Help newbie with Channel Master 9512 Rotor - homebrew controller ?
 

I'm fixing up an older Channel Master light-duty rotor to turn a small 2m
wooden quad I've built for my attic, but one of the plastic gears in the
control unit disintegrated in my hand during the rennovation. The rest of
the control unit is in rough shape too.

I'm thinking of building my own power supply/control unit for this rotor,
but I'm not clear on just how these 3-wire units actually control the rotor.
Any ideas? I can perhaps make my own simple PS, and figure out the
direction-setting power scheme, but getting feedback on the antenna position
to prevent over-turn cound be tricky.

Thanks to all who reply...

VE9XYZ Kevin

Kevin:

Those 3 wire controllers depend on running a motor in the indicator at the
same speed as the rotator, so indicator accuracy is sometimes less than
perfect (snicker). Most light duty RatShack rotators use that approach.
The rotator itself is typically a split phase AC motor, a common and one
phase fed directly, the other through a phase shifting capacitor in the
controller. Swap the two phase leads for reverse direction. You may want
to consider buying or fabricating a replacement gear to get direction
readout. Or adding a separate direction indicating mechanism. Good luck!

--
Crazy George
Remove N O and S P A M imbedded in return address
"K. Hastings" wrote in message
...
I'm fixing up an older Channel Master light-duty rotor to turn a small 2m
wooden quad I've built for my attic, but one of the plastic gears in the
control unit disintegrated in my hand during the rennovation. The rest of
the control unit is in rough shape too.

I'm thinking of building my own power supply/control unit for this rotor,
but I'm not clear on just how these 3-wire units actually control the
rotor.
Any ideas? I can perhaps make my own simple PS, and figure out the
direction-setting power scheme, but getting feedback on the antenna
position
to prevent over-turn cound be tricky.

Thanks to all who reply...

VE9XYZ Kevin

Kevin:

Those 3 wire controllers depend on running a motor in the indicator at the
same speed as the rotator, so indicator accuracy is sometimes less than
perfect (snicker). Most light duty RatShack rotators use that approach.
The rotator itself is typically a split phase AC motor, a common and one
phase fed directly, the other through a phase shifting capacitor in the
controller. Swap the two phase leads for reverse direction. You may want
to consider buying or fabricating a replacement gear to get direction
readout. Or adding a separate direction indicating mechanism. Good luck!

--
Crazy George
Remove N O and S P A M imbedded in return address
"K. Hastings" wrote in message
...
I'm fixing up an older Channel Master light-duty rotor to turn a small 2m
wooden quad I've built for my attic, but one of the plastic gears in the
control unit disintegrated in my hand during the rennovation. The rest of
the control unit is in rough shape too.

I'm thinking of building my own power supply/control unit for this rotor,
but I'm not clear on just how these 3-wire units actually control the
rotor.
Any ideas? I can perhaps make my own simple PS, and figure out the
direction-setting power scheme, but getting feedback on the antenna
position
to prevent over-turn cound be tricky.

Thanks to all who reply...

VE9XYZ Kevin

Think it was 20V AC applied one way or the other.

"Crazy George" wrote in message
...
Kevin:

Those 3 wire controllers depend on running a motor in the indicator at the
same speed as the rotator, so indicator accuracy is sometimes less than
perfect (snicker). Most light duty RatShack rotators use that approach.
The rotator itself is typically a split phase AC motor, a common and one
phase fed directly, the other through a phase shifting capacitor in the
controller. Swap the two phase leads for reverse direction. You may want
to consider buying or fabricating a replacement gear to get direction
readout. Or adding a separate direction indicating mechanism. Good luck!

--
Crazy George
Remove N O and S P A M imbedded in return address
"K. Hastings" wrote in message
...
I'm fixing up an older Channel Master light-duty rotor to turn a small
2m
wooden quad I've built for my attic, but one of the plastic gears in the
control unit disintegrated in my hand during the rennovation. The rest
of
the control unit is in rough shape too.

I'm thinking of building my own power supply/control unit for this
rotor,
but I'm not clear on just how these 3-wire units actually control the
rotor.
Any ideas? I can perhaps make my own simple PS, and figure out the
direction-setting power scheme, but getting feedback on the antenna
position
to prevent over-turn cound be tricky.

Thanks to all who reply...

VE9XYZ Kevin

Think it was 20V AC applied one way or the other.

"Crazy George" wrote in message
...
Kevin:

Those 3 wire controllers depend on running a motor in the indicator at the
same speed as the rotator, so indicator accuracy is sometimes less than
perfect (snicker). Most light duty RatShack rotators use that approach.
The rotator itself is typically a split phase AC motor, a common and one
phase fed directly, the other through a phase shifting capacitor in the
controller. Swap the two phase leads for reverse direction. You may want
to consider buying or fabricating a replacement gear to get direction
readout. Or adding a separate direction indicating mechanism. Good luck!

--
Crazy George
Remove N O and S P A M imbedded in return address
"K. Hastings" wrote in message
...
I'm fixing up an older Channel Master light-duty rotor to turn a small
2m
wooden quad I've built for my attic, but one of the plastic gears in the
control unit disintegrated in my hand during the rennovation. The rest
of
the control unit is in rough shape too.

I'm thinking of building my own power supply/control unit for this
rotor,
but I'm not clear on just how these 3-wire units actually control the
rotor.
Any ideas? I can perhaps make my own simple PS, and figure out the
direction-setting power scheme, but getting feedback on the antenna
position
to prevent over-turn cound be tricky.

Thanks to all who reply...

VE9XYZ Kevin

"L G" wrote in message
...
Think it was 20V AC applied one way or the other.

"Crazy George" wrote in message
...
Kevin:

Those 3 wire controllers depend on running a motor in the indicator at
the
same speed as the rotator, so indicator accuracy is sometimes less
than...............

Are you sure about that? The Alliance and CDE rotators had an interrupter
switch in the remote unit that caused a solenoid in the control unit to
advance the indicator pointer. This pulsing took place every 10 or 15
degrees of antenna rotation. The pointer turned in whatever direction the
control knob had been turned.

Tam/WB2TT

"L G" wrote in message
...
Think it was 20V AC applied one way or the other.

"Crazy George" wrote in message
...
Kevin:

Those 3 wire controllers depend on running a motor in the indicator at
the
same speed as the rotator, so indicator accuracy is sometimes less
than...............

Are you sure about that? The Alliance and CDE rotators had an interrupter
switch in the remote unit that caused a solenoid in the control unit to
advance the indicator pointer. This pulsing took place every 10 or 15
degrees of antenna rotation. The pointer turned in whatever direction the
control knob had been turned.

Tam/WB2TT

Tam:

I've held my tongue for quite a while over your inappropriate and unhelpful
answers, but you desperately need to learn to read the questions before
posing one of your answers. He clearly said 3 WIRE ROTATOR. The clickers
are 4 wire.

--
Crazy George
Remove N O and S P A M imbedded in return address
"Tam/WB2TT" wrote in message
...

"L G" wrote in message
...
Think it was 20V AC applied one way or the other.

"Crazy George" wrote in message
...
Kevin:

Those 3 wire controllers depend on running a motor in the indicator at
the
same speed as the rotator, so indicator accuracy is sometimes less
than...............

Are you sure about that? The Alliance and CDE rotators had an interrupter
switch in the remote unit that caused a solenoid in the control unit to
advance the indicator pointer. This pulsing took place every 10 or 15
degrees of antenna rotation. The pointer turned in whatever direction the
control knob had been turned.

Tam/WB2TT

Tam:

I've held my tongue for quite a while over your inappropriate and unhelpful
answers, but you desperately need to learn to read the questions before
posing one of your answers. He clearly said 3 WIRE ROTATOR. The clickers
are 4 wire.

--
Crazy George
Remove N O and S P A M imbedded in return address
"Tam/WB2TT" wrote in message
...

"L G" wrote in message
...
Think it was 20V AC applied one way or the other.

"Crazy George" wrote in message
...
Kevin:

Those 3 wire controllers depend on running a motor in the indicator at
the
same speed as the rotator, so indicator accuracy is sometimes less
than...............

Are you sure about that? The Alliance and CDE rotators had an interrupter
switch in the remote unit that caused a solenoid in the control unit to
advance the indicator pointer. This pulsing took place every 10 or 15
degrees of antenna rotation. The pointer turned in whatever direction the
control knob had been turned.

Tam/WB2TT

"Crazy George" wrote in message
...
Tam:

I've held my tongue for quite a while over your inappropriate and
unhelpful
answers, but you desperately need to learn to read the questions before
posing one of your answers. He clearly said 3 WIRE ROTATOR. The clickers
are 4 wire.

--
Crazy George
George,
I did not say you were wrong. Just asking if you knew for a fact, or were
guessing. It could be done with 3 wires.

Tam

"Crazy George" wrote in message
...
Tam:

I've held my tongue for quite a while over your inappropriate and
unhelpful
answers, but you desperately need to learn to read the questions before
posing one of your answers. He clearly said 3 WIRE ROTATOR. The clickers
are 4 wire.

--
Crazy George
George,
I did not say you were wrong. Just asking if you knew for a fact, or were
guessing. It could be done with 3 wires.

Tam

I did not say you were wrong. Just asking if you knew for a fact, or were
guessing. It could be done with 3 wires.


I have not looked at a CM in about 15 years but the one then that had 3
wires did not have any feedback to give any indication the antenna was even
turning but relied on the two motors to turn at the same speed. The U-100
type rotators used a 4 th wire for the 'clicker'. The rotation on both
types were determined by which one of the two winding got the direct power
and which one was connected to the capacitor . It takes 3 wires to do that.

I did not say you were wrong. Just asking if you knew for a fact, or were
guessing. It could be done with 3 wires.


I have not looked at a CM in about 15 years but the one then that had 3
wires did not have any feedback to give any indication the antenna was even
turning but relied on the two motors to turn at the same speed. The U-100
type rotators used a 4 th wire for the 'clicker'. The rotation on both
types were determined by which one of the two winding got the direct power
and which one was connected to the capacitor . It takes 3 wires to do that.

"K. Hastings" wrote in message
...
I'm fixing up an older Channel Master light-duty rotor to turn a small 2m
wooden quad I've built for my attic, but one of the plastic gears in the
control unit disintegrated in my hand during the rennovation. The rest of
the control unit is in rough shape too.

I'm thinking of building my own power supply/control unit for this rotor,
but I'm not clear on just how these 3-wire units actually control the
rotor.
Any ideas? I can perhaps make my own simple PS, and figure out the
direction-setting power scheme, but getting feedback on the antenna
position
to prevent over-turn cound be tricky.

Thanks to all who reply...

VE9XYZ Kevin


You should be able to find a suitable gear replacement from Small Parts,
Inc. (Florida)
Small Parts, Inc.
13980 N.W. 58th Court
P.O. Box 4650
Miami Lakes, FL 33014-0650


http://www.smallparts.com/

Other interesting rotator sites (modifications and diagrams)

Doug Braun's addition of an indicator to the Radio Shack rotator
http://www.dougbraun.com/rotor_mod.html

http://www.dougbraun.com/pix/rotorpix/P1010017.jpg

http://web.usna.navy.mil/~bruninga/rotator1.html

w9gb

"K. Hastings" wrote in message
...
I'm fixing up an older Channel Master light-duty rotor to turn a small 2m
wooden quad I've built for my attic, but one of the plastic gears in the
control unit disintegrated in my hand during the rennovation. The rest of
the control unit is in rough shape too.

I'm thinking of building my own power supply/control unit for this rotor,
but I'm not clear on just how these 3-wire units actually control the
rotor.
Any ideas? I can perhaps make my own simple PS, and figure out the
direction-setting power scheme, but getting feedback on the antenna
position
to prevent over-turn cound be tricky.

Thanks to all who reply...

VE9XYZ Kevin


You should be able to find a suitable gear replacement from Small Parts,
Inc. (Florida)
Small Parts, Inc.
13980 N.W. 58th Court
P.O. Box 4650
Miami Lakes, FL 33014-0650


http://www.smallparts.com/

Other interesting rotator sites (modifications and diagrams)

Doug Braun's addition of an indicator to the Radio Shack rotator
http://www.dougbraun.com/rotor_mod.html

http://www.dougbraun.com/pix/rotorpix/P1010017.jpg

http://web.usna.navy.mil/~bruninga/rotator1.html

w9gb

Thanks to all for your help on this - especially to Crazy George who
correctly suggested that the 2 directions are accomplished "typically a
split phase AC motor, a common and one phase fed directly, the other through
a phase shifting capacitor in the controller. Swap the two phase leads for
reverse direction." This is exactly what this older rotor used.

Thanks to G.Beat I have excellent drawings of the rotor mods and clear
schematics that I can use to build a revised controiller module. I'll post
schematics when my experimentation is complete if others are interested.

Thanks again, Kevin VE9 XYZ




"K. Hastings" wrote in message
...
I'm fixing up an older Channel Master light-duty rotor to turn a small 2m
wooden quad I've built for my attic, but one of the plastic gears in the
control unit disintegrated in my hand during the rennovation. The rest of
the control unit is in rough shape too.

I'm thinking of building my own power supply/control unit for this rotor,
but I'm not clear on just how these 3-wire units actually control the
rotor.
Any ideas? I can perhaps make my own simple PS, and figure out the
direction-setting power scheme, but getting feedback on the antenna
position
to prevent over-turn cound be tricky.

Thanks to all who reply...

VE9XYZ Kevin