[TowerTalk] Ham IV rotor

[Tom Anderson]

Fellow Tower Talkians:

I've got a Ham IV (1987 vintage that has been overhauled three years ago 
by Norm's Rotor Service).  But I still seem to have problems with it 
such as wild meter swings, etc.

A few months ago I completely replaced the rotor cable with one that has 

2 16 ga and six 18 gage wires in about a 75 foot total run.   Now it 
seems to be on the fritz again.  Can't get any readings from the rotor 
itself at the control box, per using the Telrex/Hygain manual.  SHould I 
step up to a higher gauge wire, which would probably be overkill at such 
as short distance of 75 ft. total.  The cable is attached to my Tri-Ex 
50 foot crankup by 3 standoffs bought with the tower.

The connectors on both ends are 8 plug trailer disconnects from Wireman 
and are each wrapped first in heat shrink tubing, then Scotchcoted, then 
wrapped in Scotch 33 tape and Scotchcoated again, and finally in a 
piece of sticky butyl rubber made for weatherproofing large outdoor 
connectors, and this is Scotchcoated again.  I don't think moisture is 
the problem, just can't seem to isolate what is the problem though.

The system is wired so I can take the rotor control box direct to the 
rotor and plug it into the rotor pigtail I ran from the 8 screw terminal 
board to the trailer disconnect.

May have to pull the whole thing down and start over as far as cabling 
is concerned, However, I will crank the tower down and take the rotor 
box to the rotor and connect them directly to see if the problem is 
somewhere in the 75 foot run of rotor cable.

Any suggestions gladly accepted.


Tom, WW5L