Dropped $450 on a new radio remote and it paid for itself in one job

My old remote was glitching out on a site in Denver last month. I was losing signal every 20 feet and it was costing me time. Bit the bullet on a Telecrane F24 for $450 and set up a tandem lift in half the time. Anyone else upgrade their remote lately and see a quick return?

3 comments

3 Comments

oliviabutler5d ago

And that's the thing people don't always think about with these remotes. It's not just about the upfront cost, it's what it saves you in headaches and lost time. I upgraded to a slightly nicer model last year and the range difference alone was night and day. No more walking back and forth to get a signal, no more guessing if the crane is actually going to respond. That saved me at least a couple hours on a big steel beam job. So that $450 probably got you back to profit a lot faster than you even realized.

the_rose5d ago

Exactly. That range thing is no joke. I used to have to play this stupid dance every time I moved the boom. Walk forward a few steps, stop, try the remote. Nothing. Walk back. Repeat. It was driving me insane. Finally dropped the cash on a better remote last spring. Best decision I made all year honestly. No more guessing if I'm in range or if the signal is going to cut out halfway through a lift. That alone saved my back and my sanity. Time is money in this line of work. You waste even 15 minutes a day on that nonsense and it adds up fast. Plus the frustration of stopping a job to troubleshoot. That $450 is nothing compared to the productivity you get back. I'd pay double now if I had to. No hesitation.

morganl714d ago

The range issue is a killer for sure... @the_rose you nailed it with that dance you described. I had the same problem on a big site last year, ended up getting one of those long-range models after a week of frustration. It was close to $500 if I remember right, but honestly it paid for itself in the first month alone. No more stopping every few minutes to check if the signal was still there. That saved me at least a couple hours per week easy. And like you said, the mental part is huge too... not having to worry about the remote cutting out mid-lift makes the whole day go smoother. People see the price tag and balk, but they don't account for the time you get back.