[TowerTalk] Looking for Remote Rotator Control Methods

[George Collins]

Hello,

Have put up a second tower that will be used just for HF antennas.  It's in
a nice location except for one problem: it's 500 feet away from my shack.
I'm looking for suggestions on how to deal with a very long rotator cable
run.  There is a barn with electricity a 100 feet from the tower where a
controller could be located.  I'm thinking that I could run light-gauge
control wires from the shack to a controller in the barn, thus avoiding the
large IR drop in the motor wires.  The difficulty I see with this
approach is the long run for the position indicator wires.  I think they
will likely pick up RF or other electrical noise.  Perhaps some type of
buffer or line driver could be used.

I would also consider just running heavy-conductor cable directly from the
shack to the tower, if affordable cable was available.  I think I would
still have to deal with long position-indicator lines.

 Perhaps a wireless solution may be the best method, but I would probably
need to copy someone else's design.  I am familiar with various
microcontrollers and SBCs, but I haven't done anything programming of WiFi
networks, etc.  I would like to use the typical Hy-Gain/CDR type controller
and I will probably use a HAM-IV rotator, although a Yaesu rotator is a
possibibly.  Making electrical modifications to the rotator or controller
is not a problem.

Any suggestions (other than moving the shack to the barn hi hi) will be
very much appreciated.

73,

George, KC1V
FN31