Dick Smith/Iwosaki Antenna Rotator

[VK2AAH]

Hi all,

Does anyone have the circuit diagram/users guide for this rotator & controller sold by Dick Smiths through the early 1980s? I'm trying to fix the controller which is DOA- all discrete components but a circuit diagram would make life easier. It would be nice to get this part of my youth operational again...

Cheers


Richard
VK2AAH

[VK2AAH]

I just found a photo under another brand name...

http://www.rigpix.com/rotators/fukner_fu400.htm

Cheers


Richard
VK2AAH

[VK5KK]

Hi Richard

Try this link ...

http://eb1kt.ucoz.es/FU-400.pdf

I still have a couple of these and have removed the analog meter and replaced with a digital readout,

http://www.geekshed.co.uk/bxf-azimuth-r ... ontroller/

The KR400 rotator controller is very similar to the Fu-400. Accuracy within a few degrees good enough to point microwave antennae

Cheers

David VK5KK

[VK2AAH]

Hi David,

Thank you so much for that! The XYL had plans for it to go to tip but you have just saved it from an undeserved disposal.

Cheers


Richard
VK2AAH

[VK4TS]

Ballsy old rotator Richard - I had one mounted on top of a Hills winchup with stacked ten(5L) and fifteen(4L)metre yagi's separated by about 6 feet of pipe - That was before I learnt about the amount of load one should put on them - but it's still alive and working, on permanent loan at the Brother in laws place

From memory no brakes what so ever....

[VK2AAH]

Hi Trent,

The rotator is fine but the controller is dead, I'll have a close look at it during the week. I have plans to put up a tower (thanks Roger!) in the future and plan to recommission the old rotator. I bought it back in about 1980 and it worked hard for a few years but after that has spent many years in boxes. It withstood some big Sydney southerly busters- definitely no brake but at one stage mine had a 5 element 27MHz yagi with my 15 element 2M yagi on top and wasn't bothered by it. "Ballsy" is a very good description for this rotator!

Cheers

Richard
VK2AAH

[VK2ZRH]

I have plans to put up a tower (thanks Roger!) in the future

We're not "there yet", Richard [says Roger, desperately hoping the exercise doesn't go pear-shaped ].

I wish perhaps I had stumbled across this rotator last year when I went on the hunt for a rotator. It never appeared in all my searches and enquiries . . . although, I have to say, I didn't ask Trent

I bought a KR400 from VK5PO . . . and another, lighter, type from someone else

73, Roger Harrison VK2ZRH

[VK2AAH]

Thanks Roger, thinking only positive thoughts in the direction of the beauracrats...

A question for David... do the ones that you have come across have the transformer external to the controller? Mine has an external transformer labelled 30VAC- that was how it came. I assume this is a variation to meet Australian standards of the time?

Cheers


Richard
VK2AAH

[VK6ADF]

Thanks Roger, thinking only positive thoughts in the direction of the beauracrats...

A question for David... do the ones that you have come across have the transformer external to the controller? Mine has an external transformer labelled 30VAC- that was how it came. I assume this is a variation to meet Australian standards of the time?

Cheers


Richard
VK2AAH

For what it is worth, I had a Fukner FU400 that I bought from Dickies many years ago and I don't remember it having any external transformer.

[VK2AAH]

If you are right that is interesting- mine has the AC supply coming in through a grommet. The curious thing is that the 240-30VAC transformer is locally manufactured suggesting to me an issue with the local electrical authorities (double isolation?). I bought mine new in the box from Dick Smiths at Chullora (mentioned to make Sydneyites reminesce of the good ol' days) so it wasn't an after market mod.

[VK4TS]

Something to do with coming in as a "kit" you had to provide 240 VAC and it avoided some sort of customs - Mine had external transformer that I later mounted internally..

[VK2AAH]

Started on the restoration today- nothing really wrong with the controller, it just needed a bit of a clean & replacement of severely rusted screws on the terminal block with new stainless steel screws. Fortunately we then decided to dismantle the rotor because the interior of that was a rusty, corroded and seized mess. The rubber o ring had perished so we need to replace that, all bearings were removed cleaned and everything then regreased. The insides were cleaned out, and as best we could tell everything turned freely by hand. However when we powered it up the controller worked but no hint of rotation. Giving it a day to "unseize" then giving another dose of derust spray and another close inspection. We will get it going...

Cheers

Richard

[VK5KK]

Hi Richard

Sorry been offline a couple of days, both of mine have an internal transformer. One has a decent looking transformer so might have been changed locally. It runs cool and has never missed a beat. The other I picked up at a buy n sell. The tranny would get hot after about an hour of running, to fix the original owner had drilled holes in the back cover to ventilate! Suspect it was a 220VAC primary transformer and replaced with an 100VA transformer (Altronics). Good luck with the repairs

Cheers

[VK3ZGC]

If you are right that is interesting- mine has the AC supply coming in through a grommet. The curious thing is that the 240-30VAC transformer is locally manufactured suggesting to me an issue with the local electrical authorities (double isolation?). I bought mine new in the box from Dick Smiths at Chullora (mentioned to make Sydneyites reminesce of the good ol' days) so it wasn't an after market mod.

Hi Richard,

I have just remembered that I still have one of these beasts.

I bought it new from Dick Smiths in the early 80's. You are correct about the power supply, it was a local special.

I was certainly not impressed with the version that was supplied with mine. Whilst it just had sufficient grunt to turn the rotator, it wasn't able to supply the meter circuit at the same time (poor regulation in both the supply and the meter circuit) thus dropping the meter by about 30 odd degrees whilst the rotator was turning. I got my money back on the supply and retrofitted the controller with two transformers, one for the rotator and a smaller one for the meter.

Although the unit has not been seen service in around 12 years it was reliable up in the air for around 10 years. I do recall only having to re-pack the bearings with MDS grease. The ball race was showing a minor amount of wear but the ball bearings were in perfect condition.

Gary

[VK2AAH]

Hi Gary,

Yes my mate commented on the bulb dimming when the rotator is operated- it did that from new. We used MDS grease too- no sign of wear to the teeth either. Once everything is fully freed up & all of the bolts/screws replaced with new stainless replacements I'm hopeful mine will be a go'er again. I'm lucky I work with a few mechanics who become physically excited by the prospect of working on these! Give them a seized motor and gears, dirt & grease & you would swear they won the lottery!

Cheers

Richard
VK2AAH

[VK2AAH]

If you are right that is interesting- mine has the AC supply coming in through a grommet. The curious thing is that the 240-30VAC transformer is locally manufactured suggesting to me an issue with the local electrical authorities (double isolation?). I bought mine new in the box from Dick Smiths at Chullora (mentioned to make Sydneyites reminesce of the good ol' days) so it wasn't an after market mod.

Hi Richard,

I have just remembered that I still have one of these beasts.

I bought it new from Dick Smiths in the early 80's. You are correct about the power supply, it was a local special.

I was certainly not impressed with the version that was supplied with mine. Whilst it just had sufficient grunt to turn the rotator, it wasn't able to supply the meter circuit at the same time (poor regulation in both the supply and the meter circuit) thus dropping the meter by about 30 odd degrees whilst the rotator was turning. I got my money back on the supply and retrofitted the controller with two transformers, one for the rotator and a smaller one for the meter.

Although the unit has not been seen service in around 12 years it was reliable up in the air for around 10 years. I do recall only having to re-pack the bearings with MDS grease. The ball race was showing a minor amount of wear but the ball bearings were in perfect condition.

Gary

Hi Gary,

We got the ol' beast going yesterday- the motor had seized but a good soak in diesel & the use of a cordless screwdriver freed it up. Still need to fiddle with the span calibration but the patient is off life support. It was nice to hear that low frequency hum as she turned!

I think you are right about the power supply not being up to the job. My unit does exactly the same thing and even though I learnt to live with it in the past modifying the power supply to the meter circuit is not a hard job.

Cheers


Richard
VK2AAH