Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Create RC5-3 rotor overhaul

This rotor is one of the "left overs" from Foppe PD0FF's equipment. I couldn't sell it as the rotor is broken. I remember Foppe already had problems with it but when I dismantled his antenna back in 2015 the rotor still turned. Now my goal of setting up the new antennamast is coming close it is time to see what hardware needs to go on the tower. And since I'm out of hobby money I need to repair what I have in stock. Well, in 2006 I repaired the Kenpro KR600 which was originally bought together with the tower. However the Kenpro is more complicated and needs a overhaul as well. Besides that I like the controller box from Create a lot more. The Create RC5-3 is a very simple design with a worm gear and with the controller box you can adjust speed and program any direction in which you want to turn your antenna. Anyway I dismantled the rotor and concluded that the lubrication maintenance had been a long long time ago. The 5 Kohm potmeter that sends the direction the the controller was completely corroded and couldn't be turned, the big gearwheel and the smaller one at the left were turning but very heavy and both axles were corroded. The only thing that was lubricated well was the wormwheel. So, I took everything apart and cleaned and grinded the axles and gearwheels. Now I'm waiting for a replacement 5 KOhm potmeter which I ordered in Germany. More photos to follow.

I found some photos from the Kenpro KR600 overhaul in 2006, that one had a broken gearwheel axle which I had replaced but after all there is a problem with the potmeter as well, so far it did reasonable with a small dip here and there but it should really be replaced. I probabely look after that after the Create is ready.














2 comments:

John AE5X said...

Yes, there is a mechanical side to our hobby! I'm looking forward to your posts about getting your tower set up. The DX season is coming!

73 - John

PE4BAS, Bas said...

Hello John, I think I'm better with mechanics then electronics. The radiohobby is very versatile. You can expect some posts about the tower in a few weeks. I have so many unfinished projects before that. 73, Bas