On 10/1/2010 11:05 AM, Martin Sole wrote:
> The Yaesu will do 450 degrees, the CDE only 360. Only you would know if that
> is significant. I currently use a Yaesu and it is useful to me, YMMV.
My take and it's a personal opinion but I've used most of the "ham
series" and I've used much larger rotators.
I do not like rotators that use a wedge brake and a spur gear drive.
I'm not familiar with the yaesu but I believe it also uses a spur gear
drive similar to the ham series of rotators, but I don't know for sure.
At any rate, back to the spur gears and wedge brakes. The spur gears
offer little resistance to turning when the brake is disengaged, so if
you live in and operate from a windy location WHEN the winds are blowing
they can be a problem, particularly what delay which is normally
desirable. I disengaged a brake on a windy day and before I could
engage the motor the antenna had already swung into the stops hard
enough to damage the Ham IV or V. I've forgotten which it was now as
that was nearly 8 years ago.
OTOH you are not using nearly as large an antenna and the ham series is
the most widely used rotator in existence as far as I can tell. So
there are many happy users, parts are readily available, as are repair
services if you reach the point where you do not want to do it your
self. I'm just finishing up a Ham IV rebuild to go under a Force 12 C19
XR. I don't know what Hy-Gain/MFJ gets for those 3/8" bearings but they
are 40 cents each at the local ACE hardware and the rotator takes about
a 100 of them. OTOH those in the inner race are likely to stay shiny
while the ones in the outer race can deteriorate. Kept properly greased
they should last a lifetime. Earlier models in the series were not well
sealed and even the ham IV I'm finishing up was full of dirt and
required a complete disassembly to clean. Newer ones are sealed much
better particularly where the electrical connections are made.
> If you plan on it needing service 10 years from now the MFJ, nee Hygain, nee
> Telex, nee CDE will likely be fixable thanks to, well MFJ no doubt and
> others as well.
Most, or many, of the parts are interchangeable between the ham series
models as well.
73 and good luck,
Roger (K8RI)
> You have the CDE plate.
>
> You have adequate cabling either way.
>
> Fit the RS232 and brake delay to the CDE for less than the RS232 for the
> Yaesu.
>
> All other aspects being equal I think I'd go with the Ham-III, just make
> sure it's all cleaned and serviced before it goes up and check the alignment
> through the thrust bearing.
>
> You'll likely make the same either way selling either.
>
> 73
> Martin, HS0ZED
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: towertalk-bounces@contesting.com
> [mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Mickey Baker
> Sent: 01 October 2010 21:57
> To: towertalk@contesting.com
> Subject: [TowerTalk] Which rotator CDE HAM-III or Yaesu G-1000DXA?
>
> While I await the City of Fort Lauderdale's permit decision about my tower,
> I have some decisions to make...
>
> I have a CDE HAM-III rotator as well as a Yaesu G-1000DXA. I have
> disassembled and reassembled both, they have new bearings and grease and
> look good inside.
>
> I'm likely going to put up a SteppIR 3 element with the 30/40M add-on
> element, so both rotators are potential candidates given the manufacturer's
> ratings.
>
> One of these is going up the tower - I'll sell the other.
>
> Facts around my installation:
>
> - This tower will be in a "salty" location - 30 feet away from a wide
> salt water canal, 2 miles from the Atlantic Ocean.
> - I have a rotor plate with the CDE holes already drilled.
> - I will order a computer control module for the rotator selected.
> - I have adequate control cables for either (both) rotators.
>
> I'm interested in this group's opinion. Which would you put up, and why?
>
> 73,
>
> Mickey, N4MB
> Fort Lauderdale, FL
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