| HB9AOO |
Rating:  |
2023-08-22 | |
| ARCO and Hy-Gain HAM IV. This is not dream team. |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
All the already mentioned positive reviews I fully confirm. This controller is a game changer in the world of rotator controllers . At least 5 Stars.....if it's compatible with your rotor. In my case, I have a 11 years old HAM IV from Hy Gain, this is unfortunately only partially the case. ARCO is not always able, to release the brakes from the HAM IV -> "BREAK ERROR" appears in large letters on the ARCO screen. A second or third try mostly helps, but not always. Every few weeks it happens, that I have to reconnect the original Hy Gain control unit, the DCU-3, which has never this problem. With this Break-problem, remote control of a HAM IV (and apparently also the T2X) would hardly be possible.
Edit August 2023
I was able to solve the problem described above: My cable that connects the rotor to the controller is 35m long 8x1mm2 (8x AWG17). I doubled the cross section of the wires for the brakecurrent (pin 1 and pin 2) to 2mm2 each (AWG 14). The voltage drop has thus become smaller. Since then, the brake has always released reliably. At least in the last 3 months the error hasn't happened anymore.
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| N3CAL |
Rating: |
2023-02-15 | |
| Superb Rotator Controller! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
Simply the best rotator controller on the market! It's one of the best additions to my shack so far! It's simply fun to use with so many well thought out features. I have it controlling my YAESU G-450A Rotor paired with my K4KIO 5 band Hex Beam. I simply replaced the YAESU controller with the ARCO, setup the Lan, updated the firmware, calibrated, and was up and running easily! I have it connected to my home network via Ethernet and access it on my shack computer through a VNC Viewer. Color touch screen is great and can be tailored to your liking. Easy to set up and calibrate. Simply a pleasure to use. I love the screen saver feature as well as the standby mode you can tailor to your liking. The DXCC feature is great and getting you pointed to the DX is easy and quick.
Hats off to Josef on such a great product and service!
73 de N3CAL
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| N4ABQ |
Rating: |
2023-02-09 | |
| Awesome device |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| This controller is awesome!! Yes, it's expensive but what isn't in ham radio. Set up is simple and as long as you follow the instructions, it works flawlessly. Interface with the PC took a minute for me but using HRD software with the rotator control is spot on. I'm running a hex beam with a Yaesu FTDX3000 |
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| LZ3CB |
Rating: |
2023-01-02 | |
| ARCO is simply the best rotator controller on the market! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
In recent years, I am able to use my radio shack only remotely. So I need a fail-safe method of controlling my antenna rotator. After experimenting with several of the other popular antenna rotator controllers on the market, I decided to buy the ARCO.
I want to share my experience from the moment of purchase to the actual installation of the product. I have already purchased products from Micorham several times. Everything always happened very quickly and smoothly.
Well, this time there were no surprises either :)
Two days after ordering, the package was delivered to my QTH by DHL in perfect condition. I can't hide my admiration after opening the box and seeing the device. It is made with absolute precision and with great professionalism. From every detail comes a sense of uncompromising quality.
So far so good, I have started the ARCO installation. Easy, easy, easy is all I can say. All I did was to disconnect the rotator cable from the original Yaesu controller (equipped with external LAN remote controller box) and plug it to the ARCO's port for Yaesu rotators. Yeah, the Microham's product come with several different ports allowing the user to connect immediately any type of Antenna rotator on the market.
In less than 4-5 minutes, my SteppIR rotated by Yaesu 2800 was already in position towards North America. Connecting the ARCO to the LAN is very intuitive, the direction calibration is also very easy and happens in a few steps.
I want to express my admiration for the beauty of the user interface and how easy it is to use.
Even a non-professional can see how much expertise, experience and love has gone into the design and creation of this product.
With an absolutely clear conscience, I recommend ARCO to anyone who needs a reliable, modern and easy-to-use antenna rotator controller.
Josef, thank you for a great product and wonderful service!
73 de LZ3CB |
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| EI8JB |
Rating: |
2022-12-26 | |
| Excellent future proof antenna controller |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I purchased my ARCO pre production from microHAM once I had looked at the promotional video.I have an integrated station and although I am using a Yaesu G-1000 Rotator. I felt this was an upgrade to my present controller with its visual great circle map for chasing gray line and dx.
The additional preset buttons assist with my dx hunting also and on the occasions where I have to slightly adjust the ARCO with a new heading after a storm that moved my antennas off course its so easy to go into the menu and adjust the ARCO to what I need to to have everything back on track.
Setup was easy although initially I had to complete a firmware upgrade to have the ARCO fully integrate with my G-1000 as I have ARCO #00002 from the production line but Jozef was very helpful and I had it up and running in no time at all.
Firmware upgrade is so easy and makes this product future proof and a key piece of equipment in my shack. |
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| KP4AA |
Rating: |
2022-11-28 | |
| Best controller available! |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
| I’ve now owned my first ARCO controller for about one year. My radio interests are contesting and chasing DX. The ability to touch the screen at the desired location and get back to logging contacts in a contest instead of holding the button and engaging the brake is tremendously appreciated. I have a two position Multioperator set-up with radio positions spread apart in the radio room and now have the 20m antenna ARCO controller screen in full display at station two using VNC Viewer. So far not a single problem with the ARCO. The software upgrade process is also a snap. I’m now saving up to buy a second ARCO controller for the 10/15 meter antennas. We’ve come a long way with ham radio technology! |
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| NY9H |
Rating: |
2022-08-26 | |
| fantastic retired my RT21 |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
Aside from all the GREAT features already mentioned; ARCO's ability to have VNC control, offers another visual on my monitors with adjustable size.
The adjustable BEAMWIDTH heading marker is great to watch sweeping across the world.
Even when the ARCO goes to sleep ( adjustable) the current heading is promintly displayed with antenna indication !!!
microHam continues to amaze... Keep it up
bill ny9h |
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| 5B4AIY |
Rating: |
2022-08-22 | |
| Antenna heading management at its simplest! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I decided it was time to upgrade the rotator controller of my Yaesu G-1000DXC rotator to a more 'user-friendly' device, and the microHAM ARCO controller was the obvious choice. This universal controller is capable of controlling almost any rotator, with DC or AC motor, as well as accommodating virtually any position sensor. In my case I had hoped that it would be a simple 'drop-in' replacement for my standard Yaesu controller.
Prior to the change-over, I positioned my antenna to a known heading, and checked its angular heading both with the ERC Mini Rotor-Control software as well as PstRotatorAz version 14.14, and they both indicated exactly the same. After going through the initial setup of the ARCO, I plugged the Yaesu cable in, and using the CUSTOM menu set the heading to the value previously determined. Whilst it initially seemed OK, I noticed that whenever I tried to move the antenna from my normal default heading of 315 degrees to 110 degrees, instead of the controller commanding the antenna to move to this heading in a CCW direction, it went CW, and would have eventually landed up in the fully CW limit of 90 degrees if I did not force it to stop.
It turned out that you really have to perform a full calibration in order to correctly identify and accommodate your rotator. This is very easy to accomplish, for Yaesu rotators with hardware limit switches such as the G-1000, simply select the HEADING tab, and touch the AUTO tab and follow the prompts. The controller will very gently rotate the antenna first to the fully CCW limit, and then to the fully CW limit, and finally position itself exactly half-way between these two limits. Using a bearing compass, you then measure the actual magnetic heading, and, taking into account the magnetic declination at your location, enter the true heading figure by touching the CUSTOM tab. When that is done the HEADING page will display a horizontal tape scale with the permissible rotation angles shown in red.
It is wise to save the current configuration to the internal memory in case you need to restore it at some later date, and this is accomplished on the SYSTEM page.
Using the default settings, the controller is very gentle in its operation. When moving to a new heading, there is a 5 second very gentle acceleration, and as the antenna approaches the destination a 5 second deceleration before bringing the antenna to a smooth stop. I use both a wireless numeric keypad as well as the touch-screen to control the antenna. I have tried several wireless keypads, and they all work correctly, as well as several wired keypads.
There are several screen zoom settings that can be programmed which in my case I have set to various distances giving me views of the near European countries as well as North/South America, Australia and New Zealand for DX.
In use, simply display the world map with the appropriate zoom ratio, and either enter the heading from the keypad, or simply touch the country, and the antenna will smoothly take up that heading, what could be simpler?
The assistance I got from Jozef was prompt and very helpful, and overall I am extremely pleased with this controller, that makes antenna management so much easier. An excellent piece of kit.
Adrian, 5B4AIY
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| LU3VA |
Rating: |
2022-01-20 | |
| The best Rotator Controller in the market |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I have a Yaesu G-1000 rotor.
I bought the ARCO and the difference with the Yaesu Controler is enormous.
The display is very good and the ability to zoom in on the Azimut Map is fantastic.
Setup is very intuitive for me.
The firmware update directly from the Network is very simple.
Beaming the antenna can be done in multiple ways, by touching the screen, by the prefix, the Gridlocator, indicating the angle digitally, directly from the Logger, or manually.
When I had a question, Jozeff immediately answered me via email and helped me solve my doubts.
Thanks Jozeff, a hug and 73 |
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| DF8DL |
Rating: |
2022-01-17 | |
| Fantastic rotator controller!! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| The most useful gadget in my shack in years. Works perfectly with my Yaesu rotator. Calibration works quickly and easily. The manual is very well written and informative. Within minutes the device was working with various computer programs! Really plug and play! Have fun with FT8 and PSTRotator! The large display with the azimuthal display is a real eye-catcher! A technical inquiry at MicroHam was answered competently within a few hours. Thank you Jozef, OM7ZZ!! It doesn't get any better!! Absolute purchase recommendation! |
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