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Reviews For: NN4ZZ TiltPlate

Category: Antenna Rotators & Accessories

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Review Summary For : NN4ZZ TiltPlate
Reviews: 21MSRP: 750
Description:
Antenna maintenance from the ground. Tired of climbing ladders to work on your Yagi antenna? The typical HF Yagi has a boom and element lengths of about 30 feet. Even with a tilt-over tower, it’s impossible to tilt the antenna all the way to the ground. To access all points of your antenna, scaffolding or a 16 foot ladder is needed. The TiltPlate is an antenna tilting mechanism that works with a tilt-over tower to bring the antenna all the way down to ground level. No cables or locks are needed: gravity does all of the work.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.nn4zz.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00214.9
W5IF Rating: 2016-10-07
Amazing pc of equipment Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just installed the NN4ZZ Tiltplate with KARLOK feature. Let me just say this is a true masterpiece of engineering. This unit is built like it could support a tank! Website is loaded with pictures and instructions. Went up on the tilt over tower without a hitch. Now my antenna automatically tilts horizontal when the tower comes down. A must when you have beams with long elements and don't want to work from a tall ladder. Well worth the expense as it is very high quality! Needless to say, I am very pleased!
N6RW Rating: 2015-04-23
Awesome invention Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
This Tilt Plate is the only way to go if you have a tilt-over tower. I had a Tashjian DX-70 tilt-over tower installed in the middle of my property in Prescott, AZ. The tower is about 100 feet from the house and driveway and the property has a lot of tall trees that make it difficult to use a crane to hoist a large Yagi onto the tower. Since I was somewhat new to the Prescott area, I didn’t want to impose on any local hams for help. My wife had thrown my climbing belt away years before and at the tender age of 70, I didn’t want to climb any more towers anyway. The NN4ZZ Monster Tilt-Plate with the KARlock was the only reasonable answer. I tilted the tower over, installed the Tilt-Plate on the mast and assembled a SteppIR DB-36 right on the Tilt-Plate. The DB-36 has a 36 foot boom, 48 foot driven element and weighs 165 pounds. The DB-36 is remarkably complex to assemble and with so many moving parts, may need occasional maintenance (none so far).
After constructing the antenna and cutting down some interfering trees and branches, I cranked the tower into the vertical position and then cranked it up to full height. I did it alone, so I didn’t need to bug any friends with climbing belts or gin poles and I will never need a crane if I ever have to work on the antenna.
Make sure you buy the KARlock with the tilt-plate. Otherwise you may find that you have a vertically polarized Yagi in a wind storm.
KE4U Rating: 2014-06-29
Design and material engineering excellence. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
As summarized, the design and materials engineering is excellent. The customer service was super with very fast shipping. Installation on my tilt-over TX-455 tower was very straightforward, replacing the stock SteppIR boom to mast plate with the TiltPlate. Alignment was simple with the tower mast set parallel and the antenna elements set to perpendicular. Raising the tower, the 3 element yagi was level. Handled a 30 mph microburst easily. I recommend the TiltPlate and I should have budgeted this component years ago for my station.
FORMER_WF4W_TW Rating: 2014-03-25
Fantastic Product--Highly Recommended Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
When I first got my tilt-over tower up, I planned on putting my PRO67-C (big antenna--24' boom, 135 pounds) up and tilting the tower down with the antenna about 12' off the ground. I'm really glad I did not do this.
I purchased a Tilt-Plate from Al and it was a great decision.
I've known Al for several years and I got plate from him and mounted it myself. I mounted the boom for the PRO67-C to the Tilt-Plate and added the elements while standing on the ground....awesome!
The PRO67-C uses phasing tubes between the 2 driven elements and Al was helpful in providing information from Mosley about modifying the tubes and moving the elements slightly to work with the Tilt-Plate.
Al personally came out twice to make measurments for another ham with a PRO67-C and a Tilt-Plate.

The plate itself is a simple but fascinating design that works very well. It is also extremely rugged and very well built.

Al has an excellent product and if you have a tilt-over tower it is a must.

I have had to modify the PRO67-C to correct an SWR problem on one of the WARC bands and the Tilt-Plate makes working on the antenna, on the ground and near horizontal a breeze. I've had the tower down about 5 times so far to either work on an antenna, add or remove one and without the Tilt-Plate, each time would have been much more of a chore. Thanks, Al for this great procduct.
Tad, WF4W
W4CM Rating: 2013-09-21
Customer Service Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I was looking at buying a new Tilt Plate from a ham that had never installed one he had purchased. I wrote Al and asked a few questions. He was very quick to respond. I then asked him to verify the unit that was described to me and if he could provide any purchase date. He did. After I received the plate I had additional questions because I had an old 7 element tri-bander TET antenna purchased in the 80's and was concerned about the mounting method. The antenna has three full size driven elements and 2 rods to connect them. He was quick to research and email me back with pictures, references and explanations on how to mount the antenna.

I cannot wait to get the new tower up and the plate mounted. If I have questions I know Al will be there to support his product.

He could not have been of any better help if I had bought the unit new from him direct.

Thats what I call customer service.
K8DH Rating: 2013-06-28
Excellent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this several years ago and have it installed on a 60 ft. Heights aluminum crank-up tilt-over tower. The tilt-plate makes laying the tower over a piece of cake. It eliminates the step where I used to have to climb to the top of a 16' ladder, reach way up, loosen the boom of the SteppIr, and tilt it in its U-bolts. Now, I just grab the tips of the antenna elements and guide it into being horizontal. I bought the tilt-plate before the catch mechanism was invented, so the wind sometimes makes the beam tilt from horizontal, but it doesn't hurt a thing. These oscillations are very gentle, and haven't caused any problems over several years of use.
K4AAV Rating: 2013-02-22
Awesome! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I ordered a new US tower TX-455 and M2 7-10-30 LP8 and decided to get the tilt plate with Kar-Lock. What a joy this this! Install of the complete tower and antenna only by myself! The tilt plate is the best bang for your buck on the market today! Assembly of the antenna, cranking it up and down was a divine pleasure. Some may view the tilt plate as expensive, get one and you will see it is worth every penny. Thanks Al for a great product!

Will, K4AAV
AD9I Rating: 2012-10-07
Fantastic product Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
What a great invention for tilt over towers. My US tower was configured with the large tilt plate and a Steppir Dream Beam 36. This is more antenna then anyone should try to lift. The tilt plate allowed all of the adjustments and assembly to be done at ground level. When the coax and cabling were installed, the tower was raised and the antenna remained level throughout. All too easy an installation.
The only issues were not getting the lateral support bridle install correctly which too just a few minutes to correct AND not purchasing the KarLock device. With the winds in our area the antenna could be tilted off level. Once I installed this product (another great idea by Al) the system was phenomenal. One other note is that Al is extremely easy to contact and provides support beyond what anyone should expect.
WK1W Rating: 2012-09-01
Great Invention Thx Al Time Owned: N.A.
With Al's tiltplate, as I lower the US Tower from its nested vertical position to horizontal, my big YAGI (Force 12 5BA) stays almost perfectly horizontal. In fact to assemble the YAGI I firdt mounted the tilt plate on the mast. Then the boom onto the tilt. THen I attached the elements to the boom while standing on the grass. Connected coax, dressed it out, and raised it all. In business with ease and no climbing (wife ius happy).
I bought the stackable model so I can have mast above.

Just ordered a second one for my F12 D240 which will mount above. Happy camper. Thanks Al.
73
Ivan
KB1STH
K8RA Rating: 2012-08-09
Nobel Prize Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Great product. I can fold my tower and stand on the ground and work on my Steppir. No climbing and works as advertised. I also have the Karlock and recommend it. Antenna can do some weird flopping without the Karlock. I think Al should be given a nobel prize for genius.