[Antennas] Antenna Rotor/Control Box Identification help

[Ron Youvan]

> I recently purchased at a farm auction an antenna rotor with control 
> unit.  The control unit has "CDE" printed on the front panel along with 
> "transmit/receive direction control".

> The panel has a indicator ranging from south to south plus 5 controls 
> labeled as follows starting from the top right area of panel.  A knob 
> with "CALIBRATE' above it, to the right another knob with "OFF ON'.  
> Below these two knobs are three more rectangular shaped knobs withe a 
> arrow pointing counterclockwise above the left most control, "BRAKE 
> RELEASE" above the middle control and the extreme right control be low 
> an arrow pointing clockwise.  There is no other labels or markings on 
> this box.  The rear has an eight terminal board.

> The accompaning rotor has the following stamped on the bottom on the 
> outside edge, "TRA-4" and beneath that is the numeral "2" (centered 
> below the TRA-4).

   I'm not a rotator specialist, but it sounds like you have a "TRA-4"
motor and probably a matching control box.  (if the number of terminals
on the two terminal strips match things are hopeful)
   Go to Norm's rotor repair and look for this model.
    http://www.normsrotorservice.com/
   The big capacitor in the box goes bad frequently, it is frequently
moved to the base of the tower reducing the number of wires going from
the tower to the control box.  (by 2 usually)

   The trick is to test your setup with the final (length) control cable
on the ground before putting it on the tower so you are using the final
wire resistance.

> I have opened the control box hoping to find a label or other indication 
> of which model it is (HAM 2, 3, 4 etc.).  I did find a opened fuse that 
> 1/8 amp stamped on it, the other fuse in the rear panel was a 3 amp and 
> it was good.
-- 
    Ron  KA4INM - I think I could live on my pay if
		 governments didn't take half!