[TowerTalk] GA-3000 found, tnx

[john at kk9a.com]

I had good luck with Yaesu G-2800 DXA rotators in Aruba, however once removed from the tower the corrosion would lock them up.  I am guessing that the constant trade winds causing the antennas to rock back and forth kept things loose.  Do you have a corrosion problem in your part of Thailand?


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Charles Harpole 
  To: john at kk9a.com ; towertalk towertalk 
  Sent: Monday, January 14, 2013 01:50
  Subject: GA-3000 found, tnx


  This item is often hidden under "Accesories, general" title or is with the rotors accessories.
   
  I am awaiting my order final confirmation.  So, likely I will have one soon.
   
  For those who are wondering,  this item GA-3000, made by Yaesu, mounts under the rotor and above the rotor plate to provide a little bit of "wiggle room" for the rotor as it lines up with thrust bearing(s) above it.  This alignment is a constant problem with large arrays, especially with lots of straight line wind pressure on the mast.  I have had problems with alignment with two of my towers in the past, one with one thrust bearing and the other tower with two bearings.
   
  I "solved" the one-bearing problem by elevating the T2X half inch on its bolts, but with the bolts locked with nuts above the plate, which allowed the rotor to float a little.  Even with two bearings (and a HyGain Xmas tree on top) on the second tower, I got too much mis-alignment with, on this tower, the T2X binding and stopping.  Giving up on the T2X, I installed a new Yaesu G 2800 which, for one reason or another, turned just fine.
   
  In August, a very freak straight line wind hit for about 10 minutes (enough to have my Thai wife praying at the window) bent my straining 80ft Trylon over, bringing down my Xmas Tree and Yaesu rotor.  More than half of each yagi was ruined, but using the remainder and parts from TH 7s, I was able to rebuild the 20 and the 15, and make a all new 10/6 meter interlaced yagi for the top of the undamaged 23+ feet chrom/moly mast.  
   
  This week, finally a new 80ft Thai-made tower is up and the rebuilt yagis fly in the air again.  HOWEVER, after sitting for months, the Yaesu rotor will not turn.  A spare T2X (used but working when put into good storage) will release the brake but will not turn, so no rotor yet.   I remember some ham asking, yrs ago, why we can buy a $500 clothes washer, with a reversable motor, which lasts 10 years, and yet our bigger bux ham rotors fail frequently.  In 51 yrs of hamming, rotors have had the greater failure rate way above all my other equipment.  Huummmmm.
   
  73, and tnx for help finding item.  HS0ZCW

  Charles Harpole 
   
  k4vud at hotmail.com 
   

  > From: john at kk9a.com
  > To: TOWERTALK at contesting.com
  > CC: k4vud at hotmail.com
  > Subject: re :[TowerTalk] any source for a GA-3000 ???
  > Date: Sun, 13 Jan 2013 23:41:20 +0000
  > 
  > Where did you look?
  > http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-002771
  > 


  >