[Towertalk] T2X Start cap at tower base?

Michael Gilmer n2mg@eham.net
Wed, 14 Aug 2002 20:06:08 -0400


Another reason to move the cap is so that one can use fewer wires. Depending
on your choice of wire (I'll be using 12/2 romex with ground - so 3 wires
all together) needing SIX wires as opposed to EIGHT is a big improvement!
(I could use 12/3 + gnd, but that stuff costs a lot more.)

Mike N2MG

W1JR wrote:

> In the past some people put the capacitor close to the rotator to free up
2
> extra wires to parallel with others. This helps but I don't think the need
> for mounting the capacitor at the rotator is an improvement. In fact, now
> you have a weather proofing problem and the capacitor is subject to the
> elements of hot and cold wx.
>
> The real problem with the Ham M rotators (excepting the case of a dead
> capacitor) is with rotation/opening the brake and the resistance of the
> control wires, especially if the control cable is over 100 feet. This can
> be helped by using the so called "heavy duty"  8 conductor cable which
> bumps up the wire sizes by 2. Hence the control wires are much heavier. I
> believe the standard 8 conductor cable is 2 #18 and 6 #22 AWG wires while
> the heavy duty is 2 #16 and 6 #18. Perhaps even another jump up is
> advisable for long runs (like I have!).
>
> 73,
>
> Joe, W1JR