‰  NOW 35 WPM  ‰  TEXT IS FROM JANUARY 2017 QST  PAGE 47‰

THE MOTO MAST CONTROLLER THE SHACK BASED MOTO MAST CONTROLLER ALLOWS THE
OPERATOR TO RAISE AND LOWER THE ANTENNA MAST AUTOMATICALLY.  THE PROJECT
INCLUDES A RASPBERRY PI MICROCOMPUTER AND LCD DISPLAY TO SHOW ANTENNA
HEIGHT AND MOTOR SPEED IN REAL TIME.  FINAL VERSIONS OF THE FRONT PANEL AND
CIRCUIT BOARD WERE SOURCED QUITE INEXPENSIVELY FROM PROTOTYPE FABRICATION
SHOPS.  THE RESULT IS A PROFESSIONAL LOOKING PIECE OF GEAR THAT FITS NICELY
INTO THE SHACK SEE FIGURE 5.  WITH THE MOTO MAST CONTROLLER AND
COMMERCIALLY PURCHASED ROTATOR AND CONTROL, I HAVE AN ANTENNA SYSTEM THAT I
CAN MOVE UP, DOWN, AND ALL AROUND FROM THE COMFORT OF MY CHAIR.  LIKE THE
MAST ASSEMBLY, THIS IS A PROOF OF CONCEPT PRODUCT, AND THERE ARE
IMPROVEMENTS I WOULD MAKE IN A REDESIGN.  ELECTRICAL DESIGN  THE MOTO MAST
HAS THE MOTOR AND SENSORS AT THE BUSINESS END OF THE ANTENNA, AND A CONTROL
BOX IN THE SHACK.  I USED IDENTICAL CABLE TO THE ONE USED FOR THE ROTATOR.
THE CABLE CONNECTS BETWEEN THE WINCH HOUSING AND THE CONTROL BOX WITH
STURDY CIRCULAR AMP BRAND CONNECTORS.  THE ELECTRICAL SCHEMATIC FOR THE
ENTIRE SYSTEM IS AVAILABLE ON THE QST IN DEPTH WEB PAGE.  THE WINCH BOX
CONTAINS THE ANTENNA BASED WIRING.  THE ROTATION SENSOR PROVIDES A SIGNAL
FOR EACH TURN OF THE MOTOR SHAFT.  UNDER LOAD, THE SHAFT TURNS ABOUT 140
RPM.  THERE ARE TWO MAGNETIC LIMIT SWITCHES AT THE TOP TO ALLOW SELECTION
‰  END OF 35 WPM TEXT  ‰  QST DE W1AW  ƒ