My buzzing rotator controller problem has finally been corrected. Thanks to
W4TV, N0TT, NJ6Y and KK9A for their suggestions.A little more information
about the situation-- My remote station is solar powered, using 12v
batteries and solar panels. The only equipment not running from DC is the
rotator controller, and I was using a 150 watt inverter to provide 120VAC to
it. When the buzzing problem started, I ASSumed it was the rotator or
controller with a problem. After checking the resistances between the
controller and rotator and finding them to be good, I brought the controller
and inverter home and hooked them up to a battery. It buzzed, even though the
voltage from the inverter checked OK. I tried a larger, but modified sine
wave, inverter and it worked, although with a different buzz. I was expecting
that from the square wave output. Anyway, I went from a 150 watt to a 300
watt, and finally a 600 watt inverter and the controller's transformer is now
happy, and so am I.
73 Trent K5XM
On Wednesday, December 4, 2024 at 10:31:02 PM UTC, Joe Subich, W4TV
<lists@subich.com> wrote:
> You can actually feel the controller cases vibrating.
Check current on the various wires between the controller
and rotator. A vibrating case would indicate the transformer
is seeing much higher current draw than expected.
My first test would be to check each of the eight wires for
short connection to ground! Only pin 1 should show a direct
connection (<5 Ohms) to ground. Run the resistance checks
from Table 1 on page 3 of the Ham II Manual.
73,
... Joe, W4TV
On 12/4/2024 5:16 PM, trentkd5ia--- via TowerTalk wrote:
> Thank you, Charlie,
> No the receiver is not picking it up. You can actually feel the controller
> cases vibrating. I'll check the connections while at the remote.73 K5XM
> On Wednesday, December 4, 2024 at 09:57:07 PM UTC, <n0tt1@juno.com>
>wrote:
>
> Do you mean a buzz in your receiver?
>
> If it's your receiver while operating the rotator...I had such a problem
> quite a few years ago. I ended up "floating" the ground (common)
> connection
> in the rotator controller, i.e. no connection to the chassis in the
> controller.
> The only connection to ground/earth was then in the rotator itself.
>
> With yours being an intermittent problem, I'd look for a loose or
> corroded connection
> somewhere in the wiring as you said.
>
> 73 Charlie, N0TT
>
> On Wed, 4 Dec 2024 20:04:17 +0000 (UTC) trentkd5ia--- via TowerTalk
> <towertalk@contesting.com> writes:
>> The rotator controller at my remote station has developed an
>> intermittent buzz. The rotator is a Ham-2, and the buzz occurs in
>> its original controller as well as a Green Herron RT21, which
>> probably means it's either in the wiring or the rotator itself.
>> Any thoughts? Thank you! Trent K5XM
>> _______________________________________________
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