[TowerTalk] Yaesu G-800SA

[Pete Smith]

A couple of months ago, I commented here that I'd been told by a dealer
that the new Yaesu rotators (with the "A" in their model number) require a
6-wire control cable, in order to meet CE requirements.  That's what the
rotator manual says too.  Last week, however, Yaesu service advised me that
the sixth conductor is actually superfluous in the non-preset G-800SA.  I
tried it, and sure enough...  I "think" he said that wire #1 is also not
required, but I haven't tried that.

BTW, while it looks almost the same as the earlier G-800/1000, the new
G-800SA control box has been substantially revamped inside.  The schematic
is almost entirely different.  From the op's standpoint, the point at which
the "overlap" light turns on is now adjustable, and the rocker operating
switch will lock "on" in either direction if pressed just a little harder
than necessary to begin rotation.  The latter looks to me like a little bit
of a 2-edged sword, because you could potentially run the rotator up
against the stop in either direction and stall the motor while continuing
to supply voltage to it till you notice.  I don't know how long the rotator
will do this without damage.  On the other hand, the indicator motor in the
control box, which used to run up against the stop if the controller was
turned on with the control cable disconnected, no longer does so.  Some
folks had reported burning up that little motor by failing to notice this
condition.

The rotator works great turning a C-3E on a swinging gate sidearm -- well
within its capabilities.

Just FYI.

73, Pete Smith N4ZR

Contesting is ... Extreme Radio

The World Contest Station Database 
is back up and running at
http://www.qsl.net/n4zr 



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