Nancy & Jim... based on my conversation with Jim today, would you please
arrange to send 100 feet of 16-conductor cable to Bill Carnett AH6FC ? Bill
has agreed to get AC out to the tower base to power the controller, and will
connect the substitute cable at the junction bhlock at the antenna as a test to
see if the problem is resolved. This should determine whether or not the
problem is related to his existing 500 foot cable run. Please let me know when
the cable is shipped... thanks, Jerry
73, Jerry K3BZ
----- Original Message -----
From: Bill Carnett
To: Jerry Keller
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2007 9:55 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] SteppIR problem
My tower is 70 feet. I can get ac to the base and bring the controller out
there.
----- Original Message ----
From: Jerry Keller <k3bz@arrl.net>
To: Bill Carnett <ah6fc@yahoo.com>
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2007 5:55:58 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] SteppIR problem
Bill.... don't cut the cable!! I can have the factory send you a new piece
with a 25-pin connector installed, and you can substitute it at the
connector on the tower. That will give a good test of your entire
underground cable. How high is your tower? Can you get AC out to the
tower base?
73, Jerry K3BZ
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Carnett" <ah6fc@yahoo.com>
To: "Jerry Keller" <k3bz@arrl.net>
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2007 11:08 AM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] SteppIR problem
> When I say "covered" I mean covered enough to keep
> rain out. The ends are open to air but at an angle.
> I cannot address the runs of conduits in that they
> were professionally installed. I'll try and find out
> what they did. I was not on site when they were
> placed in the ground, though they're about 4 feet
> under.
>
> I could cut my cable and take it out to the tower base
> and splice it in....I've just been reluctant to cut
> into this "virgin" cable, hi hi. However, there is
> nothing to suggest a cable problem, i.e. no continuity
> problem. All of the resistance checks were ok through
> the cable. If you think it's worth it, I will do some
> cable surgery. However, fwiw, the rotator cable works
> fine.
>
> I'll be back out there tomorrow so can do what ever
> you suggest then.
> --- Jerry Keller <k3bz@arrl.net> wrote:
>
>> Covered on both ends is one thing that concerns
>> me.... do you have holes in
>> the bottom of the conduit.... or some other reliable
>> way for condensation to
>> exit? If not, a couple of weeks might be enough to
>> accumulate significant
>> condensation (or seepage, perhaps at a faulty
>> conduit joint) under the right
>> WX conditions. Moisture would accumulate at the
>> inevitable low points.
>>
>> What about a pinch somewhere in the cable? Would it
>> be possible to take the
>> controller and AC out to the tower and run a short
>> temporary controller
>> cable to the antenna, to rule out cable problems? I
>> can send you some
>> controller cable....
>>
>> The controller wouldn't know about an element
>> "hanging up".... no feedback.
>>
>> 73, Jerry K3BZ
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Bill Carnett" <ah6fc@yahoo.com>
>> To: "Jerry Keller" <k3bz@arrl.net>
>> Sent: Sunday, June 10, 2007 9:37 PM
>> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] SteppIR problem
>>
>>
>> > how do we evaluate for the ground loop problem?
>> > condensation in conduit I guess is always possible
>> but
>> > it's only been in the conduit a couple of months
>> and
>> > it's been covered on both ends. The rotator
>> cable
>> > along with it work fine.
>> >
>> > I'm curious about the "ground loop"
>> idea....showing my
>> > ignorance, hi hi. Why would it work with less
>> than 3
>> > motors?
>> >
>> > Someone also suggested the driven element getting
>> hung
>> > up because of the 30/40 loop. Again, however, it
>> > seemed to work fine alone, just running into
>> problems
>> > with the 4th motor running.
>> >
>> > exasperating!
>> >
>> > Bill
>> > --- Jerry Keller <k3bz@arrl.net> wrote:
>> >
>> >> This has been a very difficult problem. We could
>> >> find nothing to suspect
>> >> except the power supply, but a 2nd PS did the
>> same
>> >> thing. SteppIR's
>> >> engineers suggested the following:
>> >> (1) bad controller (we tried that... same
>> problem)
>> >> (2) bad power supply (tried that... twice...
>> problem
>> >> persisted)
>> >> (3) something in the cable (arrestor, etc) but
>> there
>> >> was nothing
>> >> (4) ground short somewhere (ruled out by checking
>> >> cable pin-by-pin)
>> >> (5) station ground loop (I don't recall this
>> being
>> >> tested for or ruled out)
>> >>
>> >> Several mentions were made that it was related to
>> >> the 500 feet of control
>> >> cable, but SteppIR's engineers say the longer
>> cable
>> >> would actually help
>> >> reduce the load, so cable length has been ruled
>> out.
>> >>
>> >> What about the possibility of a ground loop that
>> >> doesn't manifest itself
>> >> until there's 4 elements connected??
>> >>
>> >> Could there be a problem related to moisture in
>> the
>> >> long conduit?
>> >>
>> >> 73, Jerry K3BZ
>> >>
>> >> ----- Original Message -----
>> >> From: "Bill Carnett" <ah6fc@yahoo.com>
>> >> To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
>> >> Sent: Sunday, June 10, 2007 11:41 AM
>> >> Subject: [TowerTalk] SteppIR problem
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> > Greetings to all Tower Talkers,
>> >> >
>> >> > A very wise man and fellow TT (K7LXC) suggested
>> I
>> >> post
>> >> > my challenge here to the group...maybe somebody
>> >> will
>> >> > have a new idea that I've not explored.
>> >> >
>> >> > Last week we put up a new 4L SteppIR with a
>> 40/30
>> >> > dipole. The antenna is approximately 500 feet
>> >> from
>> >> > the shack. SteppIR control line is used,
>> >> continously
>> >> > without any accessories inserted, running
>> through
>> >> 3
>> >> > inch conduit (not that that makes any
>> difference).
>> >> > Prior to lifting it in the air I found that a
>> >> problem
>> >> > existed. When attempts were made to change
>> bands
>> >> or
>> >> > even frequency on the same band, the control
>> box
>> >> went
>> >> > dead. Simultaneously, as the box died, the
>> "on"
>> >> > indicator light on the pwr supply went out. A
>> >> second
>> >> > later the pwr light came back on; the led
>> "lights"
>> >> on
>> >> > the control box flashed once but the box
>> remained
>> >> off.
>> >> > The box could be turned back on, but the same
>> >> > sequence occurred if a band/freq change was
>> >> attempted.
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> > Immediately all of the wiring and continuity
>> was
>> >> > checked with the antenna...all ok. Spoke with
>> >> Jerry
>> >> > at SteppIR and we proceeded to change first
>> >> control
>> >> > box....before I realized the pwr supply was
>> >> > faltering....no change.
>> >> >
>> >> > The next step was to attempt to run each motor
>> >> > individually and in groups. Each motor ran
>> >> > individually without problem. Adding the 2nd
>> and
>> >> 3rd
>> >> > motor caused no problems....the yagi functioned
>> >> fine.
>> >> > The addition of the 4th motor (didn't matter
>> which
>> >> > sequence), consistently killed the antenna. On
>> >> > occassion it would all seem to work for a
>> couple
>> >> of
>> >> > band changes but never more than 1 or 2 minutes
>> -
>> >> with
>> >> > all 4 motors running. So, with up to 3 motors
>> >> > running...all ok, with all 4, no go. However,
>> >> this is
>> >> > a 4 element yagi. After speaking again with
>> >> Jerry, I
>> >> > was reassured that the problem was simply a
>> power
>> >> > supply and all will work fine....thus the long
>> >> > scheduled antenna raising event went forward as
>> >> > scheduled. Needless-to-say, the replacement
>> power
>> >> > supply did not correct the problem.
>> >> >
>> >> > Prior to erecting the yagi I extended the
>> elements
>> >> to
>> >> > 14150 so it can be used as a monobander...but
>> that
>> >> > will only bring temporary happiness. A power
>> >> supply
>> >> > (3rd) was "hand picked" by the SteppIR
>> engineers,
>> >> > sent, and tested this morning. Basically the
>> same
>> >> > problem. It did seem to work briefly then shut
>> >> > down....exactly the same as before.
>> >> >
>> >> > So, I'm looking for ideas that have been
>> >> overlooked.
>>
> === message truncated ===
>
>
>
>
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