[amsat-bb] Re: Another G5500 Question

[Lowell White]

Hi Randy,

I'm glad to see you doing this. Here are a couple tips:

-Yes, a mounting plate allows the rotor to sit inside the tower and torque
against the legs of the tower. Usually they're a flat, triangular plate with
U-bolts to connect to the tower legs. A cut-out on the bottom allows for cable
passage and holes for bolting the rotor to the plate.

-A thrust bearing can be used at the top of the tower segment. It attaches
both to the mast (coming up through the top from the rotor to the antenna boom
/ elevation rotor) and to the tower. The bearing frees the rotor from directly
supporting the weight of the antennas / boom  / elevation rotor while allowing
the (azimuth) rotor to turn the asembly with ease.

-For a simple assembly of shorter 2M / 432 antennas the thrust bearing is
optional but using one can indeed extend the life of the azimuth rotor (it's
bearings, in particular, and lesser so, it's motor). 

-I'll let someone else address the controller interfaces... am learning more
about them myself. :-)

-If you are using only an azimuth rotor you can, for the most part, get by
with your antennas "fixed" at a 15 degree elevation for most uses.

73
Lowell
K9LDW

------ Original Message ------
Received: Wed, 02 Sep 2009 08:00:36 AM CDT
From: "Randy" <RSwart1 at twcny.rr.com>
To: <amsat-bb at amsat.org>
Subject: [amsat-bb]  Another G5500 Question

> Question.. Rotor is on order along with the FT-897D I know I should mount
> the rotor in a tower with a thrust plate I think its called.  But don't
have
> one .
> I only have a 2 meter and 440mhz yagi to mount ooon it .. 
> Will that be a problem .. Or is it mostly when its loaded Up to near the
> max? or one of those faster wear and tear Things no matter what?  Oh .. And
> 3rd party controllers to interface to the computer.??
> Are they all so darn expensive?
> 
> Randy - N2CUA
> 
> 
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