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| Reviews Summary for Create RC5 Series |
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You can
write your own review of the Create RC5 Series.
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KI4SVY
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 29, 2008 05:59
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Excellent
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I recently found one of these used. The performance is over the top. This is a very strong Rotator. All the gears are steel not
aluminum as so many other.
Find you one, you will not be sorry for the investment
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KM1H
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Rating: 1/5
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Jun 6, 2007 12:15
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No support
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I bought 2 of the RC5A-3 in 1987 and 88 from Orion Systems in CA. They later introduced their own rotators, the OR-2300 and OR-2800 as they felt that the Create left a lot to be desired.
After about 5 years both failed from water getting into the housings. I replaced them with a OR-2300 and T2X and sort of forgot about them.
Now I'd like to resurrect them and need some parts but support seems to be zero. I cant even find a current address or email contact in Japan.
What I need is the plastic gears inside the housing; one for the position pot and the other on the main shaft. Also need one motor and one bottom housing.
Any help will be appreciated
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PA3CEV
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 14, 2006 14:36
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Keeps on turning!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Have a RC5A-3P version. Never used the computer interface though.
I have a 2 and a 70 XY(M2) , 23 and 13 cm yagi, 2 el 6 mtr and a 10 GHz lenshorn antenna.
NO problems after 7 years now, no noise, no electrical or mechanical problems, no corrosion.
I am confident that spareparts are NO problem in Europe, (ukw-berichte.de), but until today I never needed them.
Same antenna setup failed in the past with a Kenpro (yaesu) KR600.
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ON5ZO
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Rating: 5/5
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May 1, 2006 00:25
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no regrets
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have an RC5-B3 to turn a KLM KT34XA and a Fritzel WARC dipole. This rotor might be a little overkill for this but 'better safe than sorry'. And you never know what the future brings antenna-wise.
It's been out there for almost 2 years now and has seen summer heat, winter cold, pouring rain and most important: heavy continuous winds (with 90km/h gusts) - not a real storm though. Altough I'm quite sure that a real storm would destroy the antennas and not the rotator.
It's not the cheapest rotator around, but the worm wheel gear seems very strong and that's what counts. It also looks very robustly built to withstand WX. I am very pleased with this one and I would recommend them to everyone. There are smaller models available for smaller antennas.
73 de Franki ON5ZO
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K5UO
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Rating: 4/5
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Jul 13, 2005 11:43
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Excellent rotor; no support!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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The only reason they did not rate a "great" is the fact that they still do not have North American support, where I bought them to begin with 14 years ago. I have two of these, on each of two towers with 2 @ HF yagi's stacked...Other than a one-time lightning hit (of several hundreds a year.) ; have never had a problem. But I could have used some support/service on that one lightning hit. I don't think any rotor is exempt from possible lightning problems. It's a shame that a fine product like this is not represented in North America. Must be that way worldwide, too. Need to bought out by another company! A situation like this is a real candidate for a buy-out.
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VK2GWK
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Rating: 4/5
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Jun 4, 2004 19:39
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RC5A-3 good value
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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A good and reliable rotator for my 3 el tribander. When I moved from PA to VK I mailed the factory in Japan how I could obtain a new front with the world map centered on VK. No worries; I received one in the mail free of charge.
Recently the indicator went funny and then stopped working altogether. One of the transistors driving the direction-display motor had blown. Replaced it and everything is working again.
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VR2AX
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 29, 2003 08:08
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Reliable performance
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have a RC5B-3 with a CK46 thrust bearing turning my 3 element 20 metre monobander at my Atlantic facing seaside qth in GW. Usually I can only visit once a year usually in the summer and my main requirement is to find the tower, rotator and antenna system still standing and functional after months of severe winter storms. It has worked without drama for me so far. Bought direct from Japan and carried back from Hong Kong in my carry on baggage in 97, well worth the effort.
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DF1AS
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 9, 2002 22:14
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Good Choice
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I replaced an (also quite new) Yaesu/Kenpro-800SDX by an RC5-1DC. I must say here that it is used to control a 2m lattice dish on UHF/SHF - not a "DX beam".
The Kenpro was quite unusable on 6cm, the Create is now good for 3cm! Thanks to the DC-Motor and the worm gear. Rotational speed can be slowed down to 3 min/full rotation!
It also seems that newest rotators got improved painting. Doesn't look prone to corrode next years. Anyway, the user's manual still recommends periodical repaintings.
The only downer - but for ALL ham rotators - is the "old fashioned" look and technique of the controller boxes. (Yes, M-square has digital technique, but what size ...) Should really be possible to put all on a PCI-board or into a slim-line case. Power is less than it looks!
73 - Kay-Uwe
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ON4VP
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 31, 2002 13:43
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Great, small mod needed for A/D interface
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I have the RC5A-3 models (no 'P') so no connector on the back for interfacing some computer.
I have the rotator working 100% turning a 11 el yagi by Optibeam and 5 el 6 meter yagi + VHF. the rotator does the job.
One remark I want to chair. I bought a ARS interface (www.ea4tx.com) to turn my antennas with logger software. I noticed that the CREATE engineers **forgot** to use a diode in the schematics. the rotator works fine without it, but if you measure at the potentiometer read-out, you will see that voltage is fluctuating.
This becomes a problem when trying to convert analoge to digital for interfacing. The calibration was hard and by implementing a 5,1 volt, 1,3 watt zener diode (resistor already in place on the board) I had a very stable line voltage of 5 VDC when fully CW and 0,1 VDC when fully CCW.
From the moment I did this modification, I had a very linear voltage and nice and accurate A/D to my 8bit controller.
More info : www.2die4.be
I love my CREATE, ON7WP mailed them to look into this minor thing.
73, Philippe, ON4VP
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F6BLQ
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Rating: 4/5
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Jan 27, 2002 11:19
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Strong and reliable
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Happened to use 2 RC5B-3 for 4 years at 5N0T. Always worked great with 318C+248C stack or 2 el. 40 m beam. You may just forget about breakable alpax key like on other rotators: here the worm gear is doing the job well, and cud turn your house (if not too large).
Just one thing: the housing on both units got badly corroded after 4 years. Repainting have made them new again, and one is being installed this month in 9Q. Have no fear it will work fine.
Worth the money, 73+
Pat 9Q/F6BLQ
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