RE: [DX-CHAT] Don't Tell Me, It "Fell Off The Truck"
Just got off the phone with N3ZK. *phew* The tower showed up today. Thank goodness! Inspection (and yes, they very carefully inspected it) showed that some bolts were missing, and there's a question about the winch, but that's all being taken care of. The actual tower appears unscathed. But... well, Randy gets a call from someone in his company's warehouse around 11 this morning informing him that Roadway's driver has shown up with the tower. At 11:30, just as he's completing the inspection, he gets a shout from one of the warehouse managers. Randy is informed that the manager has just gotten off the phone with Roadway, and THEY STILL DON'T KNOW WHERE THE TOWER IS!! Then the manager asks him, "by the way, what are you doing here in the warehouse?" Randy points to the truck and crate and informs him, "That's Roadway's truck, and there's the tower, they just delivered it!" As of 4:00, Roadway STILL has no clue where the tower is, and allegedly is frantically making phone calls trying to track it down. 5 hours AFTER delivery. Inspires confidence, doesn't it? Anyway, all is well. The tower is now safely in storage at a club member's QTH, and the trailer is due to be delivered within a few days. We may yet have everything assembled in time for the club hamfest on February 25th -- no antennas yet, but it'll still look impressive, we hope! (Antennas should be there by Field Day... and we can mount the HexBeam on it in a pinch...) Thanks for all the shipping stories, both here on the reflector and in private. 73, ron w3wn Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
Re: [DX-CHAT] Don't Tell Me, It "Fell Off The Truck"
Ron, Randy: When and "if" the tower arrives, don't sign the delivery receipt or bill of lading that you received it until you've gone over the tower with a magnifying glass. Years ago I ordered a W-51 crank up tower from TriEx, in fact my blueprints were signed off by Mr. Tashjian himself as a PE who worked for TriEx. When it arrived on Carolina Freight I gave it a once over as it was being unloaded, but didn't notice that a couple welds on the base were broken in shipment. Apparently someone somewhere had used a forklift to lift it from the base and cracked the welds at the tower base. While the freight truck was still on our street I called TriEx and Carolina to file a claim or get a new tower. Carolina ended up sending out an "inspector" who wrote a mealy mouthed report he couldn't tell how the tower was damaged. Carolina took this to mean that I damaged it within 30 seconds of receiving it so they refused to pay or return the tower to TriEx. Yeah, sure I paid $1,300 or so just so I could crack the welds, I told them, but got no where. I contacted Lanny, K5LP, an attorney I knew and we ended up filing suit against Carolina. What was funny about the thing was Carolina sent one of their VPs here to "represent" them in court, but he wasn't a licensed attorney anywhere. Carolina didn't know that Lanny was a member of the State Bar of Texas' Bar Grievance Committee, the organization that investigates and files barratry cases against people who unlawfully claim to be licensed attorneys (I'm sure every state has a similar organization or agency). Of course he checked this VP out and found he wasn't an attorney. Anyway we ended up prevailing finally during pre-trial on Carolina to pickup the tower and pay TriEx for a new one without having to go to trial. Lanny also made the Carolina VP sweat a while making him think he was going to be charged in Texas with the unlicensed practice of law. When the new tower arrived it was crated in wood, something the original one hadn't been by the time I got it and it had "Do Not Forklift" stenciled all over it. Turns out Carolina had splintered all the wooden crating in fork lifting and shipping it. Carolina paid all of my attorney expense and I sent Lanny and his secretary each a 20 pound smoked East Texas "ham" as a thank you. Lanny is or was an ARRL volunteer counsel at one time and has represented many Texas hams in tower cases. Even the ARRL says he's one of the best Part 97 and PRB-1 attorneys in the country. Tom, WW5L Ron Notarius W3WN wrote: Here's the 'official' word on what happened with Roadway Express... must be run by former FCC personnel... - "I am happy to say that the Tilt-Over Section and base plate of the tower made it to Pittsburgh in 1 piece. However, the tower is nowhere to be found. While on its way from California to Pittsburgh, it appears that the two packages somehow got separated. How you ask? I have no idea and neither does Roadway Express. It seems that the 12 foot X 36” X 24” CRATE got lost. Roadway tells me that it never made it to Akron or Pittsburgh; the last 2 stops it made. Anyways, Roadway is looking for the crate with our tower in it and Tashjian Towers has filed a missing cargo claim, just incase they have to build us a new one. Thank Goodness for Shipping Insurance!! I have made all the necessary phone calls to the shipping company and the manufacturer to ensure we get what we paid for. If it is truly lost, Roadway will pay Tashjian Towers and they will build us a new one. I know that is not what I or you all wanted to hear, but at least our investment is protected." -- de Randy N3ZK - Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
Re: [DX-CHAT] Don't Tell Me, It "Fell Off The Truck"
My story... Contracted Crown Relocations to ship all my stuff from Orlando to Bangkok, Thailandocean freight in a 40 ft container.. including 70 ft crank up 90 ft Trylon 4, that is four, HyTowers HDBX-48 110 ft of 25G 5 masts 2 push up 50 footers And, too many antennas to note All arrived OK in my front yard in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand. However, missing is a box of microphones... probably too much temptation ... box was well marked "microphones" which is the same word in the Thai language. Wild and weird world of shipping to a DX location that makes this a "DX chat" message, eh? Charles Harpole, HS0ZCW [EMAIL PROTECTED] _ Experience the magic of the holidays. Talk to Santa on Messenger. http://clk.atdmt.com/MSN/go/msnnkwme008001msn/direct/01/?href=http://imagine-windowslive.com/minisites/santabot/default.aspx?locale=en-us Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
RE: [DX-CHAT] Don't Tell Me, It "Fell Off The Truck"
Here's the 'official' word on what happened with Roadway Express... must be run by former FCC personnel... - "I am happy to say that the Tilt-Over Section and base plate of the tower made it to Pittsburgh in 1 piece. However, the tower is nowhere to be found. While on its way from California to Pittsburgh, it appears that the two packages somehow got separated. How you ask? I have no idea and neither does Roadway Express. It seems that the 12 foot X 36 X 24 CRATE got lost. Roadway tells me that it never made it to Akron or Pittsburgh; the last 2 stops it made. Anyways, Roadway is looking for the crate with our tower in it and Tashjian Towers has filed a missing cargo claim, just incase they have to build us a new one. Thank Goodness for Shipping Insurance!! I have made all the necessary phone calls to the shipping company and the manufacturer to ensure we get what we paid for. If it is truly lost, Roadway will pay Tashjian Towers and they will build us a new one. I know that is not what I or you all wanted to hear, but at least our investment is protected." -- de Randy N3ZK - Well, at least we'll still have our tower, it will just take longer than we thought. Would have been very nice to have it in time for our hamfest on February 25th, but unless it shows up pretty soon, I wouldn't expect to get the replacement tower in time. (And that's assuming that they not only find it but find it in good condition... I'm beginning to wonder if it's sitting in pieces in a warehouse or transfer facility somewhere because some putz running the forklift dropped it, or something like that!) I've heard privately from a few of you that this may actually not be that uncommon with Roadway Express... they seem to have a reputation for losing things or not delivering them, and finding creative excuses to blame someone else. Still, this is ridiculous. And I also hope that if Roadway Express does have to pay to replace the tower, Tashjian Towers uses another carrier to ship it. And if it costs more, that's OK -- Roadway can pay for it! Sorry if I'm venting a little guys, but I'm steamed. Randy worked his butt off, literally, to get this project moving; he's personally invested a significant amount of time in creating the wooden callsign plaques that have helped fund it, and personally arranged for two of our big corporate donations. He could have walked away with his hands thrown up in the air in disgust, but he stuck to it, fought for it, SUCCEEDED... and now this? 73 -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Ron Notarius W3WN Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2006 1:49 PM To: DX Chat Reflector Subject: [DX-CHAT] Don't Tell Me, It "Fell Off The Truck" How do you lose a tower? Seriously? My local club, the Wireless Association of South Hills, has spent the last 18 months plus raising funds to purchase a mobile tower (see www.n3sh.org for details). When we had enough funds for the tower itself, it was paid for and ordered from Tashjian Towers (formerly Tri-Ex). Tower and base mount were assembled, tested, and shipped, due to arrive today. The person who has been organizing the project, Randy N3ZK, had arranged for the tower to be delivered to his workplace so that there would be enough people to unload the tower properly -- and sign for it too. So, Randy gets a call from his warehouse people, telling him that Roadway had come and gone... no tower. He starts making calls. The official word: They lost it. He called Tash Towers, talked to their shipping people. First words they said: "They lost it? How could they lose a tower?" All I can say is, Roadway had better find that tower -- or get on the horn to their insurance people.Meanwhile, I may have to have a word with one of the newest members of the club... who recently passed the bar and is now an attorney... How can you lose a tower? I'm just flabbergasted! 73 Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
Re: [DX-CHAT] Don't Tell Me, It "Fell Off The Truck"
About 10 years ago my landlord came up with a 40 foot telephone pole that he thought would make a nice "tower" for me. He had it setting in his yard and we were just about to transport it to my place and put it up as a free-standing pole in a big hole I'd dug when someone stole it out of his yard! In the middle of the day while he was gone! I just hope no one does that with the HG-37SS I have setting in the yard before I can put it up next spring. 73, Zack W9SZ On Wed, 27 Dec 2006, Ron Notarius W3WN wrote: > How do you lose a tower? > > Seriously? > [snip] > > So, Randy gets a call from his warehouse people, telling him that Roadway > had come and gone... no tower. He starts making calls. The official word: > They lost it. > > He called Tash Towers, talked to their shipping people. First words they > said: "They lost it? How could they lose a tower?" > Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
[DX-CHAT] Don't Tell Me, It "Fell Off The Truck"
How do you lose a tower? Seriously? My local club, the Wireless Association of South Hills, has spent the last 18 months plus raising funds to purchase a mobile tower (see www.n3sh.org for details). When we had enough funds for the tower itself, it was paid for and ordered from Tashjian Towers (formerly Tri-Ex). Tower and base mount were assembled, tested, and shipped, due to arrive today. The person who has been organizing the project, Randy N3ZK, had arranged for the tower to be delivered to his workplace so that there would be enough people to unload the tower properly -- and sign for it too. So, Randy gets a call from his warehouse people, telling him that Roadway had come and gone... no tower. He starts making calls. The official word: They lost it. He called Tash Towers, talked to their shipping people. First words they said: "They lost it? How could they lose a tower?" All I can say is, Roadway had better find that tower -- or get on the horn to their insurance people.Meanwhile, I may have to have a word with one of the newest members of the club... who recently passed the bar and is now an attorney... How can you lose a tower? I'm just flabbergasted! 73 Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
