[KL7AA] Bad week at the N5XZ superstation - but could've been worse

[Allen R. Brier]

Monday I was cranking up the motorized crank-up tower when it started to
bind and about half way up it eventually even stalled the motor - in both
directions! I was finally able to get it back down, jerking about 6 inches
at a time. Just as I got it all the way down, the right angle gear box
failed completely (very lucky on my part there). I have now removed the
winch - motor - gearbox assy and next Tuesday I will take it to a friend of
mine to have it rebuilt.

 

So Tuesday comes along and we have some huge lightening storms.I did have my
antenna disconnected but the radio, computer, etc. was still plugged into
the wall. I was away from home at the time (picking up parts to fix my pool
cleaner which also crapped out just as I got home) when the big one hit
either at the tower or very close by. My wife said there was a flash and a
bang simultaneously. So now my USB interface is dead and the beam won't
turn. The rotor controller in microprocessor based (Green Heron) so that's
probably the damaged unit but I haven't had time to swap it out with a
standard controller yet (I have a spare HAM-4 and box which is about 25
years old but never put into service). Cross your fingers that it is the
controller and not the rotor itself (a Tail-Twister), as I don't relish the
thought of trying to remove the rotor from the tower. To do so requires
extending at least the top section about 2 feet or so. 

 

As if that wasn't enough, I was on the air Thursday night and everything is
working (other than what I described above). Friday morning the SWR is >3:1
on all bands! Did the SteppIR controller fail? Did the SteppIR itself fail.
Attaching my antenna analyzer showed resonance at 112 MHz! What the.? 

 

Turns out one of my compression type PL-259's on the LMR-600 was no longer
making a good connection. Maybe it was marginal all this time and the
lightening strike made some difference so it finally let go. What a
coincidence, though. So I fixed that but the station is till a bit crippled
until I get the USB interface and rotor system repaired. I'm lucky nothing
else went, which is surprising a bit since the USB controller is powered
from the computer's USB port and it's still working just fine. The SteppIR
still works, as does the rig and amp. Nothing else in the house seems to
have been affected.

 

I put a lot of emphasis into grounding the station and hopefully it at least
helped to prevent more damage from the hit. I haven't found any evidence of
a hit on anything, no burned marks inside or outside, but this tells me that
I need to do more grounding of shields, bonding of the AC ground to the SPG
and, it the rotor controller got fried, probably replace the lightening
suppressor on the rotor cable. Always more work to do. Never enough
grounding down here.

 

The SteppIR is pointed SE (and NW with the 180 degree feature). Still able
to work some EU on 30 and 40, R1ANP on 30, so I'm not completely off the
air. But there was some 10 meter openings to 9X spotted the other
day.nothing doing. I would like to work the ZS8.hell if Frosty can work him,
I should be able to, right!? Maybe I can get him LP.

 

Anyway, see you in the contest!

 

73,

 

Allen Brier N5XZ / KL5DX 
1515 Windloch Lane 
Richmond, TX 77406-2533 
281-342-1882 
713-705-4801 (Cell) 
n5xz at arrl.net