Note: I am using the Alpha-Spid RAK as azimuth rotator on eme for 50 and 144 MHz. No experience with RAS.
Only have the RAK installed for my 144-eme array of four XP yagis at this point.
I have about 150-foot cable run and using 8-conductor standard rotator cable (only four needed by the Spid) I had excessive voltage loss on the motor lines (dropped to 8vdc). Even paralleling some of the unused wires did not solve. I finally use a pair of No. 10 wires to get 12v to the rotator.
I run 18vac into the controller (which has a bridge rectifier) to obtain 24vdc unloaded on output. Loaded the voltage sags to about 18vdc at the controller, but runs the rotator fine. Use the No. 20 control wires in the original rotor cable for indication with no issues.
I have the 1-degree resolution rotator (good enough for 50 or 144-MHz). Previously, I ran a Ham-IV which only provides 5-degree movement due to the brake system. Ham-IV was challenged for torque by the eme array. Spid seems to handle that FB.
73, Ed - KL7UW http://www.kl7uw.com Dubus-NA Business mail: dubususa@gmail.com
Thanks for all the replies and good information. Following up, almost every cable I've seen, especially anything with larger gauge wires, seems like the outer jacket is larger than what the cable glands on the rotor will take, is everyone just stripping the outer jacket and feeding into the terminal blocks the individual wires and sealing the exposed section outside in some way? Replacing the cable glands and making the pass through holes larger?
Ryan, NF0T
On Sat, Jun 6, 2020 at 11:30 AM Edward R Cole via AMSAT-BB < amsat-bb@amsat.org> wrote:
Note: I am using the Alpha-Spid RAK as azimuth rotator on eme for 50 and 144 MHz. No experience with RAS.
Only have the RAK installed for my 144-eme array of four XP yagis at this point.
I have about 150-foot cable run and using 8-conductor standard rotator cable (only four needed by the Spid) I had excessive voltage loss on the motor lines (dropped to 8vdc). Even paralleling some of the unused wires did not solve. I finally use a pair of No. 10 wires to get 12v to the rotator.
I run 18vac into the controller (which has a bridge rectifier) to obtain 24vdc unloaded on output. Loaded the voltage sags to about 18vdc at the controller, but runs the rotator fine. Use the No. 20 control wires in the original rotor cable for indication with no issues.
I have the 1-degree resolution rotator (good enough for 50 or 144-MHz). Previously, I ran a Ham-IV which only provides 5-degree movement due to the brake system. Ham-IV was challenged for torque by the eme array. Spid seems to handle that FB.
73, Ed - KL7UW http://www.kl7uw.com Dubus-NA Business mail: dubususa@gmail.com
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
participants (2)
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Edward R Cole -
Ryan Butler