Jerry,
Just for perspective. That rotor has been up for 15 years or more. Been through multiple major storms, snow, ice, etc and has been flawless for that entire time. This is the first failure in all that time, and more than likely related to sitting dormant for 6 years. So, I would say, that is pretty darn good. Can’t speak for others, but I don’t have an issues with that duration of a failure free period.
Michael Hatzakis Jr MD. K3MH
On Mar 27, 2020, at 2:21 PM, Gerald Witalec [email protected] wrote:
Hi Michael, Been reading a lot on the AMSAT-BB and amazed about how many of you are having problems with such an expensive rotor. I have decided not to purchase it and going to build my SAT station instead with servo motors.
Jerry...W8RQM
On Friday, March 27, 2020, 4:58:27 PM EDT, Michael Hatzakis Jr MD via AMSAT-BB [email protected] wrote:
Hi guys/gals,
I used to be very active on the Sats, and for years; have a great set-up, but thanks to life events, went dark for about 5-6 years.
Trying to find a silver lining in this COVID crisis, while my business is in the tank, thought I would get back to my love of the birds.
Unfortunately, I turned on my G-5500 controller and suddenly find the elevation portion of the rotor isnt responding. Rotation is fine. Thanks to my fearless days of my 40’s, the antenna is up on the chimney in a set up thats a little challenging to service, so I am looking for what I can do on the ground to try to debug and prepare first, before embarking on a roof expedition.
What are the common reasons for the elevation rotator to stop responding? is there much I can do on the ground to debug, and/or prepare when I go up on the roof to check the rotor out? What are the repair options?
Michael Hatzakis Jr MD K3MH [email protected] mailto:[email protected] <mailto:[email protected] mailto:[email protected]> _______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected] mailto:[email protected] 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 https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Michael,
We can hope for a broken wire, hopefully close to the ground. Not sure if there is a real difference this year, but here in new england I have heard an unusually large number of complaints about critters chewing through cables. Does the control box make any indication of current flowing when you try to change the elevation, i.e does the control box hum louder than usual?
I would also be curious to see what the resistance is between pins 4-6 and pins 5-6 of the , I would expect to see a few ohms.
de KM1P Joe
________________________________________ From: AMSAT-BB [email protected] on behalf of Michael Hatzakis Jr MD via AMSAT-BB [email protected] Sent: Friday, March 27, 2020 5:25 PM To: Gerald Witalec; [email protected] Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Trying to get back on the sats... but G-5500 Failure
Jerry,
Just for perspective. That rotor has been up for 15 years or more. Been through multiple major storms, snow, ice, etc and has been flawless for that entire time. This is the first failure in all that time, and more than likely related to sitting dormant for 6 years. So, I would say, that is pretty darn good. Can’t speak for others, but I don’t have an issues with that duration of a failure free period.
Michael Hatzakis Jr MD. K3MH
On Mar 27, 2020, at 2:21 PM, Gerald Witalec [email protected] wrote:
Hi Michael, Been reading a lot on the AMSAT-BB and amazed about how many of you are having problems with such an expensive rotor. I have decided not to purchase it and going to build my SAT station instead with servo motors.
Jerry...W8RQM
On Friday, March 27, 2020, 4:58:27 PM EDT, Michael Hatzakis Jr MD via AMSAT-BB [email protected] wrote:
Hi guys/gals,
I used to be very active on the Sats, and for years; have a great set-up, but thanks to life events, went dark for about 5-6 years.
Trying to find a silver lining in this COVID crisis, while my business is in the tank, thought I would get back to my love of the birds.
Unfortunately, I turned on my G-5500 controller and suddenly find the elevation portion of the rotor isnt responding. Rotation is fine. Thanks to my fearless days of my 40’s, the antenna is up on the chimney in a set up thats a little challenging to service, so I am looking for what I can do on the ground to try to debug and prepare first, before embarking on a roof expedition.
What are the common reasons for the elevation rotator to stop responding? is there much I can do on the ground to debug, and/or prepare when I go up on the roof to check the rotor out? What are the repair options?
Michael Hatzakis Jr MD K3MH [email protected] mailto:[email protected] <mailto:[email protected] mailto:[email protected]> _______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected] mailto:[email protected] 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 https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
_______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected] 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
So far, my problems with the 5500 have all been with the cables. One time a mouse chewed through it. Another time I discovered the bolt on my surge protector terminal was not tight. Not to say the 5500 never has hardware problems. One thing I'd look at is whether it is literally not rotating when power is applied, or whether it is the feedback pot/wiring that is bad. Worth a check so you can trace the wiring better
But one interesting question is what elevation your antenna is frozen at? You could be successful for a while at either end of the pass if it is horizontal (depending on the beam width of your antennas). Maybe a bit more challenging if it is vertical.
On Fri, Mar 27, 2020 at 5:50 PM Michael Hatzakis Jr MD via AMSAT-BB < [email protected]> wrote:
Jerry,
Just for perspective. That rotor has been up for 15 years or more. Been through multiple major storms, snow, ice, etc and has been flawless for that entire time. This is the first failure in all that time, and more than likely related to sitting dormant for 6 years. So, I would say, that is pretty darn good. Can’t speak for others, but I don’t have an issues with that duration of a failure free period.
Michael Hatzakis Jr MD. K3MH
On Mar 27, 2020, at 2:21 PM, Gerald Witalec [email protected]
wrote:
Hi Michael, Been reading a lot on the AMSAT-BB and amazed about how many of you are
having problems with such an expensive rotor.
I have decided not to purchase it and going to build my SAT station
instead with servo motors.
Jerry...W8RQM
On Friday, March 27, 2020, 4:58:27 PM EDT, Michael Hatzakis Jr MD via
AMSAT-BB [email protected] wrote:
Hi guys/gals,
I used to be very active on the Sats, and for years; have a great
set-up, but thanks to life events, went dark for about 5-6 years.
Trying to find a silver lining in this COVID crisis, while my business
is in the tank, thought I would get back to my love of the birds.
Unfortunately, I turned on my G-5500 controller and suddenly find the
elevation portion of the rotor isnt responding. Rotation is fine. Thanks to my fearless days of my 40’s, the antenna is up on the chimney in a set up thats a little challenging to service, so I am looking for what I can do on the ground to try to debug and prepare first, before embarking on a roof expedition.
What are the common reasons for the elevation rotator to stop
responding? is there much I can do on the ground to debug, and/or prepare when I go up on the roof to check the rotor out? What are the repair options?
Michael Hatzakis Jr MD K3MH [email protected] mailto:[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]
Sent via [email protected] mailto:[email protected] 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 <
https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb%3E
Sent via [email protected] 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
As a temp solution that could turn permanent, forget the elevation side and just mount it at a fixed elevation of 15 degrees. As long as the gain of your antennas is not too great (no more than 10 dBi approximately), it will work perfectly for the LEO birds. Your gain at the horizon will only be down 1 dB, and your gain at 65 or 70 deg will be more than adequate. The small time the bird is >70 deg is of little consequence and because the bird is near TCA (time of closest approach) then the signal is quite strong.
If your antennas are too high gain, take the front part of the boom off, (removing directors), and the gain will drop.
I have been using this exact setup and work all the Low Earth Orbit birds right down to the horizon.
73, N0AN
Hasan
On Fri, Mar 27, 2020, 5:17 PM Burns Fisher via AMSAT-BB [email protected] wrote:
So far, my problems with the 5500 have all been with the cables. One time a mouse chewed through it. Another time I discovered the bolt on my surge protector terminal was not tight. Not to say the 5500 never has hardware problems. One thing I'd look at is whether it is literally not rotating when power is applied, or whether it is the feedback pot/wiring that is bad. Worth a check so you can trace the wiring better
But one interesting question is what elevation your antenna is frozen at? You could be successful for a while at either end of the pass if it is horizontal (depending on the beam width of your antennas). Maybe a bit more challenging if it is vertical.
On Fri, Mar 27, 2020 at 5:50 PM Michael Hatzakis Jr MD via AMSAT-BB < [email protected]> wrote:
Jerry,
Just for perspective. That rotor has been up for 15 years or more.
Been
through multiple major storms, snow, ice, etc and has been flawless for that entire time. This is the first failure in all that time, and more than likely related to sitting dormant for 6 years. So, I would say,
that
is pretty darn good. Can’t speak for others, but I don’t have an issues with that duration of a failure free period.
Michael Hatzakis Jr MD. K3MH
On Mar 27, 2020, at 2:21 PM, Gerald Witalec [email protected]
wrote:
Hi Michael, Been reading a lot on the AMSAT-BB and amazed about how many of you are
having problems with such an expensive rotor.
I have decided not to purchase it and going to build my SAT station
instead with servo motors.
Jerry...W8RQM
On Friday, March 27, 2020, 4:58:27 PM EDT, Michael Hatzakis Jr MD via
AMSAT-BB [email protected] wrote:
Hi guys/gals,
I used to be very active on the Sats, and for years; have a great
set-up, but thanks to life events, went dark for about 5-6 years.
Trying to find a silver lining in this COVID crisis, while my business
is in the tank, thought I would get back to my love of the birds.
Unfortunately, I turned on my G-5500 controller and suddenly find the
elevation portion of the rotor isnt responding. Rotation is fine. Thanks to my fearless days of my 40’s, the antenna is up on the chimney in a set up thats a little challenging to service, so I am looking for what I can
do
on the ground to try to debug and prepare first, before embarking on a
roof
expedition.
What are the common reasons for the elevation rotator to stop
responding? is there much I can do on the ground to debug, and/or
prepare
when I go up on the roof to check the rotor out? What are the repair options?
Michael Hatzakis Jr MD K3MH [email protected] mailto:[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]
Sent via [email protected] mailto:[email protected] 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
<
https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb%3E
Sent via [email protected] 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
Sent via [email protected] 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
Hasan's idea is a good one. WB4APR has been preaching this from the Naval Academy for some time ... in fact it is a US Navy design from the dawn of the Space Age. Check out the link below. Note the slight, fixed elevation of the Yagis on the mast. The Navy didn't take any chances with critters eating cables either ... the operator simply grabbed the steering wheel that you see in between the two R-390A's inside the hut and swung the antennas around armstrong style.
https://fas.org/spp/military/program/sigint/grab.htm
de KM1P Joe
-
Burns Fisher -
Hasan al-Basri -
Joseph B. Fitzgerald -
Michael Hatzakis Jr MD