[TowerTalk] Re:Rotator Band Aids

[Ian White, G3SEK]

K7GCO wrote:
> 
> I have a way to easily speed up conventional rotators also.   I increase the 
>diameter of the small gear on the motor shaft and decreased the size of the 
>adjoining gear of such ratios to get any new rpm I want.  The same shaft to 
>shaft spacing remaines.  I frequently use a smaller beam than what it was 
>designed for and have yet to have a problem.   I even speed up the small TV 
>rotators the same way.  4 RPM for even a large TV antenna is no problem.  
> 
It's also possible to speed up a conventional rotator that has an AC
motor by feeding it from a variable-frequency inverter instead of the
usual 60/50Hz. The speed can be continuously varied both above and below
normal.

The usual warnings about sudden stops and reversals from high speed
still apply, of course.

73 from Ian G3SEK          Editor, 'The VHF/UHF DX Book'
                          'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
                           http://www.ifwtech.com/g3sek

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