[TowerTalk] Brake delay adjustment

[Dale L Martin]

>There is a construction project to build an "automatic beam aimer"
described in November, 1982 "73" magazine that I am going to do whenever I
have time.  I already have the parts and am going to build it inside an old
PC "A/B" switch box.  The circuit and part list is in the article.  This
unit works with any CDE/Hygain control box.  The operator merely turns a
pointer knob to the desired heading and leans back.


Jim, that's a good little controller.  I built the version which appeard in
the 1984 73 magazine. it shortly after it appeared in 73 and it worked for a
number of years....until a lightning hit took out a bunch of house and shack
equipment.  I built another, but it never worked the same as the first.

I then found the Rotator Pal in the Feb 1996 QST, built it and have been
using it ever since.

>The unit disengages the brake, rotates the beam and stops, then engages the
brake after a delay.  There is a built in power supply (although the shack
DC supply could be used) and LEDs to indicate power on and rotating
direction.  The brake delay is adjustable through a circuit feeding the
brake-release relay switching transistor.

Right.  Rotator Pal uses a 47uF electrolytic capacitor and a 50k ohm pot to
feed the base of the switching transistor which, in turn, keys the relay.

73,
dale, kg5u



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