[TowerTalk] Tic Ring - schematic needed, and also troubleshooting help

[Tim Duffy]

Hello Scott:

You have a pot shaft/gear problem. If you use a Green Heron controller the
system would stop rotation because of a pot failure. The stock TIC
controller does not have that feature.

I can talk to you by phone if you need additional help.

73
Tim K3LR

-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of
w5wz at w5wz.com
Sent: Sunday, December 13, 2020 6:10 PM
To: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] Tic Ring - schematic needed, and also troubleshooting
help

1.  I'm in need of a schematic for the Tic Ring controller model 2100C

2.  Mid-summer 2020, I replaced the pot with a DXE-TICGEN-POT, and 
everything worked fine until Hurricane Laura blew in with 85mph gusts.  
After that, the ring wouldn't turn.  I assumed physical binding from the 
high winds.  I finally went up the tower yesterday to investigate.  
Indeed there was binding.  I loosened the motor, manually rotated the 
antenna to the direction indicated on the controller, and bolted the 
motor back down.  KW5MOM activated the controller in the shack.  The 
motor properly turns both CCW and CW.  However, the position on the 
controller does not change.  In this condition, the ring keeps turning 
until something physically stops it (coax wrapped around the tower).

As it sits, the controller reads the position as 320 degrees.  With the 
CCW, WIPER and CW wires disconnected from the controller, I checked the 
resistance of the wires to the motor on the tower (approx 300 feet of 
control wire).

The readings are:
CCW to CW ~ 560 ohms
CCW to WIPER ~ 260 ohms
CW to WIPER ~ 290 ohms

These readings seem logical to me, as the controller indicates 320 
degrees.

When the motor is turning the ring, the wiper ohms do not change.  My 
first thought is the little gear in the motor for the pot shaft is 
broken/slipping and not turning the pot.

However, I also must wonder why the controller design allows the motor 
to run if there is no indication of movement.  Seems to be a recipe for 
stretching/breaking coax.

--Scott, W5WZ
_______________________________________________



_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk at contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk