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Reviews For: Idiom Press/Ham Supply Rotor-EZ - Hy-Gain Controllers

Category: Antenna Rotators & Accessories

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Review Summary For : Idiom Press/Ham Supply Rotor-EZ - Hy-Gain Controllers
Reviews: 105MSRP: 99.95 - 149.95
Description:
Point and Shoot” Rotor-EZ (with or without computer control RS-232) for ALL 3 paddle Hy- Gain Controllers by Idiom Press/Ham Supply
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.hamsupply.com/rotor-ez-hy-gain-rotor-control/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001054.9
K0CBA Rating: 2006-11-15
OUTSTANDING Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Someone sat down and thought, "what features would make my rotor control almost perfect"?

With 'wish list' in hand, he came up with EZ Rotor kit.

The "destructions" do a good job but unfortunately, Hy-Gain (or who ever made the one you have) made many internal changes from one production run to another and it may take a bit of head scratching to make sense or it.

This minor heartburn aside, it is just about the slickest gadget a ham could want. It makes your Yagi(s) "point 'n' shoot".
K9PH Rating: 2006-11-15
Excellent Product Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I built and installed the Rotor-EZ in the controller for my Ham IV years ago and have enjoyed the features it added to the original controller. I finally got around to using the RS-232 interface to my station computer. I found that the commands that the Rotor-EZ responded to did not match the published command set. Contacted Idiom Press and they sent my at no charge a new controller IC. This was years after the original purchase. The Rotor-EZ now functions correctly and I have full PC control of the rotor. Support for an already great product simply does not get any better then this! I cannot understand why there are still Ham IV controllers out in the world that do not have this controller installed in them.
KO4SY Rating: 2006-10-30
Great Kit / Great Product Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this kit with the RS-232 several years ago. Probaly just after it came on the market and I have never been sorry for picking this little jewel up.
First the kit building was such a pleasure, I'm not that much of a builder, let's say I don't understand all I know about a lot of things, but I read the instructions several times and even the QST review from the March 2001 issue before I started the project. The QST article has some good info if your considering building the kit.
It wasn't that tough to build, but it was great therpy for me just to sit out in the work shop and assemble and install this project.
I used it a bunch in 2001 chasing DX and controlling it with my logging program (CommCat)
which is a prefect macth for DXer's.
I'll have to say it's one of the best investments I've made for the shack.
N2EZS Rating: 2006-04-28
Must Have! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have multiple rotors and a couple of controllers in the Ham-M and T2X series and this kit looked like it might make a good upgrade to the system. Having built numerous transverters, week signal generators, sequencer kits and etc., it was an easy choice to do the kit option here. I work as a computer engineer so I use computers minimally in my shack. (Don't like doing the same at home as at work.) But I did order the serial control option just in case.
The kit arrived quickly and was complete. The PWBA and components were of very good quality. If you're going to err on instructions, more is better so certainly there was no problem here.
The kit went together quickly with no surprises or head scratching by just following the instructions. I turned my head and applied power and was relieved at the lack of noise and smell! (This is always an anxious point with any kit.) The calibration was completed in a couple minutes and operational checkout done in a couple more. I had to reverse the wires to one LED. (If they had only used those good LEDs that don't care about polarity.) :-)
I buttoned the unit up and I'm really looking forward to using my 'new' rotator system.
I'd clasify this an easy to moderate kit to build. If you can read and follow instructions and have moderate soldering skills, you need not be afraid of this kit. It's a Must Have!
I gotta go now. I need to call Idiom Press and order another kit for my other controller. 73
K9XK Rating: 2006-03-03
A Wonderful Addition Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Idiom believes that "rotors" turn antennas, as opposed to "rotators". Or maybe they don't. It is possible that they know that the average person is a bit stupid and markets accordingly, just like the people that market "Duck Tape".

Oh well, whatever! The bottom line is that this kit is superb.

It does take a couple of hours to get through the installation. You are basically re-routing every wire in your control box and adding almost a dozen more. But the instructions are very good. I advise people to read through it a couple of times BEFORE getting going because there are a few places where you could jump the gun if not careful, just because of the order of things.

There are also two to three omissions, but none of them are fatal flaws because most people that would tackle this job would see them immediately and it would mean nothing. This is actually a fairly involved installation and considering what you're doing, the directions are quite good.

In fact, so good, that I read them five hours before the start of the ARRL DX contest, and decided to risk my station and do the mod. I managed to blow a strange on-board fuse doing some testing , and my unit was dead. As I looked at the schematic, I thought the F1 fuse referred to the main fuse, but it was actually this PC board mount mini-fuse. I found this out when I called Idiom, and I received a return call in the early evening. They were very hepful, to say the least. I ran over to Radio Shack and picked up a normal fuse holder and some fuses and replaced the on-board fuse and I was good to go.

Wow - what a great tool. Just turn the knob to where you want to go and hit the Brake button. Lights light up in sequence and it is as if a robot were in charge of your "rotor", er, rotator.

I mean, I have a robot controlling my rotator, complete with his accordion arms, galvanized bucket for a head, and light bulb eyes. You can't beat that for $160. Best deal in amateur radio!

This mod is highly recommended.
KB8HEA Rating: 2005-12-01
Rotor Control Made Easy Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased the assembled model. Installation took me several hours. I added a dip switch to allow changing some of the options that would normally require soldering changes on the printed circuit board. I also added a DB-9 connector on the back of the rotor control box for the RS-232 control. Calibration was somewhat troublesome. Once installed and calibrated the controls make rotor operation a breeze. I downloaded free rotor control software off the internet to control the rotor from the computer. Talk about easy rotor control.. point to a direction on the computer screen compass dial and click go and its on its way.
I thought I was having a problem with the RS-232 portion but after a couple of emails to Idiom Press they helped me figure out my problem was in my computers comport. They have fantastic tech support if needed. Well worth the cost and time to install.
K7VCD Rating: 2005-11-08
Best thing since sliced bread! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have owned a Hygain TR-3 beam for over 40 years. It has been twisted with a "prop-pitch" motor, two heavy duty "TV antenna" rotators that finaly stripped, and most recently a good used CDE Ham III Rotor, a gift from a ham friend. Since I am not all that good at soldering or working in crammed spaces, I elected to go with a pre-wired/installed/tested Rotor-EZ in my controller. The turn-around time was about 10 days, and it worked right from the start exactly the way it was supposed to. The original controller was a little cumbersome, because I had to hold down the brake-release switch until I figured the antenna had reached the expected beam heading. It was too easy to forget to hold the break release down so as not to risk breaking the teeth on the braking system in the rotor. Now I can point to the beam heading I want, press the brake-release and sit back while the Rotor-EZ smoothly rotates the beam. It was worth the price, and the time to modify my controller was perfect. Like I said, it's the best thing to come along since sliced bread!!
W3PT Rating: 2005-08-05
Brings an old Ham-M rotor into the 21st century. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just assembled and installed the rotor kit for another ham and must congratulate the designer for a SWEET product. As a design engineer for 20+ years I can really appreciate the circuit and layout.

Regards,

Bob, W3PT

K5ZCJ Rating: 2005-06-24
5/5 Just as advertised Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have the Rotor-EZ kit installed in my Tail
Twister rotor and it really does do a good job.
Bob, W9KNI is a joy to work with and Idiom Press
is a company you can expect to stand behind their
product. I fat fingered the setup on the computer
and Bob really did help to get me going.
The kit worked just as advertised from day one
and makes chasing DX or contests a lot more fun.

Larry, K5ZCJ
NE2I Rating: 2005-06-15
Super rotor accessory Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Ive had this installed in an old cde ham 2 controller for a long time. I think it was one of the first made. Still going strong. Makes point and shoot during a contest easy! It was a good stepping stone approach to building as it was an early project for me. A must have for HamX/T2X owners!