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Reviews For: Green Heron RT-21

Category: Antenna Rotators & Accessories

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Review Summary For : Green Heron RT-21
Reviews: 43MSRP: 569
Description:
Antenna rotor controller
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.greenheronengineering.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00434.9
KM8AM Rating: 2019-05-13
Green Heron RT-21 Remotely Controls LUSO Tower and Other Rotors Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My XYL Karen, KM8Q, bought the first LUSO tower in the US back in 2010, and we installed a K7NV prop pitch rotor and Jeff Ach's Green Heron RT-21PP Controller. For the last nine years, they both functioned flawlessly. We bought another RT-21 to control a HyGain TX2 - again perfection.

Then, last month we converted our second rotating LUSO tower over to remote control using Jeff's RT-21 and his Green Heron Everywhere (GHE) system. What a joy. We have now converted all of our rotors, antenna switches (24+ ants.), Stack Matches, and even the towers' FAA lights to GHE control.

Each rotor/tower is adjusted for the perfect ramp up/down speeds, and they're so easy on all the stacks.

Combined with the remote capability of our Flex 6700 and 6600 stations and associated amps, the GHE system gives us the ultimate in operating choices.

Jeff and his wife have been a joy to work with. Since we're not just a pure contesting station, we've stretched the GHE software beyond its original design. Jeff has listened to our widely varying needs and found new ways to make GHE grow to meet them.

Just adapting GHE to the LUSO tower rotator was a major accomplishment. Jeff's solution eliminated ALL the LUSO control interface boxes and replaced them with on-screen control. Everything from turning on the LUSO power to running the tower from our DXLab Suite Software can be done from anywhere in the world!

We're very pleased with Jeff and Green Heron Engineering.

Feel free to contact us at km8am@ctcn.net if you have any questions.
W2PP Rating: 2019-05-11
Great service and Controller Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just put up a Pro Sis Tel Rotor, the 71D and the RT 21 seemed a far better choice than the one made by Pro Sis Tel.

Jeff pre programmed it for me, made a special trip into the shop to ship it out fast as I had a tower company coming. When it arrived, it didn't work, why? Well who ever installed the pot inside the ROTOR itself didn't wire it correctly. Nice though, Jeff and I with an ohm meter in two minutes figured out the error, I reversed two leads and eurica all was well.

Just super service and a piece of gear built very well. I can see this lasting a very very long time.

Heads up. LISTEN to Jeff when he tells you test this stuff at the BOTTOM of the tower BEFORE you mount it. I would have anyway but it was good that he brought it up!

Peter
W2PP
W7ZZ Rating: 2019-04-11
Fantastic support Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had a Green Heron RT-21 and a Prosistel 61D in use at my QTH for about four years. Recently, the RT-21 gave me the dreaded "no motion detected" error message and, sure enough, the antennas weren't turning, first in one direction and then not at all. I put out a request for help in diagnosing the problem on the towertalk reflector and Jeff, W2FU, of Green Heron responded. Over a period of several weeks, Jeff guided me through a diagnosis of my problem from the ground because I didn't want to take down the rotator until I was sure it needed repair.

This kind of service is pretty hard to find these days. I wanted to post my experience with GH for others to know about. BTW, the problem turned out to be what Jeff suspected after all my testing on the ground -- a broken shear pin in the Prosistel.

The RT-21 is a fantastic unit that works flawlessly. I highly recommend it.
K4FX Rating: 2019-02-01
Great Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I really have enjoyed this controller. I was first surprised at how well made the unit was. It is very heavy duty. I bought mine in a combo deal with a Yaesu 2800 rotor included. Green Heron had everything setup and ready so I never had to deal with programming. However after reading the manual it seems pretty straightforward.
It is nice to set and forget the rotor. I use the point and shoot with the dial mostly. I do have it interfaced with the PC and I can click a heading if I want to. And of course there is the old fashioned CW and CCW buttons.
You won't regret buying one of these.
W2IHY Rating: 2018-11-14
“You have to get one of these” Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchase an M2 Orion 2800P rotor in 2000. I got rid of the M2 controller, a few years ago, because of the unacceptable human factors of the controller. I purchased the RT21 after looking at EHAM reviews for the RT21. The controller is easy to use. I have not been disappointed with the purchase. “You have to get one of these”
W2RE Rating: 2018-11-13
Simply the best! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
It’s the most reliable piece of gear in the shack. It’s all we use to turn over 30+ rotors throughout the USA at our remote sites. You can buy the RT21 with motor options directly thorough GH. I highly recommend this product!. 5+ rating!
VK5SA Rating: 2017-12-07
Fantastic product ad customer service Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just picked up one of these second-hand to control my Yaesu 1000, and did some dumb things setting it up.
Jeff was very patient in sorting it out via email, and now it works an absolute treat.
The interface to HRD 6 is fantastic.
Great product, and fantastic customer service.
N7LVS Rating: 2017-07-18
Will never buy anything but Green Heron Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Originally bought a Yeasu G 1000DXA to power my new DX Engineering Skyhawk Tri-Band Yagi. Bench tested out just fine and calibrated. Got it mounted on the tower with the Yagi and tested at tower without issue. Ran 500 ft of cable back to the house and controller would not rotate. Called Yeasu and all they said was that it would not work that far due to the connection pin size. I called Jeff at Green Heron and he spent a lot of time explaining the operation of the Yeasu and that it should be working. After testing the cables I found that I had connected to the wrong cable. I originally ran two and had them located in the Shack in a particular location so I would know which was which. The wife apparently dusted and moved the cables. Long story short Jeff took the time to explain how the rotator and controllers worked so I was able to find my stupid error and got the Yeasu working properly . As
soon as I had it working I called Jeff back and ordered an RT-21 which works beautifully. The RT-21 is nice looking, built like a tank and can be setup through software. He even has a wireless option with its own web server for easy setup wirelessly. I will probably order a second one for my hexbeam which is also driven by a Yeasu. A Yeasu setting on top of an RT-21 just doesn't look right, they shouldn't be in the same room.
W1AST Rating: 2017-04-29
Awesome Controller! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
While shopping at Dayton in 2016, I thought I was going to buy the Yaesu 1000 rotor and controller. But Ken at JK Antennas; whom I had just bought a Navassa-5 antenna from suggested the Green Heron and boy am I glad he did.

I bundled the 1000 series Yaesu rotator with the Green heron RT-21 controller and got a 2 year warranty on both from Green Heron.

For the first few months that I used it, I used the knob to aim the beam where I wanted it pointed. Just dial up where you want it to go and it ramps up to where you want it pointed. No worrying about releasing the brake, etc. It does it all by itself automatically and shows you the degrees on the dial. I can then nudge it a few degrees with the CCW and CW buttons. Or cancel where it is going.

Then I attached the USB cable and now control it for Short Path or Long Path from the DX View module in the DX Labs logging program I use. I am definitely spoiled and can point the antenna exactly where I want it as DX View is calibrated to where I am located and knows where to rotate it to.

So, if I click a spot in the spot collector, the rig goes there and the spot info shows up in DX View. I then click the SP button and the antenna rotates to that selection.

I've also gone away and done this remotely while running JT65 and DX Labs from my tablet while at a hotel hundreds of miles away. Lots of fun!

I think the Green Heron RT-21 is a very worthwhile investment and upgrade from the standard Yaesu controller. You won't regret the decision and you'll love it!
WX2CX Rating: 2017-01-14
Awesome! Time Owned: N.A.
Love it! I replaçed my Yaesu G-1000DXA control box for the RT-21. Very simple to set up, a joy to operate. The customer support service is outstanding, answered all my questions over the fone and e mail.