Towertalk
[Top] [All Lists]

[TowerTalk] Follow up to Prosistel mechanical failure.

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] Follow up to Prosistel mechanical failure.
From: "William J. Nicosia" <wb2zkx@optimum.net>
Date: Thu, 05 Jun 2014 15:30:06 -0400
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>

Here's the outcome from my posting of last week regarding my Prosistel 2051d rotor that refused to rotate. With the able assistance of John Crovelli, W2GD, we first confirmed that the motor was operable in situ. The rotor was then removed from its perch and brought to ground level. The motor housing was then removed and set aside. The DC motor was then carefully removed from the gear box housing and revealed that the coupling collar joining the motor drive shaft and the input shaft of the worm gear were held in place by a key and a tiny roll pin. Upon inspection the roll pin had been sheared and therefore the motor was free spinning. There was no indication as to why the pin had failed. A new pin was obtained at the local hardware emporium and pressed into place. We decided to reseal the motor housing to the gearbox by using matching Blue Permatex RTV. The rotor was then tested and re-calibrated in shack using the Green Heron RT-21 utility program to get the indicator pot in the 2051 into proper range. W2GD then replaced the unit in the tower, manually reset the antenna to North (including compensating for declination) and did a final test. The upshot of this experience is that this rotor can fail but sustain no serious damage to the gear train due to a single roll pin, total cost for parts, 37 cents. My thanks to W2GD for his able work.

                Bill Nicosia, W2ZKX (WB2ZKX)
_______________________________________________



_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
  • [TowerTalk] Follow up to Prosistel mechanical failure., William J. Nicosia <=