[TowerTalk] Rotor cable / Steppir cable connectors

[Jim Thomson]

##  You could also have loosened the mast clamps..and manually pointed the yagi at the rare one.
Plan B... get a bigger rotor for the job..or at least one that is more reliable.   Then again, if the interconnects
are unreliable, it’s a moot point.   I see some folks with m2 OR-2800 or similar have had 10 ft pigtails 
installed by the factory, instead of the usual 2 foot...... then do the cross connect on a terminal strip, inside a nema box.  
That would be the most reliable method.... but not the fastest...vs  quick disconnects.   A 100-200 ft pig tail would also work.

Jim  VE7RF  

From: Big Don 
Sent: Friday, November 07, 2014 4:54 AM
To: Jim Thomson 
Cc: towertalk at contesting.com 
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Rotor cable / Steppir cable connectors

The_Man asked, "Why would anyone want to install quick disconnects?" 
Those were our reasons. 
But another important reason we omitted is: You don't always get to do a rotor replacement during ideal weather.
We wouldn't do this now, but back in the day, we once replaced a rotor in 15 deg weather when some Rare_One 
we needed was going to be on that day. Also, the pile-up won't wait while one fiddles with 8 screws.....73, Don  N7EF


On Thu, Nov 6, 2014 at 11:29 PM, Jim Thomson <jim.thom at telus.net> wrote:

  Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2014 20:26:46 -0800
  From: Big Don <bigdon39 at gmail.com>
  To: W3YY <w3yy at cox.net>
  Cc: "towertalk at contesting.com" <towertalk at contesting.com>
  Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Rotor cable / Steppir cable connectors

  FWIW, the quick disconnects available from Norm's Rotor have gold pins on
  both halves.
  Pricey, but don't expect any corrosion..

  After nearly 40 years of  using the old Ham IV   8-screw   terminal strips
  (never had a reliability problem)
  we are now converting to Norm's disconnects. As geriatrics become an issue,
  every extra minute on the tower hurts. Disconnecting and reconnecting the
  8-wires can consume 15-30 finger-fumbling vision-impaired minutes ---
  dealing with rusty screws and wires, slipping wire ends under those screws
  that really don't unscrew far enough to make the job easy, keeping the
  wires from oozing out from under the screws while tightening them,
  re-stripping and forming the wire ends if any broke during the
  disconnecting operation, finally making sure the connections are correct
  and tight,

  Maybe y'alll got a better way, but we always have done it with the rotor
  laying precariously *LOOSE* on its side, on the rotor shelf,  in order to
  get necessary easy access to the terminal strip,  Not something you want
  especially if some wasps seize the opportunity to attack.. A Rohn 25 rotor
  shelf is not very wide, makes a lousy workbench.  It is now a 10 second
  operation with the rotor solidly bolted in place.....

  73,  Don  N7EF

  ##  why not just install Sta-kon crimp connectors on each of the 8 x wires..
  then solder em after crimping. [ -SNIP- ]