[TowerTalk] Rotator cable length

[Dick Green WC1M]

If you relocate the capacitor to the tower, it frees up two conductors which
can be wired in parallel with the brake and ground return wires.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: donovanf at starpower.net [mailto:donovanf at starpower.net] 
> Sent: Friday, September 01, 2006 7:52 PM
> To: towertalk at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Rotator cable length
> 
> Tom,
> 
> I have only one Tailtwister currently in my station, using a 
> 350 foot control cable.  I did several things to obtain 
> completely reliable operation:
>   - I relocated the capacitor to the tower base (you could 
> place it next to the rotator, but I prefer to locate it where 
> I can get easy access),
>   - I use #12 wire for the brake and motor wires,
>   - I added a voltage boosting transformer to the back of the 
> control box to increase the brake voltage.
> 
> It's operated reliably for 20 years in this configuration, 
> except for rotor rebuilds every 4 or 5 years due to the large 
> antenna load (7 elements on 10 meters on a 48 foot boom).
> 
> I originally had four additional Tailtwisters in my station, 
> all using the same scheme described above, with the longest 
> cable run of nearly 600 feet.  They turned two large 5 
> element 20 meter Yagis, and two large 6 element 15 meter 
> Yagis, all on 48 foot booms.  Those four Tailtwister rotators 
> were removed from service when the original two towers were 
> replaced with two new 150 foot rotating towers.  The original 
> fixed towers and the four Tailtwister rotators were a whole 
> lot more cost effective than the rotating towers!
> 
> Good luck, this same arrangement will work fine for you.
> 
> 73!
> Frank
> W3LPL
> 
> ---- Original message ----
> >Date: Fri, 1 Sep 2006 18:00:53 -0500
> >From: "Tom Hellem" <tomhellem at czo.net>
> >Subject: [TowerTalk] Rotator cable length
> >To: "Towertalk submit" <towertalk at contesting.com>
> >
> >Hi All:
> >The Hy-Gain manual specifies maximum length of 300' for 
> Tailtwister cable using #14 conductors for the power leads. 
> Has anyone successfully used a longer one? Can I just up the 
> conductor size to #12, or, any better ideas? My run looks 
> like it will be around 350 feet.
> >
> >Tom K0SN
> >Porterfield, WI
> >_______________________________________________
> >
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >TowerTalk mailing list
> >TowerTalk at contesting.com
> >http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> 
>