[TowerTalk] TIC-Ring Question

[Richard Thorne]

Dave,

If you get an answer on adding a compass to the Green Heron line, please 
pass it along.

My rotating tower always moves in high winds, which I think is a good 
thing from a stress point.

The other option I'm looking at is a 4O3A Rotator Genius.  It mounts a 
compass on the boom and uses it as the direction indicator.  If the 
antenna moves the compass would give you the proper heading.  This would 
also solve the bad pot problem on the TIC's as one would not need one.

Rich - N5ZC

On 11/11/2022 12:11 PM, Leeson wrote:
> I've been using a TIC ring rotator here on a big 7el 10m Yagi for the 
> past 20 years with good success, but it has a couple of well-known 
> unresolved problems: In the high winds we have on our hilltop (147 
> mi/h 3s gust measured), it can jump a tooth on the motor or pot gear, 
> which eventually makes the direction indicator pot totally out of 
> sync, or even damages it. Since the ring rotor doesn't have physical 
> limit switches, that has permitted over-rotation that parts the coax.
>
> Re direction indication, has anyone had any success with alternatives 
> such as magnetic or microswitch gear tooth counters? Or a simple 
> compass module with output that a Green Heron RT-21 can read (0-5 
> volts)? See G6EJD, KJ4JJH, K3NG. I'd like to have direction indication 
> that mounts directly at the ring or antenna boom itself, rather than 
> through a coupled gear. and it should work at zero speed.
>
> Second, has anyone had success with adding waterproof (IP67) limit 
> switches? Honeywell, Omron, IP67 microswitches or cheaper imports? If 
> a magnetic gear tooth sensor is used, what kind of spacing precision 
> is required? With 360 teeth, the 1° precision should be plenty for HF.
>
> I am aware of modifications and updates (e.g., N1CX) that may help 
> prevent gear tooth skipping, but I want something bullet-proof that 
> really gives me full confidence. Even a partial failure in a contest 
> can compromise an otherwise winning effort; in our big HC8 station, we 
> gave up on rotators and went with multiple antennas per band. But for 
> my less complex setup here at home, I intend to try to resolve both of 
> these problems when the weather permits, and am interested in hearing 
> the experiences of list folks.
>
> BTW, I resolved the climb-over issue with a small 3-rung steel ladder 
> mounted below it on the tower face. And if the limit switches work 
> out, I'll add them to my prop pitches, as well.
>
> Thanks, Dave W6NL/HC8L
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