[TowerTalk] Rotator Question

[Gary Schafer]

Faraday shield with an antenna going into it, the mast.
There is never a good ground between the mast and the tower as there is a
rotating joint there. You may be able to measure a short with your ohm meter
but it is not a good connection to high current lightning. The center of the
pot is connected to the rotor bell housing so any resistance between the top
and bottom of the rotor will allow current to go thru the pot. It is a
common cause of failure.

Bonding the top to the bottom of the rotor is good practice for keeping
everything on the tower at the same potential when lightning does strike. 

73
Gary  K4FMX

> -----Original Message-----
> From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:towertalk-
> bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Robert Chudek - K0RC
> Sent: Sunday, May 22, 2011 2:41 PM
> To: towertalk at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Rotator Question
> 
> Please tell me what this #2-#4 wire is going to do that the Faraday
> shield effect of the tower legs around the rotor is not going to do? Or
> the metal of the rotor bell-housing itself? That pot is buried several
> layers deep, covered with metal. Does a #2-#4 wire have some priority
> for lightning? I really need to know, as I have been extremely lucky to
> escape any rotor damage, even with several lightning direct hits to my
> tower.
> 
> 73 de Bob - KØRC in MN
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> On 5/21/2011 2:00 PM, towertalk-request at contesting.com wrote:
> > Message: 2
> > Date: Fri, 20 May 2011 15:58:30 -0400
> > From: "Gary Schafer"<garyschafer at comcast.net>
> > Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Rotator Question
> > To: "'K. Alan Robbins'"<lnmoose at chartermi.net>,
> > 	<towertalk at contesting.com>
> > Message-ID:<30AFC9A2F47C4C3E990DAA8B668AB726 at garyPC>
> > Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"
> >
> > You may have had lightning take out the pot. Place a heavy #2-#4
> jumper from
> > the top of the rotor to the bottom.
> >
> > 73
> > Gary  K4FMX
> >
> >> >  -----Original Message-----
> >> >  From:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com  [mailto:towertalk-
> >> >  bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of K. Alan Robbins
> >> >  Sent: Friday, May 20, 2011 3:08 PM
> >> >  To:towertalk at contesting.com
> >> >  Subject: [TowerTalk] Rotator Question
> >> >
> >> >  To everyone who responded off-list with gracious help, copies of
> owner's
> >> >  manuals,  etc.   Thank you very much.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >  It seems I am the victim of bad luck with this rotator, and/or I
> need
> >> >  lots
> >> >  of exercise climbing up and down the tower this year.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >  73 de W8VCK
> _______________________________________________
> 
> 
> 
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