ABOUT US
Hi, my name is John Stevens, W8RAT. "Rattail" has been my nickname for some time and when I got re-acquainted with CB radio in 2007, it was an obvious choice for a handle. I met many new friends through the airwaves and quickly became interested in Ham radio. After getting my General's ticket, I got a vanity call to keep my "Rat". (No, I am not from "8" land but unfortunately, the "4" was not available.) My wife & best friend is Gail Stevens, K4LOL. As our life is full of love and laughter, she thought the LOL was a great choice for her own vanity call. She is a great support to me in the fabrication of our products and works side by side with me in our metal shop. Originally from Ft. Pierce, FL, we were members of the FPARC, the St. Lucie County ARES and were Skywarn certified. In 2011, we moved to Cullman, AL and love our new home and community.
RT Innovations was born in 2008 out of a friend's necessity. When asked if I could design & build a tower lift without the problems of the standard Glen Martin Hazer, I went to work. Many hours went into the design and fabrication of that first lift to engineer away the Hazer's weaknesses. This first Razor was installed on a Rohn 45 tower (not even available in a Hazer) in early 2008 and it is still working flawlessly. After multiple orders and a few minor changes being made to tweak and improve it, the RT Razor was born and put into production. There are now over 190 RT Razors throughout the USA & Puerto Rico.
When I got a request for an easy to use Gin Pole, I again got to work in my metal shop and the RT Gin Pole was born. I used it with ease myself taking down a 150 foot Rohn 25 tower and have also stacked 25, 45, and 55 towers with the same smoothness.
Although a relatively new Ham operator, I have over 40 years experience in automotive paint and repair. In fact, in 2015, I fulfilled a life long dream & opened my own custom automotive restoration shop, American Custom Cycle & Auto. And in 2022, I fulfilled a 2nd dream and built a brand new body shop on my own property. I have used this experience and my love for the radio to create quality products for both Ham and CB users. Among other items I have built for local customers are custom brackets for multiple mobile radios and mounts for vehicle antennas. I love working with metal and I enjoy using my talents to create quality items. With my wife's help and support, we look forward to years of happy customers. Thank you for viewing my website and considering adding an RT Innovations product to your life.
W8RAT and K4LOL
