[TowerTalk] TIC ring slipping

Zivney, Terry 00tlzivney at bsu.edu
Tue Feb 18 14:03:33 EST 2014


I have 3 TIC rings on my Rohn 45 tower.  THey have been  up for 10 or more years, and give good service.  Always turn.
But, I have had a problem from time-to-time with the one holding
the largest antenna - 48 foot boom 5 el 20m and 2 el Cushcraft 40m.  The ring (single motor) seems to turn every time.  It holds its position even in the strongest winds.
BUT, from time to time, generally during a contest, it seems to slip position.  That is, when I start the contest I turn it
SE to use for the Caribbean multipliers.  Then next morning,
I turn it NE for Europe to stack with the top 20m beam.
Repeat the second day.  When I go out Monday morning 
after the contest, I find the antenna, instead of pointing NE,
is pointing roughly East.  That is, it has moved somewhere
between 45 and 60 degrees!  I can't see the antenna
tower from the shack, and of course, generally the
time I need to turn it is dark, so probably couldn't
see anything anyway.

I can leave the antenna parked there for months, and it
never moves.  The antenna NEVER moves (slips) in the other 
direction.  The TIC ring uses a pot to keep track of direction.

Any ideas?

Terry N4TZ



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