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[TowerTalk] Switching Controls to Multiple rotors

To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: [TowerTalk] Switching Controls to Multiple rotors
From: mlowell@noclant.navy.mil (Mark Lowell, N1LO)
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1998 15:47:56 -0400
OK, favor me while I brainstorm 'out loud'...

I like Chad's idea of using relays. Run a single, master rotor control wire
from the control in the shack to pass by all of the rotors in a daisy chain
fashion. At each rotor, you would have a relay station, having enough relays
and poles (using whatever relays you procure) to cover the number of
conductors in the control cable. Even if you have to use 4, DPST relays (for
an 8 wire control cable), that might be okay if they're inexpensive and
spares are readily available.
 All of the relays would have their common terminals connected to the master
rotor line. Short jumpers of the same type rotor control line would be
connected between the Normally Open contacts of the relays and the rotor
served by that relay station.
 The coils of all the relays at each relay station would all be wired in
parallel with the control voltage and switch that Chad suggested, (using
separate control wires for each station) so that each relay station could be
activated independently.  When the coils of a single relay station are
activated, the corresponding rotor will be connected to the master control
line, and the control head will see one rotor.
 By using the Normally Open contact wiring scheme, each rotor will draw its
power and send positioning signals through only one set of relay contacts,
increasing reliability and making troubleshooting easy.

--...MARK_N1LO...--




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