -is- a good tool, and in my opinion well worth the money.

I would buy another one in a heartbeat if mine got damaged or lost!

Dave KI4PSR
lostfrogsrecords.com

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Earlier 5-star review posted by KI4PSR on 2008-04-04

A year later, spring again when it is time to put up antennas. This EZ Hang unit is still working perfectly. A few days ago I helped put up wires 100' in the air! The monofilament ran out one one of the shots (thankfully tied around the reel spool), it was that high up and back down. This is a very easy thing to use, and has been well worth the money for me.
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Earlier 5-star review posted by KI4PSR on 2007-05-04

I got my EZHang last Tuesday, and on Wednesday I had doubled the height of my dipole. I had no problem whatsoever aiming it, nor any problem with line breakage or reel problems. Aiming it is easy, I usually hit my mark on the first try. I did have to sacrifice some monofilament one time, got tangled in the brush.

Yesterday I helped a TEMA/MARS team erect some field exercise antennas. I was in much demand with the EZ Hang and helped erect a number of antennas with it. Again, a treat to use, great fun even. Everyone was impressed with the slingshot, and even spoke well of my accuracy. I would buy another if this one got lost or broken.

Dave, KI4PSR
K7GQ Rating: 2008-09-17
Save your money! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
While the basic idea is good, this has to be the worst implementation I've ever seen. Echoing other reviewers, the reel is cheap is often becomes fouled (in addition to coming apart), the line is too light, as is the weight.

Should you launch a good shot, you stand a really good chance of the line simply hanging up in the tree as there's not enough weight to bring it back down. And wait until you try to retrieve that line ... Launching into trees with NO leaves would be best.

Bottom line - this is a piece of junk. Save your money and pursue the tennis ball launcher, or the mother of all launchers,

http://www.antennalaunchers.com/antlaunching.html
KQ4KK Rating: 2007-11-07
As good as a NAVY deck hand Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have a Ham friend who was in the NAVY and learned to throw a line to the replenishment ship. He can throw a line anywhere. The next best idea is the EZ Hang. I bought one, screwed it up, they gave me a second. I learned from the first. It takes time to learn. Yea, the reel is not Trophy BASS fishing quality, but it works if you are careful. I've only lost one weight after lots of launches. The filment line hooked to the weight, once you get it over the tree, is what you pull up the orange string, that then pulls your antenna rope back over the tree. Works every time. I recently saw EZ Hang at a Ham Fest ( I look them up every ham fest, cuzz they give me a free weight)and now they have a EZ Hang that shoots tennis balls. Good idea around windows and such. I've been using my EZ Hang instead of my NAVY friend.. I now have more BEER in the fridge.
W2MV Rating: 2007-11-06
Great idea, but... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The concept is excellent, but there are practical problems. It seems that unless you shoot the weight in an area devoid of other vegetation, the weight and/or line WILL get stuck at some point. The weight is also not heavy enough to pull the bright yellow-green secondary line down in many cases, even if shot placement is perfect. Bottom line: a useful tool, but needs improvement. The fishing reel is also of not very good quality and had issues too.
Overpriced.