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Reviews For: Rohn HDBX-48 Free Standing Tower

Category: Towers, masts, accessories, climbing & safety gear

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Review Summary For : Rohn HDBX-48 Free Standing Tower
Reviews: 19MSRP: $999 - $1600
Description:
The Rohn HDBX series towers are the heaviest, and strongest of the BX series. Available in heights of 24' to 48', they consist of the bottom sections of the full 64' standard BX tower. The legs are of beaded channel. They have X bracing that is riveted at the ends and in the middle.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.alabamatower.com/HDBX.asp
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00194
W0IH Rating: 2022-08-21
Been a great tower for me! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I’ve had my HDBX-48 tower up for 21 years, and I bought it used then. I have my TH11DX beam mounted about 1 foot above the top, but the TailTwister rotor is mounted at the BOTTOM of the top section to decrease the torque on the top section. I’ve not had any problems with loose rivets. Moving the rotor to just above the second to the top section helps with the tower twist considerably. However, I’m in the Mississippi River Valley below the bluffs and the winds are somewhat limited.

The base has about 4 to 5 yards of concrete with some steel re-rod as the base.

The tower is somewhat difficult to climb, twisting your ankles as you climb. I use a temporary 1/4” rope through a very heavy steel loop on a chain at the top (stored by wrapping it around the tower). When I need to climb, I tape my 1/2” climbing rope to the end of the 1/4” rope and pull up the heavy rope (as a loop) to replace it. I use a Goblin Fall Arrestor on my climbing harness and always clip in using a couple of quickdraws to anchor myself to the tower as I work. I did install a movable platform for standing on the tower that helps a great deal when working on the tower.

The tower has been very stable over the years.
NS8H Rating: 2020-12-09
Warning - Do Not Do What I Did Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I picked up an HDBX-48 from a silent key. The rust was heavy on it and I looked for methods to clean the rust off and re-paint. After a lot of discussion, I took the tower to a galvanizing company that did hot dip galvanization. I am just leaving this review as a warning that it was a terrible idea, and all the rivets were eaten away in the hot dip and the entire tower went to pieces in the bath. However, the steel as absolutely gorgeous shortly after getting fished out of the tank. It went to metal recycling and I am still tower hunting.
W0BKR Rating: 2020-06-26
Strong tower and easy maintenance Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have teh HDBX-48 and it is a tank. Built to last. You can easily stack 2-3 antennas on it, but be advised, it is rated for 15 sq ft antennas a 70mph so use a bit less and get more resistance to wind. Lots around used like the 25G but much much stronger then the 25G and no guys required
W0JRN Rating: 2018-05-16
Repair of BX towers Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This tower is just what it is, an inexpensive way to get stuff up in the air. I have installed many for hams and people who want tv antenna up.

It does have it's limitations, however, staying within the design limits will last a long time.

But, hams (me too) have the Tim Taylor "more power/bigger" is better mantra.

Annual inspections and replacement of aluminum rivets with g60-g90 zinc grade 5 or 8 bolts with accompanying lock washers and nuts. AND torque them not just by feel.

Painting with commercial zinc paint is always a good idea.

Be careful of generic stainless steel bolts, the cheap ones vary widely in tensile and shear. the more expensive ones are harder, sometimes to the point of failure by micro-fracture.

The rivets are smooth and the 'plate' shear on the smooth surface, not so with bolts, they shear on the tops/points of the threads. unless you use shoulder bolts. you are relying on the compression of the bolts to make up for threads in the hole.

I have successfully for decades used longer boom antennas than the recommended 10 feet, by putting the rotator at the base. this reduces the torsion on the tower.

empirical evidence has shown no repairing rivets or bent towers, as compared to others near me.




K4TK Rating: 2018-04-12
mine has been in service for me almost 30 years Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Mine has been up....at three different locations ....for almost 30 years now. And, I bought it USED. It had been up several years for the previous ham.

I have stacked on it....two HF beams (see my QRZ page). A Hygain Explorer 14 with the 40 meter kit (that element alone is 42 feet 2 inches long) and a Mosley TW-22M. The Hygain has a 14 foot boom. The Mosley, only a 7 foot boom. Between the two, i have over 100 pounds up on the top mounted to a 10 foot heavy duty mast. The wind loading is well under the design spec of 15 sq ft (that was the spec on mine....remember, it's over 30 years old).

I have both climbed it and gone up in a bucket truck numerous times just this last year. No issues up top I can see. Ever 3-5 years...as needed ....I touch up spray paint it with Rustoleum Smoke Grey paint. I have seen some rust over the many years, but again...the paint holds things in check for several more years.

It has survived:

Hurricane Hugo (135 miles at my location/Cat 3 Hurricane at my location)

Dennis - 70-80 mph winds at my location

Ivan - 90 mph winds at my location

Opal - 80-100 mph winds at my location

and of course, NUMEROUS thunderstorms! It's been struck by lightning NUMEROUS times. It discharges into the two ground rods I have at the base....then discharges thru the nearby ground....gets into my chainlink fence about 10 feet away....then "arcwelds" all the gates shut. I have to beat the gate handles with a maul to free them after lightning strikes. But my tower, antennas, and gear (always unplugged)...have always fared well.

I'm actually thinking if I ever have to replace the Explorer 14 (also over 30 years old), I'll do so with a Mosley Pro 67C....which has a 24 foot boom. The wind load would be under spec. But the 24 foot boom....of course, would be the question. It's really about how much torque/twist it puts on the top.

I actually think this tower could stand the Pro 67 C....mounted JUST above the top with the thrust bearing.

Time may tell..............but I have ZERO issues with my tower....other than, as many others have noted....CLIMBING those Xbraces. It's a foot killer. I tried Combat Boots from my military career....won't fit in the small top sections. No way you do it with tennis shoes. I resorted to wearing my work shoes....a pair of Rockports that have a steel shank in the sole....but...are about the size of tennis shoes. they fit in the Xbraces....and give my feet some support. Still, the older I get (and yes, HEAVIER too), the harder and more painful it is!
KI3R Rating: 2017-10-05
25 years up Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I had the HBDX at the old QTH for 25 plus years. I am aware of the manufactures limits on boom length. The yagi was a TH-6 ... not exactly a small antenna. I did move the rotor mounting plate to the base of the last section so as to distribute the rotary torque over a greater area. I never had one rivet pop or move. If there was a minus it was in the realm of ankle comfort. Standing on the last section is akin to a bed of nails experience. I gave the tower away as I am not comfortable climbing as I once was. There is, now at the new location, a crank up - fold over unit. Sure beats climbing.

73 Tom KI3R Belle Vernon PA
WA1HZK Rating: 2017-10-05
General information on the current BX towers Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The HDBX is the strongest of the BX series. It uses the bottom sections of the BX tower and the top section is a section #3. The HBX uses a section #2 at the top and the standard BX uses a section #1. If you have a tower using the bottom section #8, there is a straight section available to add more height. This goes under the section #8 using the same foundation. These towers are rated for 70 MPH, no ice. There is a lot of information on the site: http://www.criticaltowers.com/BX%20Series%20Towers/Web%20Pages/BX%20Series%20Tower%20Page.htm
WK9U Rating: 2016-03-02
Great Tower Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This tower is absolutely just fine. I've had many and it does what it needs to do. I personally like the tapered sections utilizing a wide base and minimizing towards the top. A 30m and 6m beam with 14 +/- foot booms using a 10 foot mast extending out the top bearing is working well. Assemble it correctly, have it plum, and anchored per spec and it's great.

To the clown who left a review a couple down from me, are you a TROLL ? You left 1 out of 5 stars with a comment about a windload statement. Spend some time in the hobby or communications profession and maybe your opinion will matter to this op, anyway. Spend 30 hours each contest turning a rotor every 30 minutes or chasing DX for instance. I have a few towers and have different beams on the appropriate towers. It's all about the install and common sense.
KI0Z Rating: 2015-10-25
Keep an eye on the Rivits Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Having had 2 towers an "A"&"B" series later, I always questioned the Manual that said "Boom NO LONGER THAN 10' " .Well the engineer was correct after a few years going up to do work on it I noticed a few Rivets were loose & some were not there . so I replaced them with a #5 bolt, Lock washer, and Loctite. This has happened on several towers of other hams I KNOW. SO BE VIGELENT AND CHECK YOUR TOWER OR YOU TO COULD HAVE NO RIVITS ON AN ENTIRE X OF THE TOWER OR WORSE . 73 GL KI0Z..
KI4AX Rating: 2015-10-25
Beware of specifications Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just be aware that the Rohn HDBX-48 can only support about 2 sq. feet of antenna load at 100 mph wind. It is a good tower for VHF and UHF verticals.