[TowerTalk] Max antenna weight

[Jim Thomson]

Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2015 05:11:03 -0600
From: "John Langdon" <jlangdon1 at austin.rr.com>
To: "'Roger \(K8RI\) on TT'" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk at tm.net>,
<towertalk at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Max antenna weight

I used HDR300s for years, setup with a 2:1 gears to turn rotating towers,
including the add on limit switches.  In this application antenna weight and
balance did not matter.  Inertia and holding torque did. 

The bad news was they broke often, so I ended up keeping a complete spare
unit that could be swapped out while I fixed the broken one. Luckily the
rotors were mounted at ground level.  

The good news was they were fairly easy to work on, and parts and support
were readily available from HyGain.  When the company was sold, the status
and support for that particular rotor became pretty uncertain, and I
hopefully switched to something else.

I have since tried several 'husky' rotors with impressive torque specs, and
had lots of problems.  Like the HDR300, I spent more time on repairs than I
did actually operating the station.

In retrospect, given the many hours of troubleshooting and repair, and even
at my low hourly labor rate, it would have been cheaper in the long run to
just bite the bullet and get a prop pitch. I am a lot happier now, and I get
on the air a lot more. 

73 John N5CQ

##  I have had two  m2-OR-2800  rotors. On one the start cap crapped out.  The 2nd
one is the dc type, and the gears are trashed.  I also have the K7NV small prop pitch.
Its not much bigger than the HDR-300, and weighs the same as an OR-2800.  Yet the
torque is like 1250 ft lbs, and the final gear is driven in 3 different places, every 120 degs.
The small PP is controlled by the GH control box.  IMO, that’s the ultimate trouble free
combo.   Several folks have tried to turn a Monstir IR  with an OR-2800  all with poor results.
A friend tried that same combo, and his OR-2800  lasted exactly 9 days ! 

Dunno if the prosistel rotors hold up or not.  IMO, the start up tq spec on some of these 
rotors..vs the  running tq....is caused by the fact that the start up current is typ triple the
running current.   Nice to know, but it typ only last one second..so its more advertising hype
than anything.

Jim  VE7RF