I was wondering how well would a worm gear assembly hold up for AZ and EL drives and what might be the drawbacks. I ran across one persons rotor project that uses worm gear boxes with Nema 21 stepper motors. The gear boxes themselves cost about 45 dollars each and appear to be quite rugged and waterproof.
Github https://github.com/YohanHadji/SuperAntennaz Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuH7F1J6nr8 Satnogs https://community.libre.space/t/satnogs-all-metal-box-mountable-rotator/4927...
Mike N6IMF
They do pretty well. We used them here with reversible AC motors that were ar overkill.
On Mon 1 Feb, 2021, 8:29 AM Mike Hoblinski, [email protected] wrote:
I was wondering how well would a worm gear assembly hold up for AZ and EL drives and what might be the drawbacks. I ran across one persons rotor project that uses worm gear boxes with Nema 21 stepper motors. The gear boxes themselves cost about 45 dollars each and appear to be quite rugged and waterproof.
Github https://github.com/YohanHadji/SuperAntennaz Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuH7F1J6nr8 Satnogs https://community.libre.space/t/satnogs-all-metal-box-mountable-rotator/4927...
Mike N6IMF
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Thanks for all the feedback. I have seen them used a lot in small rotor projects with a DC motor. The ones used in the person's rotor build look fairly hefty and in some of his build threads he mentioned that they are waterproof and the gears have an oil encapsulated reservoir. I did some checking and each worm gear box costs about 40 dollars and up.
Mike N6IMF
On Sun, Jan 31, 2021 at 9:21 PM Ashhar Farhan [email protected] wrote:
They do pretty well. We used them here with reversible AC motors that were ar overkill.
On Mon 1 Feb, 2021, 8:29 AM Mike Hoblinski, [email protected] wrote:
I was wondering how well would a worm gear assembly hold up for AZ and EL drives and what might be the drawbacks. I ran across one persons rotor project that uses worm gear boxes with Nema 21 stepper motors. The gear boxes themselves cost about 45 dollars each and appear to be quite rugged and waterproof.
Github https://github.com/YohanHadji/SuperAntennaz Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuH7F1J6nr8 Satnogs https://community.libre.space/t/satnogs-all-metal-box-mountable-rotator/4927...
Mike N6IMF
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)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!
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Mike,
I visited one HAM recently and he had a 6 foot wide dish antenna with a very old hand-crank az/el rotator, that used worm gears. I looked over it for several minutes (in awe!) and was surprised at how incredibly smooth / easy it was to crank.
Joseph Armbruster KJ4JIO
On Mon, Feb 1, 2021 at 3:29 PM Mike Hoblinski [email protected] wrote:
Thanks for all the feedback. I have seen them used a lot in small rotor projects with a DC motor. The ones used in the person's rotor build look fairly hefty and in some of his build threads he mentioned that they are waterproof and the gears have an oil encapsulated reservoir. I did some checking and each worm gear box costs about 40 dollars and up.
Mike N6IMF
On Sun, Jan 31, 2021 at 9:21 PM Ashhar Farhan [email protected] wrote:
They do pretty well. We used them here with reversible AC motors that were ar overkill.
On Mon 1 Feb, 2021, 8:29 AM Mike Hoblinski, [email protected] wrote:
I was wondering how well would a worm gear assembly hold up for AZ and EL drives and what might be the drawbacks. I ran across one persons rotor project that uses worm gear boxes with Nema 21 stepper motors. The gear boxes themselves cost about 45 dollars each and appear to be quite rugged and waterproof.
Github https://github.com/YohanHadji/SuperAntennaz Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuH7F1J6nr8 Satnogs https://community.libre.space/t/satnogs-all-metal-box-mountable-rotator/4927...
Mike N6IMF
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)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!
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Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)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!
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Worm gearboxes are also used in some pretty beefy *commercial* rotators as well. I have one of these on my az/el system: https://www.rfhamdesign.com/products/spx-antenna-rotators/spx-02-az--el/inde...
It's been running well for 4 years now, with pretty regular use.
73 Mark VK5QI
On Tue, Feb 2, 2021 at 7:15 AM Joseph Armbruster [email protected] wrote:
Mike,
I visited one HAM recently and he had a 6 foot wide dish antenna with a very old hand-crank az/el rotator, that used worm gears. I looked over it for several minutes (in awe!) and was surprised at how incredibly smooth / easy it was to crank.
Joseph Armbruster KJ4JIO
On Mon, Feb 1, 2021 at 3:29 PM Mike Hoblinski [email protected] wrote:
Thanks for all the feedback. I have seen them used a lot in small rotor
projects with a DC motor.
The ones used in the person's rotor build look fairly hefty and in some
of his build threads he
mentioned that they are waterproof and the gears have an oil
encapsulated reservoir. I did some
checking and each worm gear box costs about 40 dollars and up.
Mike N6IMF
On Sun, Jan 31, 2021 at 9:21 PM Ashhar Farhan [email protected]
wrote:
They do pretty well. We used them here with reversible AC motors that
were ar overkill.
On Mon 1 Feb, 2021, 8:29 AM Mike Hoblinski, [email protected]
wrote:
I was wondering how well would a worm gear assembly hold up for AZ and
EL drives and what
might be the drawbacks. I ran across one persons rotor project that
uses worm gear boxes
with Nema 21 stepper motors. The gear boxes themselves cost about 45
dollars each and
appear to be quite rugged and waterproof.
Github https://github.com/YohanHadji/SuperAntennaz Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuH7F1J6nr8 Satnogs
https://community.libre.space/t/satnogs-all-metal-box-mountable-rotator/4927...
Mike N6IMF
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)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!
View archives of this mailing list at https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/[email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to amsat-bb-leave(a)amsat.org Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)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!
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There are very inexpensive worm gear drives exported from China. USA made worm gear drives a 10x.
I have been experimenting with worm gear drives and there are some issues to overcome.
There is an effect called "stiction" that occurs when unloading the gear and the load (antenna) will bounce.
Keeping the antenna balanced and minimizing load on the worm gear helps.
I watched the YouTube video of the dual worm gear with stepper motors. Do the stepper motors generate RF noise that would interfere with SSB satellites?
73 - Paul - W2HRO
On Mon, Feb 1, 2021 at 4:24 PM Mark Jessop [email protected] wrote:
Worm gearboxes are also used in some pretty beefy *commercial* rotators as well. I have one of these on my az/el system: https://www.rfhamdesign.com/products/spx-antenna-rotators/spx-02-az--el/inde...
It's been running well for 4 years now, with pretty regular use.
73 Mark VK5QI
On Tue, Feb 2, 2021 at 7:15 AM Joseph Armbruster < [email protected]> wrote:
Mike,
I visited one HAM recently and he had a 6 foot wide dish antenna with a very old hand-crank az/el rotator, that used worm gears. I looked over it for several minutes (in awe!) and was surprised at how incredibly smooth / easy it was to crank.
Joseph Armbruster KJ4JIO
On Mon, Feb 1, 2021 at 3:29 PM Mike Hoblinski [email protected] wrote:
Thanks for all the feedback. I have seen them used a lot in small rotor
projects with a DC motor.
The ones used in the person's rotor build look fairly hefty and in some
of his build threads he
mentioned that they are waterproof and the gears have an oil
encapsulated reservoir. I did some
checking and each worm gear box costs about 40 dollars and up.
Mike N6IMF
On Sun, Jan 31, 2021 at 9:21 PM Ashhar Farhan [email protected]
wrote:
They do pretty well. We used them here with reversible AC motors that
were ar overkill.
On Mon 1 Feb, 2021, 8:29 AM Mike Hoblinski, [email protected]
wrote:
I was wondering how well would a worm gear assembly hold up for AZ
and EL drives and what
might be the drawbacks. I ran across one persons rotor project that
uses worm gear boxes
with Nema 21 stepper motors. The gear boxes themselves cost about 45
dollars each and
appear to be quite rugged and waterproof.
Github https://github.com/YohanHadji/SuperAntennaz Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuH7F1J6nr8 Satnogs
https://community.libre.space/t/satnogs-all-metal-box-mountable-rotator/4927...
Mike N6IMF
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)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!
View archives of this mailing list at https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/[email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to amsat-bb-leave(a)amsat.org Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)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!
View archives of this mailing list at https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/[email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to amsat-bb-leave(a)amsat.org Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)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!
View archives of this mailing list at https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/[email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to amsat-bb-leave(a)amsat.org Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at https://mailman.amsat.org
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)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!
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participants (5)
-
Ashhar Farhan -
Joseph Armbruster -
Mark Jessop -
Mike Hoblinski -
Paul Andrews