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HAM-type rotors and connectors

To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: HAM-type rotors and connectors
From: K7LXC@aol.com (K7LXC@aol.com)
Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 13:25:57 -0500 (EST)
In a message dated 97-01-10 12:52:06 EST, you write:

>Wire nuts, special connectors in place of the terminal strip - wouldn't
>have any of that here, that's just a lot of extra work and cost, and
>limits the flexibility of the system.  A simple 3 foot pigtail and those
>trusty 8 pin Cinch Jones plugs that have been around for decades work
>great. They are cheap, rugged and there is enough room to solder healthy
>sized conductors for those long runs. Also that way you can mount the
>rotor on a flat plate without a hole in it, if needed.

    A terrific retrofit improvement to Hy-Gain rotators.

    BTW, Hy-Gain switched a couple of years ago to the CATS-like plug with
the tiny insertion pins but did eliminate the terminal strip (like N4SI sez:
"Why do you think they called it a 'terminal' strip?).  Although an
improvement, it was frought with problems too: difficulty soldering/inserting
pins (you needed an extraction tool to take them out); lack of spare pins
(you're gonna screw up one or two at least); and the damn thing was
impossible to do on the tower. 

    I just installed a new Ham IV and the Hy-Gain rotators now use the
aforementioned Cinch Jones plug.  Thanks to Roger and the guys for getting it
right.  I imagine that the pigtail kit is available from the factory or even
CATS and it might be worth investing a little time and money into upgrading
your Hy-Gain rotators to this standardized improvement.

73,  Steve  K7LXC

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