David and all:
I would also like to commend Dino for being honest / kind / unselfish / experienced on the subject of G-5500.
Dino has helped me immensely to get my controller back in business. He, like with you, spent an enormous amount of time assisting me. He recommended me to purchased additional op amps (they cost but a few cents) and I have use a few here and there. He also suggested, highly recommended, the use of IC sockets so that the OpAmp can be made plug and play. It seems as though the controller's OpAmp are pretty susceptible to RF and mother nature. I ended up placing a trailer's 6 connector set 12" long between each EL/AZ cables at the controller for easy quick disconnect. Watch out for your HF station power as RF might get into the G-5500 controller as well.
Recently, I had issues with the controller's AZ needle doing the jumping jack. Dino to the rescue!!! He pin pointed to several areas to test for finding the solution which I took. But it ended up being water inside the AZ cable at the rotator connector (some how my sealing of it, from recent work, was not too good). Replacing the cable and connector took care of business.
I hope you can get your system in place soon. G-5500 is one of the most affordable, easy to fix, system out there for satellites.
PS: Dino is not for hire :)
Rafael / NN3RP
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Message: 4 Date: Tue, 2 Jun 2020 20:03:08 -0400 From: David Worboys [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: [amsat-bb] G5500 issue Message-ID: [email protected] Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Evening all!,
Further to my original posting I just wanted to take time to thank profusely everyone who contacted me with help but specifically I would like to mention Dino (VE7XDT) who patiently helped me diagnose the problem by way of a huge amount of emails back and forth and me prodding at wires with a new multimeter bought especially for this. His ultimate diagnosis of failed op amps in the box was confirmed by Yaesu after another hour on the phone performing the same tests to answer their questions. A quality company, they took their time to ensure that I was totally aware of the issues.
Unfortunately the same can't be said about HRO in Atlanta (where I purchased the rotator two weeks ago plus a hell of a lot of other equipment). The implied irritation level that permeated down the phone line was palpable; i asked them to send me a new one today, take a hold on my credit card for the full value and I would send them back the defunct one using their packaging and then they could release my credit card hold.
Keep a good customer happy ? No chance.
He actually tried to sell me a new complete G5500 and would then give me store credit once i sent everything back - I am not taking down the equipment and sending it all back and then have to put everything back up again. So the controller is now on its way to Atlanta and the Store Manager said that he had no stock of the controller on its own but could take out the controller from the complete kit and send that - somehow I doubt that will happen and this will drag on and on.
Sorry to rant, I just hate bad customer service.
Anyway, thanks everyone again - I look forward to working some of you on the satellites It's about 11 years since the last time I was active but HRO may drag that out even further. I hope not.
73?s
David KG4ZLB