Clearly, there was a calibration corrupting issue when the tape entered the sweep, and after giving the matter considerable thought, I concluded that the clamp assembly had – over time – deformed the fiberglass tubing.

Each clamp assembly has 6 tightly torqued screws that cause the sweep tubing to grip the end of the fiberglass tubing. Initially, the tubing withstands the massive pressure exerted by the 6 screws, but over time (usually several years) – the tubing gives way, and deforms. This creates a partial obstruction that resists the passage of the tape, eventually resulting in “skipped steps” that compromises the calibration.

The solution seems obvious: Get rid of the clamping force, and the tubing does not deform – so the tape can pass freely.

Bill K9HZ came up with a solution that makes great use of 1-1/2″adhesive lined Heat Shrink Tubing (hereafter referred to as “HST“) to keep the sweep and the fiberglass tubing connected. The major downside is: The clamp assembly is reinstalled in it’s original location. This is problematic because the outer diameter of the heat shrink tubing covered sweep tube is now LARGER, and the inside of each clamp requires grinding in order to get it to fit.

Properly prepared, the HST provides an effective and reliable attachment, so the clamp is no longer required to keep them joined. The clamp is still necessary however, in order to mount the spreader bar.

Mounting the clamp OFF of the sweep tubing is the best option – but now the problem is: The inner diameter of the clamp is far too large to grip the fiberglass tubing – even though it’s outer diameter has increased with the installation of the HST.

The simple solution: Add a 2nd layer of HST – applied on TOP of the first! This further increases the outer diameter enough for the clamp to get a grip, and mechanically attach the spreader bar.

Note the following diagram:

It’s a snug fit.

Installation steps:

1. Dismantle the clamps.
2. With the sweep and fiberglass tubing still engaged, mark a point on the fiberglass tubing 3 inches from the end of the sweep tubing.
3. Use 60 grit sandpaper and rough up the fiberglass tubing out to the 3 inch mark. BE THOROUGH! Rough up the last 3 inches of the sweep tubing. Clean the surfaces with alcohol. Note!!! It’s VITALLY important that the surface is extremely rough, and clean.
4. Separate the fiberglass tubing and the sweep. Slide on a 2.25 inch (length is not critical) length of HST – onto the fiberglass tubing FIRST, THEN slide on a 6 inch length.
5. Rejoin the fiberglass tubing and the sweep. Slide the 6″ length of HST over the sweep, and position so the center of the HST is centered over the end of the sweep tubing. The tubing should cover all sanded areas.
6. Using a heat gun, shrink down the HST. It’s vitally important that THE HEAT GUN IS KEPT IN CONSTANT MOTION – ESPECIALLY when it’s over the sweep. If you dwell too long, you will melt and ruin the sweep tubing!
7. Be sure to thoroughly heat all sides of the tubing, and liquify the adhesive.
8. This step is IMPARATIVE! Go away for 20 minutes. It is CRITICAL that the HST is allowed to cool down and set up – UNDISTURBED. Premature movement could compromise the bond.
9. Slide the 2.25″ length of HST over the end of the 6″ length, then position it’s end at (but not over) the end of the sweep tubing. Shrink it down reasonably well – no need to be super thorough.
10. Reinstall the clamps over the 2.25″ HST, then tighten the screws so the clamp grips the dual layer of HST a reasonable amount. Mine had a 3/16″ gap between the clamp halves.
11. Done!

This method has been implemented by several hams, and has not only proven reliable, their tuning headaches disappeared.

The only potential down side: You’ll need to slice then heat then peel off the HST if you ever need to dismantle the sweep, and it will doubtlessly leave adhesive residue.

The post KG4LJB’s SteppIR sweep attachment method appeared first on Steppirtest.

A detailed troubleshooting guide and YouTube instruction videos are in progress. They will soon be added to this website, and I will email copies to existing customers.

1. For initial testing of your controller’s drivers:

   Make sure the included plastic feet are installed from the bottom, into the holes near J2.
   Disconnect the controllers power connector, then disconnect the control cable. Plug the SteppIRtest ONE connector J1 into the controller. For now, don’t connect the control cable.
   Reconnect the power plug then turn the controller on. Press a band button. The LED’s for all EHU’s should flicker brightly – indicating the presence of drive pulses. If one or more LEDs fail to illuminate, then the associated driver I.C. or module for that EHU has failed.
   
   

2. Tuning Process

   At the completion of the tune process, the LED’s stop flashing rapidly. Half of the LED’s will extinguish, the other half will illuminate dimly, indicating the presence of the “holding voltage” used to lock the EHU in place. Without it, the embedded springs in the tape reels would pull the tapes in, compromising the antennas calibration.
   
   
   
   Note! When the control cable is disconnected, the SDA100 and SDA2000 hold voltage is sufficient to illuminate the LED’s. When the control cable is connected, the motors “load” the circuit, and the voltage drops to the point where the LED can no longer illuminate.
   The Fluidmotion controller’s higher hold voltage is enough to illuminate the LED’s regardless if the control cable is connected – or not.

3. To test your antenna’s control cable resistance :

   The motor in each EHU has 2 winding’s, resulting in two pairs of connections. One pair is connected to the green and white wires, the other pair connects to the red and black wires. Each pair presents a known and measurable resistance.
    
   The resistance test collectively checks the connection integrity of the EHU, any junction boxes or terminal strips, as well as the entire length of the cable – all the way to the DB-25 connector. The motors are quite reliable, but everything else is a potential point of failure, especially the cable.
    
   Begin by turning off the controller then remove the power connector. If attached, unplug the Steppirtest board from the controller.
    
   Connect the control cable to J2.
    
   You’ll need a multi-meter – set to measure ohms.

4. Using a Multi-Meter to test your unit

   Insert the probe tips into the side openings of the terminals marked “WHITE and GREEN”. If all is well, your meter should produce a reading in the neighborhood of roughly 15 – 25 ohms. Move the probes to the terminals marked “RED and BLACK”. Again, you should measure about 15 – 25 ohms.
    
   Measure the remaining 4 pairs. It’s a good idea to make notes of all measurements.
    
   The exact measurement will vary from installation to installation, and is affected by the length of the control cable and the meters calibration. The specific number is less important than the consistency of the measurement. If one pair produces a measurement that’s a good bit different than the other pairs, that indicates a problem – and it’s almost always a damaged cable. An “open” (like you’re not touching the probes at all) or a “short” (something approaching zero ohms) is almost always due to cable damage.
    
   Cable damage can occur anywhere along it’s length. Short circuit failures are often found at the top of the tower – usually at the last cable attachment point. Years of antenna rotation can cause the cable at the last attachment point to move slightly and rub against the tower leg, eventually wearing the insulation away and allowing bare wires to touch each other and or the tower.
    
   The resulting short circuit almost ALWAYS destroys the driver in the controller.
    
   IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE CABLE DAMAGE IS REPAIRED, OR THE CABLE REPLACED, AND THE PROPER RESISTANCE MEASUREMENTS VERIFIED   – BEFORE – RECONNECTING A REPAIRED OR NEW CONTROLLER!
    
   Failure to do this could possibly result in the immediate destruction of one or more drivers!
    
   Since the cable has a bare “drain” wire, it’s a good idea to check for wire to drain short circuits. With the control cable plugged into J2, and the board NOT connected to the controller, hold one probe against one of J2’s mounting screws, then measure the resistance of each of the terminals on the green terminal strip. You should read an “open” circuit – same as if you are not touching the probes at all – on all terminals.
   
   

5. Vertical Antenna Loading Coils

   Testing the drive voltage that goes to the loading coils without a SteppIRTEST board is quite difficult. The coil has a motorized rotary switch that selects a coil tap. The motor that turns the switch is the same type used in the EHU’s.
    
   Unlike the EHU’s – that receive a long lasting stream of drive pulses, the coil motor only receives a very brief burst of pulses – just enough to turn it a fraction of one rotation, and it only produces these pulses at very specific transition frequencies. Determining if the pulses are being generated by the controller is quite difficult – pretty much impossible for a meter, but it’s a walk in the park for the SteppIRTEST boards!
    
   In the near future I will publish the transition frequencies for the different vertical antennas. Meanwhile, if you’d like to give it a try, manually tune the antenna to 3.500 MHZ, then tune up slowly. You’ll soon see coil drive LED’s flash briefly as you tune past one of the transition frequencies!

6. Bench Testing:

   Bench testing an EHU can be conveniently accomplished with the SteppIRTEST boards. Simply wire the EHU cable to the green terminal strip. Great care should be exercised to prevent the tapes from getting bent, kinked or tangled with other objects.

7. Motors

   The stepper motors used in the EHU have different colored wires than the EHU cable wires they are connected to. Motors without attached EHU cables can be tested by connecting their wires to the green terminal strip as follows:
    
   Motor wire color : EHU cable wire color
                      green : black
                      black : red
                      red : green
                      blue : white

The post How to use your SteppIRtest ONE appeared first on Steppirtest.

The post A New Way To Test Your SteppIR Antenna! appeared first on Steppirtest.