[TowerTalk] Sidemounting
Fred Hopengarten
k1vr@juno.com
Wed, 26 Mar 1997 12:14:24 EST
From:
Fred Hopengarten, K1VR
Six Willarch Road; Lincoln, MA 01773-5105
617/259-0088; e-mail: k1vr@k1vr.jjm.com or k1vr@juno.com
On Wed, 26 Mar 1997 08:17:41 -0700 (MST) K7BG Matt Trott
<aa7bg@3rivers.net> writes:
> Has anyone sidemounted a KT34XA on a IIX or similar
>sidemount? I acquired 3/4 of a KT34XA and was considering rebuilding
>it and
>sidemounting it at 45' on 45G. Or is a ringrotor the only way to go?
>
>Matt--K7BG
K1VR replies:
I have a Cushcraft 40-2CD on a TIC RingRotor, and a TH6DXX on a homebrew
"swinging gate" sidearm. Here are my thoughts:
* The RingRrotor does not suffer the start up problems (wherein
you sometimes must go one way to start, and then reverse to get to where
you want to go).
* The RingRotor does occasionally ice up.
* Early models of the RingRotor had RFI problems (now solved).
* To truss a boom from a RingRotor requires an extra set of parts,
which costs more money.
* RingRotors are expensive now.
* RingRotors can be hard to climb around.
* RingRotors are generally easy to work on.
* RingRotors take 90 seconds to go 360 degrees. A T2X moves at 1
rpm (a whole lot faster when you are in a contest).
-------------------------
* The Swinging Gate requires re-aiming at least once a year, which
is never required of the RingRotor.
* The Swinging Gate has 310 degree rotation. The RingRotor is 360
degrees.
* The Swinging Gate uses a Ham-M, Ham IV, or T2X -- and those have
well documented maintenance issues: start up (mentioned above) and
needle wobbling, as well as the need to replace starter capacitors.
* There are two kinds of people: Those who have never had
ballbearings fall all over the shop floor, and those who have worked on a
CDE/HyGain rotator motor.
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