I've spent the past few days on and off re-lubing my 1984 era Ham-IV rotator. It worked fine when last used over ten years ago, maybe more. The rotator has never been outdoors so it's in pretty darn good shape.

The problem I now have is with the direction indicating meter display. It is OK from leftmost south, past north (center scale) to about 40 degrees. There it stops. After a lot of circuit tracing and troubleshooting I am pretty sure the issue is with the meter itself. Strange, I know, but there it is. I pulled the meter from the board and placed my DVM where the meter normally mounts. I see a full smooth progression from about 12.6VDC down to 0, coincident with the rotation of the rotor head. I have also measured the directional pot in the head and it is all correct throughout the range. I did clean up the connections while I was in there.

What I am asking is for your opinion - is my diagnosis correct? Part two (extra credit question) how much $ and where to get a replacement meter? It may be cheaper to buy a used control box if the meter is too expensive.

73/
Jack
WA2OLZ

That is truly amazing! It sure wasn't like that is SE Asia in the sixties. I'm glad their life, at least the communications, have improved.  One note, on my nephew's prior tour in the Sandbox (last year) the comms were not so good. He was at two FOBs, neither of which had phone or even email access except for official business. There was nothing at all, of course, when they were deployed from the FOB. We kept hearing stories of "the lines will be up next week" but it never happened. Lines? Really?  Things were much improved when they got back to the 'big base' at Kandahar to resupply. As much as some things in the military have changed, others are just as they were way back when!

Thanks, Bob. I suspected I was past my prime! Too bad - it was a much appreciated service by the GIs

Many moons ago in the early 1960s I belonged to Army MARS and handled some phone patched for deployed military personnel. That, of course, was long before Al Gore invented the Internet and the coming of email, Skype and whatever else is out there today.

My nephew is now on his second deployment to A'stan. I've asked him about MARS access when he gets out of the field and back to the FOB or even a primary site, but just got a blank stare. Does MARS still run patches for deployed military or is that too 'old school'?

I wrote one a l-o-n-g time ago. I've done it twice (two different QTHs) and about to do it again! Here's a link: http://archive.org/details/73-magazine-1986-09. The article is titled High and Dry on page 50.  Click on the download method of your choice on the left side of the page.

73/
Jack - WA2OLZ

OK - I'm back yet again  I keep getting interested in other things but always return.

I picked up a used Kenwood TS-480 a couple of years back - never even powered it up. This afternoon I put up a W5GI Mystery Antenna about 40 feet up between trees. Fired up the rig on 20 and got an immediate reply and 5X9+ from southern Italy. I can't get the antenna to load on 40 or 80, tried 12 and one call cut through the pileup and nailed Cook Island with another 5X9+. I'm psyched!  My last HF rig was a TS-930 with a TL-922 amp and 3-element beam. I expected results from that but am amazed by 100 watts and a wire antenna. 

I'll eventually figure out why the lower frequencies won't load but, for now, it's great to be back on the air.

73/
Jack
WA2OLZ

OUTSTANDING! Thanks very much. Great website.

73/
Jack
WA2OLZ

I recently picked up a Hallicrafter's S-38B and found the AC Cord was broken right at the connector that mounts through the rear panel. I know I could jumper it easily enough but would like to keep it 'stock' if it is reasonably easy to do so. I am going to replace the caps and get a spare set of tubes.

Does anyone here know where I can source the power cord?