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Author Topic: G-5500 with only one antenna?  (Read 213 times)

W4IJ

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G-5500 with only one antenna?
« on: February 03, 2022, 02:26:51 PM »

When only using one antenna, do you need to use a crossboom with a counterweight to balance the load on a Yaesu G5500 elevation rotator??  I have one M2 2M12 antenna and want to try some EME.   It seems like from the manufacturers info that the 5500 expects to see a balanced load on both sides of its elevation rotator, like an array instead of a single antenna.
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WB8PFZ

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Re: G-5500 with only one antenna?
« Reply #1 on: February 03, 2022, 04:24:36 PM »

I do not think the weight of a 12 element 2 meter antenna would create that much of a unbalance. It would also depend on how far off center it was. You might think of adding a 435 antenna and try some satellites? Mike
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KF4HR

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Re: G-5500 with only one antenna?
« Reply #2 on: February 03, 2022, 07:57:36 PM »

To improve your chances for EME initials, consider balancing your G-5500 with a 2nd matching antenna.
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N4UFO

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Re: G-5500 with only one antenna?
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2022, 06:37:54 AM »

Yes, balance it... When I put up two sat antennas on a G5400, I had to adjust positioning of the crossboom to even the load, else the crossboom wanted to tilt in the heavier direction. This is turn will cause binding on the bearings and possibly the gears and likely speed up failure. (And that was with a near balanced load... can only imagine the stress with a completely unbalanced load.) Always good to remove any/all stresses that are not necessary.  :)
« Last Edit: February 04, 2022, 06:42:56 AM by N4UFO »
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K5LXP

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Re: G-5500 with only one antenna?
« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2022, 08:56:36 AM »

There's ideal and there's practical.  Ideally it'd be perfectly balanced.  I've serviced these rotors and have a hard time picturing a load where the rotor would fail before the mast would.  Time and duty cycle play a big role in this, for "temporary" I wouldn't give balance much concern.  But given the gears in it are stamped steel and the brake just an overrun clutch on the motor shaft, I would lean towards making the assembly as balanced as possible for long term durability.  Seems though if I were dipping my toe into EME the gain of a 2nd yagi on the other side would not be wasted, solving the balance issue at the same time.

Mark K5LXP
Albuquerque, NM
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