[amsat-bb] Yaesu G-5500 meters and readings to LVB tracker not working

Mon Oct 5 23:36:01 UTC 2020

Thanks Dave!

73, John Brier KG4AKV

On Mon, Oct 5, 2020 at 6:59 PM David Johnson
<david.johnson.bbq at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> The part number is NJW-207-PF10 CONNECTOR (NANABOSHI).  If you Google it, you will find some distributors.
>
> Dave Johnson
> W9DWJ
>
> On Mon, Oct 5, 2020 at 4:59 PM John Brier via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb at amsat.org> wrote:
>>
>> I don't think anything is wrong with the rotators themselves. They turns
>> fine. It was only used a few times for field day. I have never had an
>> antenna on them though. Got it used.
>>
>> Also, I am aware of the many posts about these products. The most common
>> issue with the control box seems to be the meters don't work but readings
>> are okay to PC interface. Both meters and readings are bad on my control
>> box.
>>
>> Does anyone have a good source on the connectors for the cables into the
>> rotators?
>>
>> 73, John Brier KG4AKV
>>
>> On Mon, Oct 5, 2020, 09:12 <kb2mjeff at att.net> wrote:
>>
>> > When I looked at this message again I thought it might be the loose drive
>> > gear set screw issue . Does the rotor sound like it's turning, but antennas
>> > not moving? If so you will have to take it almost completely apart to get
>> > to
>> > the drive gear set screw to apply Loctite, like Yeasu should have done when
>> > they assembled it. I had to do that to one of my 5500 a few years ago. If
>> > you do take it apart for another reason for the failure, make sure to apply
>> > the Loctite anyway.
>> >
>> > 73 Jeff kb2m
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org> On Behalf Of Burns Fisher via
>> > AMSAT-BB
>> > Sent: Sunday, October 4, 2020 7:19 PM
>> > To: John Brier <johnbrier at gmail.com>
>> > Cc: AMSAT BB <amsat-bb at amsat.org>
>> > Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Yaesu G-5500 meters and readings to LVB tracker not
>> > working
>> >
>> > Oh, you were tapping the CONTROL BOX!  I totally missed that.
>> >
>> > One problem I have had is with those darned screw terminals.   It is really
>> > easy to get the wires shorted--I put all of my wires in eye terminals, but
>> > I
>> > had a strand of wire sticking out in one case, and in another the angle
>> > of the terminal moved around and touched another.   I finally bent them so
>> > the wires all feed in at 90 degrees to the screw/loop.  Maybe a bit
>> > obvious,
>> > but...
>> >
>> > 73,
>> >
>> > Burns WB1FJ
>> >
>> > On Sat, Oct 3, 2020 at 9:04 PM John Brier via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb at amsat.org
>> > >
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> > > Thanks Jim.
>> > >
>> > > So, I did that a dozen times for the azimuth side and it didn't make
>> > > much of a difference. It did start reading (instead of staying at
>> > > around 0), going to about 180, but never much beyond that that. And
>> > > eventually it seemed to get stuck again.
>> > >
>> > > However, when I started doing the same for the elevation rotator I
>> > > noticed that the cable jacket was falling out of the connector. The
>> > > rubber and the connector wasn't compressing the jacket so there was
>> > > presumably stress on the wires. When I pushed the cable in the
>> > > connector the meter started reading right.
>> > >
>> > > There is a similar issue on the connector on the cable I am using for
>> > > azimuth but pushing it in towards the connector or wiggling it doesn't
>> > > seem to help.
>> > >
>> > > I think I am going to redo these cables. They came with the rotator
>> > > and there is also a disconnect a few feet from the rotator connectors.
>> > > Not sure what for. The connector there is wrapped in electrical tape
>> > > so I am not sure what state it is in.
>> > >
>> > > One question: If the issue is in the rotator or a connection issue at
>> > > the rotator, why would tapping the control box affect the issue?
>> > >
>> > > The only thing I can think of is there could be another issue in the
>> > > box (connection or otherwise).
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > 73,  John Brier KG4AKV
>> > >
>> > > On Sat, Oct 3, 2020, 18:12 Jim Walls via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb at amsat.org>
>> > > wrote:
>> > >
>> > > >
>> > > > <snip>
>> > > >
>> > > > Sounds like the position pots in the rotor (not the controller) are
>> > > > dirty.  That does make some sense with it not being used for several
>> > > > years.  Step one (the easy way) is to use the manual control levers
>> > > > on the controller and repeatedly move the rotors from end to end
>> > > > while watching the needles.  If you are a bit lucky, after a few
>> > > > passes back and forth, the needles will start responding correctly.
>> > > > Keep trying at least a dozen full passes back and forth before
>> > > > giving up on this method.  The next method requires disassembly of
>> > > > the rotor - now you know why I suggest giving the first method lots
>> > > > of tries before giving up on it.  If you have to resort to the
>> > > > second method, I will let someone who has done that more recently
>> > > > than I (about 20 years) give instructions.
>> > > >
>> > > > --
>> > > > 73
>> > > > -------------------------------------
>> > > > Jim Walls - K6CCC
>> > > > jim at k6ccc.org
>> > > > Ofc:  818-548-4804
>> > > > http://members.dslextreme.com/users/k6ccc/
>> > > > AMSAT Member 32537 - WSWSS Member 395
>> > > >
>> > > > _______________________________________________
>> > > > Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum
>> > > > available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring
>> > membership.
>> > > Opinions
>> > > > expressed
>> > > > are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official
>> > > > views of AMSAT-NA.
>> > > > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite
>> > > program!
>> > > > Subscription settings:
>> > > > https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
>> > > >
>> > > _______________________________________________
>> > > Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available
>> > > to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership.
>> > > Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect
>> > > the official views of AMSAT-NA.
>> > > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite
>> > program!
>> > > Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
>> > >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to
>> > all
>> > interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions
>> > expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official
>> > views of AMSAT-NA.
>> > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
>> > Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
>> >
>> >
>> _______________________________________________
>> Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available
>> to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed
>> are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA.
>> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
>> Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
>
>
>
> --
> David Johnson