[Towertalk] Re: Ham IV Brake Slips?

Jan Erik Holm sm2ekm@telia.com
Sat, 30 Nov 2002 05:47:53 +0100


This solution from KK9A is not correct.
The HamIV has a mechanical break,  a wedge that goes in to a
slot in the housing, it is very common that the wedge breaks.
Hopefully (usually) itīs only that wedge that has gone, a new
one is just a few dollars, This rotor doctor guy in W8 land
has new ones that are better then the stock units since they
are made out of harder metal.
Itīs very simple to fix but since I understand that you guys
in the states hardly do anything by yourself I guess you just
will send it in to the shop.

73 good luck Jim SM2EKM

PS: Donīt remember the name of this rotor doctor guy but
I thing you can find it yourself
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kk9a@arrl.net wrote:

>I'm not familiar with the insides of the Ham IV, but it doesn't sound like a
>brake problem to me.  A bad brake would cause the antenna to drift, but the
>indicator on the control would remain correct and you would not have to
>realign the antenna.  It sounds like you have a broken gear or a shaft is
>slipping.
>
>John
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Steve/n0tu" <n0tu@codenet.net>
>To: "TowerTalk" <towertalk@contesting.com>
>Sent: Friday, November 29, 2002 23:20
>Subject: [Towertalk] Ham IV Brake Slips?
>
>
>I think Ham IV brake is munched?
>
>Recently notice the wind was drifting my kt34 out of sync w/rotor control
>box. So I reset/twisted the beam on the mast and really cinched the mast to
>boom clamps this time. All seemed good and secure!
>
>After another front blew through I noticed it happened again! Today while
>attempting to realign it, I grabbed the boom after all the tightening was
>done and I could turn the rotator. I also heard the gears turning inside the
>rotator??? Not good?  Isn't the brake supposed to prevent this?? BTW the
>rotator brake power IS off which means the brake should be on and
>engaged(right?)!! I know it wasn't doing this before! That is the brake
>seemed to be hold everything solid - no drifting or armstronging the rotator
>by hand.
>
>Looks like rotator brake repair time! Any of the repair shops do pre-ship
>repair exchanges? Or is brake replacement a simple task? Of course this is
>the windy season in CO!
>
>Steve/n0tu
>
>  
>