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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
REMOVED_ACCOUNT_2015_01_09 Rating: 2007-05-04
Great Idea Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I gave this a 3 for one reason only. The Price. A hundred bucks for this? This should cost no more than $49.00 and that is a bit much. You are also given some useless stuff which can be purchased at WalMart for pennies. Stuff such as colored weights. Big deal. Colored line which can be had from a Home Depot called Masons line for way below the cost.

I have used this product many times installing my dipoles. People stopping at my home ask me how I got those antennas up there and of course I tell them I climbed those trees which they don't believe until I add I was an Army Ranger. After I have had my 15 minutes of fame and being a hero I explain the truth of the matter.

I have shot weights 100 feet over trees. The problem I have is getting the weight to fall on that small little branch at that height but overall I manage to get a good older branch about 70 feet up. It takes a little getting used to. My biggest problem in the beginning was having the weight go about 20 feet. I finally figured it out. The weights are bell shaped and when you put it into the pouch put the wider area in the bottom of the pouch and that is what you hold when pulling back the sling. You will not be disappointed. The only disappointment will be that you paid 100 bucks for this.
Would I purchase it again? Yes. It has brought me some great antennas for dxing.

W2CZ Rating: 2007-03-30
Not worth the money Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
The idea is great but the reel is a Zebco 33 which goes for about $19.95. The fact the reel is relatively cheap is one thing, but mine fell apart. It is a very poor reel. So I suppose the remaining $60.00 is for a wrist braced sling shot?

I guess I have to purchase another reel but the moral is beware!
WA5TWL Rating: 2007-03-08
Good idea; needs improvement Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Tennis ball is a good idea. Unfortunately the fishing reel that came with the unit is poor quaility and jams/comes apart. After I complained, the manufacturer replaced the reel with one of better quality - cetainly a welcome improvement.
KW3F Rating: 2006-11-27
Did the job that I otherwise couldn't Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I was in a rush to get some wires up very high for the contest when I saw the ads for EZ Hang. I placed my order online and left a note for Dennis asking if he could ship it quickly. He came through with great service getting the device here in time for my project.

Regardless of what someone may think of the price, the thing works, I'm please with my purchase, and the service.
KE5KDA Rating: 2006-11-25
Great idea, but cheap quality and high price... Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
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.
K4IA Rating: 2006-08-27
Be careful Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I am amazed how easy it is to aim one of these to go right over the branch you want. It makes hanging a wire antenna real easy. Mine is in great demand on Field Day.

Couple of caveats - they can be dangerous. That lead weight can (will) come off the line and get away from you and it comes down hard and far away. Be sure you are in the clear or you will be buying your neighbor a new windshield. Or you might find yourself arrested for negligent wounding, discharging a deadly weapon etc. Wear safety glasses so you don't put an eye out Ralphie.

The weight can get lost in the trees - walk away for a few minutes and let the breeze gently lower it to you. (if you're lucky)

The weight can get tangled. You're out of luck on this one. If you pull too hard the nylon line will eventually break or the weight will break free. Get out of the way because it comes back at you fast and hard.

A safer solution is the rival product (Hyper Hanger) that launches a tennis ball. No one gets hurt being hit by a tennis ball, a tennis ball is easier to see and the tennis ball does not wrap itself around a branch as easily. The core of this device is the HyperDog dog trainer available from SitStay.com for $22. You can add a spinning reel and poke a hole through the tennis balls to tie a loop to attach the line or you can buy a finished product from RadioWavz.

I haven't had enough experience with the HyperHanger to say which is better. A band broke on my HyperHanger the first time I used it and RadioWavz never sent me the replacements they promised. I also did not like the way they attached the line to the ball. I did some web research and discovered the SitStay.com site where I ordered replacement bands for $3.99. The new ones are much sturdier and longer than the originals and I suspect they will work really well.

When I get a chance to really use the HyperHanger, I'll write up a review. In the meantime, the tennis ball seems safer but with proper care the lead weight can be handled safely.
W3XAF Rating: 2006-08-27
Outstanding Product Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I bought the E-Z Hang Device about four months ago to help me get my six wire antennas up in the trees surrounding my house.

It took me about three months to get used to the device but now all my antennas are up in the trees at heights of 90 to 100 feet or more.

In the beginning, I had a real problem with the device because the sinker kept getting stuck on branches, leaves, etc.

The trick is to aim the device at a 90-degree angle to the tree and fire it straight up. It does take practice but once you get the hang of it--it works great.

I made two improvements to the device: I replaced the 10-pound fishing line with 15-pound line and I replaced the yellow sinker with a three-quarter-ounce nut that I painted red. I found the nut much easier to work with in the sling than the sinker.

I highly recommend this device to any ham who needs to get his/her antenna up into a tree.
N2RFY Rating: 2006-08-15
Works Fantastic! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Super easy to master, got my G5RV back up on the 3rd try. I've used bows and arrows, and I used a fishing rod, and this beats them both hands down. I always had a hard time casting the fishing rod far enough, and I always lost arrows. EZ Hang worked like a charm. No lost weights, no snags on branches, just simplicity.
W2XS Rating: 2005-01-09
Saved a lot of time Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Yes, the EZ hang costs more than the parts themselves. And I am sure that it is possible to put together a homebrew slingshot and fishing reel that works well. However, this device saved me a lot of time and frustration.

My CF Zepp came down in one of last year's hurricanes. I wanted to try the Cobra Ultralite as a replacement. I spent 4 hours one morning with my old sling shot and got the fishing line caught on tree limbs, grass, rocks, and everthing else in my yard. Then I bought the EZ Hang and used it the following weekend. The first shot sent the weight way over a 75-foot branch and it landed in a neighbor's yard. (I assume - I never found it, even though it was painted yellow). After I used a bit more restraint, I got the line where I wanted it and it took only a few minutes. The optional yellow line that came with the EZ Hang was easy to see in the trees.

This is a "must have" for the installation of a wire antenna. Just be careful with how far back you pull the slingshot - it is very powerful. If you can homebrew one of these things, then do it. Otherwise, this is money well spent. Also, consider that a tree climber would charge $50 to $100 per climb.
KD2E Rating: 2005-01-09
pricey, but worth it Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Wow! ninety bucks for a cheap real and a sling shot??? Yes! It looks like thirty bucks worth of K-Mart items! So, if you want to go shop for the sling shot,reel,weight etc and put it all together, you'll have the same thing! Go for it!! I thought it was worth the money just to not have to go to K-mart! Once you've made the plunge, and plunked down the money, you'll be glad you did! I bought this item several years ago, but never used it until the recent 160 meter contest. I measured out 500-something feet of wire for a full wave loop, and ventured into the woods next to my house. With precision, if I could see a branch, I could thread the wire over that branch. Multiple trees, at heights from 40 to 85 feet up, I looped that wire where I wanted it with the EZ hang. Had it all done in an afternoon. This morning, I noticed one end fell. Squirrels had chewed the rope. Using the EZ hang, I had it back up before my coffee sitting on the deck got cold!! Yes, bow & arrows work, even a spud gun...but this to me ie the EZ'est!