[TowerTalk] Re: Rotor control line switching

[David J Rodman, MD]

I have done exactly what you propose because I have 8 TIC ring rotors
and two stations.  I built custom switching boxes using relays at the
base of the tower.  Eight rotor lines go to the relay boxes (4 per
tower).  Piggyback 12 v power supplies at the base give the 24V motor
voltage.  Each rotor takes 6 control lines (two DPDT relays).  Separate
relays deliver CW  or CCW to turn the motors.  Going back to the house,
I have a latching relay setup to allow each station to take control of
the rotor lines comming from each tower.  This requires a separate power
supply.  In this way each station has control of all antennas at any
time.  The transformers in the rotor controls actually deliver minimal
voltage to the motors since the true 24 VDC comes from the slave
supplies at the base of the tower.  I have lightning protection of all
control lines at the base of the tower and where the lines enter the
house, double layer of surge protection.  The lines comming from the
back tower are 550' long, including the  tower height.  That is lots of
length for induced currrents.  This is pretty complicated.  I'm sure you
don't have 8 rotors, but hey, "you never know".  Good luck.