[TowerTalk] Erratic rotator readings (or why cleaning the pot doesn't always work)

Gorsline Family gorslin@pathcom.com
Mon, 13 Sep 1999 08:28:57 -0400


Hope this helps somebody.  I've been having problems with my TR-44
rotator meter readings.  As the beam rotated, the readings would either
advance in a jerky fashion or the needle would bounce to the extreme
left (or Due South as we say here).

I took it apart and cleaned the pot winding and wiper with a pencil
eraser and then contact cleaner.  That didn't help much.  Put a clip
lead on the wiper to ground and the bounce to south went away.  Then
took the pot assembly off (held by two nuts) and discovered that the
contact to ground is through the wiper axle retaining clip and a washer
on the bottom to a copper finger.  Cleaned those up and now only have
the meter jerking motion.  Some day I'll buy a new pot assembly...

I suspect that the other members of the Ham-x family may be similar.

73,  George VE3YV / K8HI


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