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Re: [TowerTalk] Alliance HD73 Rotator calibrate and mast bolt size?

To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Alliance HD73 Rotator calibrate and mast bolt size?
From: "Gene Bigham" <jbigham2@kc.rr.com>
Date: Tue, 12 Jul 2005 18:44:58 -0500
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
I brought the rotator down and the only thing I could find that was a
problem was dried up grease.  So I lubed the whole affair up with white
lithium grease on both bearing races and gears.  Bench testing shows it will
now turn the whole 360 degrees.  The control box works fine and indicates
the direction fine.  I have already purchased a new Yasue rotator that will
go up and I now have this Alliance HD73 surplus here to sell.  What is it
worth and does anyone want it?

Let me know I am thinking about $75 plus shipping, what do you think?

Let me know.

Gene Bigham, KB0GU


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gene Bigham" <jbigham2@kc.rr.com>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2005 6:04 PM
Subject: [TowerTalk] Alliance HD73 Rotator calibrate and mast bolt size?


> The recent round of 80 to 90 MPH straight line winds in our area has
caused a misalignment of my rotator direction indicator and the actual
antenna position.
>
> First, the indicator is centered on North and can go on the meter to the
(left) South of West and on the (right) South of East.
>
> Right now playing with the calibrate knob and turning the antenna, the
azimuth indicator needle will travel to and show South (of East) but the
antenna and rotator stop at about the 130 to 140 degree position and remain
there, tracking of the sweep of the indicator needle seems linear from North
to the stop point.  But the antenna will not advance past 130 or so to due
South 180 degrees.
>
> On the other side of the indicator when I rotate back past North toward
South (of West) the indicator arrives at South with a deceleration of the
degrees traveled compared to the indicator as the antenna moves past north
to north west then west, and finally ends up at south west say 210 to 220
and stops shy of South.
>
> I initially tried to use the calibrate button to adjust this but the above
results are the best I can get.
>
> This is Alliance Model HD 73 and has been pretty bullet proof until now.
>
> The rotator initially torques on top of my Aluma tower top section in
heavy wind storms until my antenna guy put a couple of self tapping large
screws through the top plate and against the lower bell housing of the
rotator to limit the rotation of the rotator on its mounting pipe.  This
rotator sits on top of the top plate using a lower pipe mount, the bottom of
the bell housing just sets on the top plate while the pipe goes down into
the tower and is secured to the tower legs using U bolts to all three tower
legs.
>
> There are two options I am thinking about to correct the alignment.
>
> First, place the indicator and rotator as far to the South (of West)
position and then loosening the mast clamp and manually align the antenna to
true south since the correspondence of degrees measured to degrees turned is
different on this side of the rotation.
>
> Or Second, place the indicator and rotator as far to the South (of East)
position and align the antenna to true south loosening the mast clamp.
>
> Which way am I safe to presume will correct full range of rotation and
more accurate correspondence to the measurement scale?  I can get someone to
turn the antenna in the rotator to true South when the indicator is in
either the South (of East) or (West) position.
>
> Anyone familiar enough with this rotator to assist?
>
> The antenna is A3S so precise pointing is not absolutely required, rather
ballpark pointing.  At this point I cannot cover the last 30 to 60 degrees
across the south stops.
>
> And if you know the bolt size on the bolt heads securing the mast pipe I
can send my painter friend up his ladder against the tower, as climbing this
small tower is impossible, with the correct socket!  So he can loosen then
move and tighten the antenna into place.
>
> If I am incorrect in this entire diatribe please let me know your ideas.
I plan to attempt this move tomorrow evening.
> _______________________________________________
>
> See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless We
ather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any
questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk

_______________________________________________

See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather 
Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions 
and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.

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