[TowerTalk] Switching Controls to Multiple rotors

[D. Rodman, MD]

I, in fact, do rotate multiple rotors with single control lines from my
station.  I have two towers, 8 TIC rings and two stations.  Each station
has its own control box.  The solution for me was a simple one, but it
took several months to build when I set up the station in 1991. 

Each tower has a small building adjacent to it for placement of repeaters,
packet and switching equipment.  Each tower has a 24 VDC "booster" supply
that supplies power to the rotors.  The longest rotor (40 m yagi) is about
500 linear feet from the furthest station.  I have a series of relays at
each tower that switch each wire from the TIC rings to the control box.
Each tower has enough relays for 4 rings.  One set of wires runs
underground in 4" PVC from station to towers.  The 24VDC of the control
box never sees the ring.  It runs in #22 wire and would never turn a mouse
at 500 ft!  At the station, I have a "take no give" switch for each
operating position.  This uses a latching relay to "take" control of the
single set of wires from the other station and regain rotor control.  In
this fashion each station can have control of all rotors, just not at
the same time.

It took a lot of planning to do this.  It is not hard, just tedious.  I
haven't had one break down in 7 years, including multiple lightning
strikes.  Everything is well isolated for strikes with ICE surge
protectors.  The house has a perimeter ground with another set of surge
protectors at the entrance to suppress any coupled energy from radials
back into the miles of cable I have underground.

73,

David J. Rodman, MD 
Assistant Clinical Professor 
Department of Ophthalmology 
State University of New York at Buffalo

FAX 716-859-4565 
Office 716-854-1137

e-mail: rodman@acsu.buffalo.edu


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