Jim,
To the best of my knowledge (learned that phrase from Watergate
donchaknow) the TR44 cannot be upgraded to a HamM simply by adding bearings.
The TR44 has a friction brake as opposed to the wedge brake of the HamM.
Last time I talked to Craig (RotorDoc) about a TR44 (many years ago) he said
it was not practical to repair a slipping TR44. Maybe that has since changed
but the fact that it slips in the wind with 4 20ft yagis on it is not at all
suprising. Check with RotorDoc or the repairman of your choice but think you
really need to go to a rotor with a wedge brake.
Mike / W8DN
----- Original Message -----
From: "WB9UWA Jim Shaffer" <wb9uwa@gte.net>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, March 25, 2002 9:16 PM
Subject: [Towertalk] TR44 rotor slips.
Hi All,
Perhaps someone would confirm what I think I am seeing.
I am using a TR44 rotor that was upgraded to Ham M by adding
bearings to the race. It served me in the 80's with a TA33 on it
which stripped the ring gear. Shortly after this, the ring gear was
replaced by a stainless steel ring gear.
Now to the present:
I am using this rotor on my roof mounted 2m EME array consisting
of 4, 20 foot boom yagis mounted 5 feet to the H frame from the reflectors.
It is off balance and front heavy so is normally tied down when not in use.
Last night a surprise winter storm brought substantial winds and I was
surprized
to have found the array turned about 45 degrees. I was further surprized
that
the meter tracked the position, so I returned it to its parked direction. At
noon
with the winds still up, I found that it had returned to a 45 degree off
direction.
I have never seen the wind turn this rotor before even though it does not
have
a brake. Is this normal for this rotor and should I be concerned for damage
to
the rotor or this the rotor just doing me a favor by directing the array
into a less
damaging direction?
73, Jim Shaffer, WB9UWA.
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