Towertalk
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [TowerTalk] TIC RINGS

To: "'Dennis OConnor'" <ad4hk2004@yahoo.com>, <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] TIC RINGS
From: "Tim Duffy K3LR" <k3lr@k3lr.com>
Reply-to: k3lr@k3lr.com
Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:03:13 -0500
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Hi Denny!

I assembled almost every one of the TIC rings I have up. I've spent lots of
time figuring out how they work (strengths and weaknesses) and what can be
done to make them more reliable. I also have an aggressive maintenance and
inspection program. That is the real secret to success.

Each rotor (Prop Pitch, Create, TIC, etc.) has its own file at K3LR. The
file is complete with detailed pictures, inspection history, hardware,
wiring, motor history, etc. This makes it easy to keep ahead of most
repairs.

I do have some help, but I have changed my share of pots and motors by
myself, during a contest (in the middle of a snow storm) and after being up
all night as an operator on 80 or 160 meters. 

I have no favorable opinions, only favorable experience backed up by nearly
20 years of history with TIC.
I never hesitate to recommend TIC rings as my overall experience has been
very favorable.

The Green Heron controllers are SUPER as well.

Very 73!
Tim K3LR



-----Original Message-----
From: towertalk-bounces@contesting.com
[mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Dennis OConnor
Sent: Friday, October 17, 2008 7:38 AM
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] TIC RINGS

Tim, I am going to play the devils advocate here...

How many of those TIC Rings do you maintain yourself?  I assume it is your
volunteers who mainly climb the towers and do repairs when things fail
(nothing wrong with having help).. It is easy to have a favorable opinion
when things are always working when the boss comes around...  You are less
likely to feel favorably disposed when that rotor has failed (again) and you
are the one climbing the tower in 20 degrees and blowing sleet to change out
the drive motor and hope to hell you can repair the ripped off balun without
having to make a second climb...

The thing that bothers me is not that position control has been found to be
a problem with the rings - you never know until you put a product into
service... The problem I have is that after more than a decade there has not
been a redesign of the positioning system to make it 100% reliable...



denny / k8do

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com 
_______________________________________________



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

_______________________________________________



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

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>