[TowerTalk] Alfaspid acoustic noise?

[Jerry Gardner]

I have an Alfaspid RAK on my tower turning a TH-7DX. I cannot hear the
rotator at all on the ground (the rotator is at about the 55' level on my
tower). When I tested the rotator on the ground, I noticed that it did make
a grinding sound, but it wasn't very loud. Certainly much quieter than a
T2X or HAM-V.

Have you spoken with the Alfa Radio guys in Edmonton about this?


On Wed, May 8, 2013 at 7:11 PM, Jim Miller <jim at jtmiller.com> wrote:

> My Alfaspid works fine but does make quite a grinding racket. Mine is only
> up about 35ft as I have a rather short crankup. If it was at 100ft no one
> would notice of course.
>
> From the sound it makes it sounds like just the noise from the wiper motor
> whirring away but it does produce quite a growl. Since it appears to be
> just a repurposed windshield wiper motor I'm a bit surprised at the noise
> level produced.
>
> I've had the rotor apart just a bit to peek in the top and nothing seems
> amiss. The top doesn't seem to do anything other than support the split
> rubber grommet and keep crud and water out. As far as I can tell it doesn't
> provide mechanical support on any axis.
>
> I was thinking of cranking the tower down and removing the grommet and
> lifting the cap so that I could watch/listen while it rotates to try to
> determine the real source of the noise.
>
> I was also thinking that if it is just "normal" I could try constructing a
> cylindrical muffler that I could wrap around the rotor made of a hard
> surface lined with foam to try to reduce the noise a bit.
>
> Neighbor who goes to bed early is complaining a bit...
>
> Suggestions anyone?
>
> Thanks
>
> Jim ab3cv
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