[CQ-Contest] Tic Ring - Controller

[Dick Green WC1M]

I agree with Ralph completely. 

I have four GH controllers: three for a stack of TIC rings and one for an M2
OR-2800. 

The GH is perfect for TIC rings: accurate to one degree or less, flexible
and effective ramp up/down, computer and network drivable, easy calibration,
programmable software limits to compensate for the lack of physical limit
switches, won't allow windmill if the pot fails, hardware failsafe against
driver failure, and much more.

The GH is a great match for the M2 as well. I don't have the missing pulse
problem that's common with the stock controller and I'm using close to 400'
of standard rotor cable for the pulse train leads (many stock controller
owners have had to resort to coax for the pulse leads.) The rotor can be
calibrated from the shack, and the GH calibration program makes it a
single-click process. The calibration is easily adjusted to compensate if
the beam turns a few degrees in the rotor jaws in a high wind (the M2 rotor
has enough overlap that so far I've been able to delay climbing to
reposition the beam.)

Ralph is exactly right about Jeff: fabulous service and support.

IMHO, there's no better rotor controller than the Green Heron.

73, Dick WC1M

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ralph [mailto:k1zzi at comcast.net]
> Sent: Monday, July 13, 2009 2:57 PM
> To: cq-contest at contesting.com
> Subject: [CQ-Contest] Tic Ring - Controller
> 
> The thing is about the Green Heron controller is that it's versatile and
has
> excellent dependable performance.  No sticking meters or any of the
> aggravations mentioned here.  If you invested big $$ a stack you can't
beat
> it.  Chain them together and turn one knob.  My opinion is you get what
you
> pay for and it's great value for $559 (under $600).  Jeff is always very
> responsive and provides excellent support.
> http://www.greenheronengineering.com/
> 
> 73, Ralph K1ZZI
> 
> 
> Date: Sun, 12 Jul 2009 23:57:04 -0400
> From: David Pruett <k8cc at comcast.net>
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Tic Ring
> To: Rick Dougherty NQ4I <nq4i at contesting.com>
> 
> Rick,
> 
> There are at least two different variants of the digital TIC RingRotator
> control.
> 
> I received one when I bought a brand new 1032 from TIC in the fall of
> 2003 if I remember right.  In that one, the main logic board appears to
> be identical to the analog board - all that's different is that the
> analog meter has been replaced with a LCD with a small daughter board on
> the rear, carrying a PIC micorcontroller which reads the analog pot
> voltage and drives the LCD display.
> 
> Several years ago, I bought seven used 1022 TIC RingRotators from AA8U
> when health reasons forced Bruce to downsize his contest station.  A
> couple of these had digital displays and RS-232 connectors on the back
> panel.  This design is significantly more complicated than the one
> described above - the logic has a PIC 16C57 CPU, an ADC 0809 A/D
> converter (to read the direction and preset pots) and an 8251 UART (for
> the RS-232).
> 
> My TIC owner's manual for the latter box contains a schematic of the
> latter design, which I can scan and send to you in .PDF form.  I have no
> schematic for the first design I described.
> 
> I've had so many problems with my TIC analog controllers (sticking
> meters, inaccurate readings) that I'm about to launch into my own
> digital retrofit for the TIC control boxes.  Yes, I know that the Green
> Heron box works with TICs and while that looks like a solution offering
> excellent performance, $600+ is way more than I'm willing to spend.
> 
> 73,  Dave/K8CC
> 
> Rick Dougherty NQ4I wrote:
> > Hi all..not having any success getting a diagram from Carl at TIC...I
need
> > a
> > diagram of the original Ring Rotor the 1032...it has a digital
> > controller..we need a diagram so we can make a repair..anybody have one
> > they
> > could share?? Thanks de Rick NQ4I
> 
>