[TowerTalk] Rotor control

[donovanf at starpower.net]

Lee,

There isn't anything especially difficult about controlling a rotator at a distance of 750 feet.  The only issue is maintaining the required voltage for the motor, and the brake if the rotator has one.  That distance presents no problem at all for indicator circuits. 

I currently have two M2 Orion rotators that are over 700 feet from their control boxes, and there is no problem at all.  This rotator requires only four wires: two for the motor and two for the indicator circuit.  I use #10 wire for the motor.  Although I use #12 wire for the indicator, smaller wire would work well.

The motor and brake voltage for the Ham4 and T2X rotators are more critical.  Again, the indicator circuit is not a problem with these rotators. The following techniques will allow a Ham4 or T2X rotator at operate 750 feet from its control box:
   1. Three #10 wires from the control box (the motor and brake wires, terminal strip wires 1,2 and 3)
   2. Relocate the motor starting capacitor to a convenient much closer to the rotator.  Its not necessary to place it immediately next to the rotator.
   3.  Mount a small transformer on the back of the control box and wire it into the control box to boost only the brake voltage.

73
Frank
W3LPL



---- Original message ----
>Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 23:25:36 -0600
>From: "Its from Onion" <aredandgold at msn.com>  
>Subject: [TowerTalk] Rotor control  
>To: "A TOWER TALK GROUP" <towertalk at contesting.com>
>
>I have a question that was asked of me and I thought I would put it to the group.
>
>A friend needs to control his rotor from a rather long distance of 750 feet away.
>My first thought was ditch the 'traditional' rotor box and just run power to a step-down transformer
>of the correct value and use wireless video for a 'spotter' to check direction.
>Then I thought, is there a company that builds a digital encoder/decoder for this exact application?
>Of course, lighting protection is always a issue.
>
>BTW, thanks everyone on the dipole help.  The wire went up Sunday, but Monday I gave birth
>to a 1.2mm bouncing baby kidney stone!  It was my first and, WOW!  Anyway, the dipole is delayed
>a bit while I recoup.
>Also to answer another question about that antenna, it is for mulit-band use and I live on a hillside
>so an inverted 'L' was a no go first off.
>
>Thanks all and  
>
>73,
>Lee
>KE4VYN
>HTTP://WWW.QRZ.COM/CALLSIGN/KE4VYN<http://www.qrz.com/CALLSIGN/KE4VYN>
>
>
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