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Re: [TowerTalk] More possible RCS8V problems

To: "Kelly Johnson" <n6kj.kelly@gmail.com>, towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] More possible RCS8V problems
From: Jim Lux <jimlux@earthlink.net>
Date: Tue, 05 Dec 2006 12:36:40 -0800
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
At 10:37 AM 12/5/2006, Kelly Johnson wrote:
>I must have a loose connection somewhere.  I'm not sure if it is in
>the switch or not.  I've had no problem for a couple of days now.  I'm
>beginning to distrust the RCS8-V though.  Maybe I should consider an
>alternative.

I would measure the coil current on each of the coils (which you can 
do without climbing the tower) and see if there's something unexpected.

If you've got a scope that can do captures, you can look at the 
current waveform.  That will tell you a LOT about whether there's a 
mechanical problem.  It's basically a little DC motor, with a lot of 
inductance. As the armature pulls in, it changes the inductance of 
the system, so the current waveform has little peaks, steps, and 
valleys that are very consistent. Likewise, the change in flux 
results in changes in the induced EMF, combined with the resistance 
of the circuit, resulting in current changes.  Even the cheapest of 
Radio Shack "probe scopes" (they were $30 about 15 years ago) will do 
this quite nicely.


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