How long is the mast from the rotor to the bottom of your antenna?

3 feet (I believe that is the maximum CM recommends). Even without a mast, in it, I could jiggle it a bit. I thought at the time that was necessary to allow it to spin.

Here's a lesson for me - verify everything's as you expect before installing it somewhere it's hard to service. :eek:

The small amount of play (wobble) you are seeing is normal. Nothing is wrong with the drive unit.

Thanks hoopitup2000. Then perhaps I just don't have it exactly centered which causes the antenna to lean.

Wow my ‘NEW’ CM9521a does not work well in cold weather. It barely moves at all. I need to sync it twice just so it will travel full circle before the control box gets to 00 or 360. Is anyone else experiencing this? Temperatures here are -7c or about 20f. I have resorted to visual 'out the door and look up' to determine where it’s pointing.

Did it keep sync better in warmer weather? Is the rotation slow or just intermittent? I had to replace the supplied Channel Master wire after only a few months.

The 9521 will not do well in colder weather with anything more than a relatively light load. Keep the mast length to 3 feet or less. A HI-VHF & UHF antenna can both fit on a 2 foot mast above the rotor without risk of signal interaction.

My previous set-up did not keep sync well in colder weather (5 foot mast/4 feet of separation). http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/picture.php?albumid=356&pictureid=1598

It is 27°f here now & no issues.
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/picture.php?albumid=356&pictureid=3329

My god hoopitup I am looking at my set up here! Apparently we are like –minded in the antenna dept. I am using same equipment as you with 5’ mast. Maybe my VHF is different vendor, same design. Yes I know they say 3 ft mast is max for the CM but separation is not enough. If you read up on separation, that is too close together on 2ft mast. There is a calculation to determine spacing. Warm weather was better but it never stays in sync for long, it’s just slower now so the control counter gets way ahead of actual position. My old rotor worked fine this way for decades with heavier load on 5ft mast. As for weight we are talking 11.3lbs here, seems light to me. Some questions;
How long is you wiring run?
How did you post those pictures, I can’t figure out how?

VHF-HI (7-13) antenna spacing = channel 7 λ = 5.65 feet (1.72 metres) apart, but 1/2 wave spacing can be done at 2.83 feet (.86 metres) if you really must.

Good that you guys put the VHF below the UHF. That always seems to work best.

Yup. VHF down UHF up. So 2ft is a wee bit too close together. nice moderating too.

wilspin,

How did you post those pictures, I can’t figure out how?

I use "Community", Picture & Albums.
add a new album upload some pictures to it.
Once they are there u can create php links, etc.. http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=81982

Yes I know they say 3 ft mast is max for the CM but separation is not enough. . . . . . How long is you wiring run?
Yes, I know the recommended spacing is more, but I have had the antennas practically touching with no noticable degredation on either band. I lose the sweet spot for my hard to get UHF's as I go higher. The VHF doesn't have any sweet spot issues.

I am running about 75 feet of Radio Shack rotor wire. I had noticed some syncing issues with colder temps last year, but I'm waiting to see if the revised set-up will fare any better when it drops down closer to 10°f.

As long as it works for you. My cable run is 200ft. I wonder if that is the cold weather problem. Thanks for the tip MajorT, I will chech that out.

Hey hoopitup. taker a look at the album 'stuff' you will see my set up. Can't get as close to it as you can. Look familiar?

Greetings everyone on the board and congrats to all for all the documented info.
I have the same prob as most with the 9521A going out of sync and presently it's frozen @ -15c (will wait till it warms up to try it). I wish I still had my old rotor...anyway, I do however, still have the Crown TENN-A-LINER controller. My question is the new CM9521A has a power supply of
18v 1000ma the Tenn-A-Liner has an output of 30v 1amp. Since it seems I read where you could retrofit the new 9521A remote on the "old" reliable 9521 is it possible to use the Crown controller with the "New" 9521A ..if it could it would stop the drifting problem... or would I have to use a step down transformer to reduce the voltage to match them up???

Currently using
CM4228HD (not modded)
CM9521A 3ft mast
CM0068

Sounds risky. Do you realy want that thing going NaNaNaNaNaNa when you change direction? Has any one complained to the manufacturer yet? Now that the weather is warmer mine working better. Seems like a design issue. Maybe the shiped summer stock to wrong market.

I wouldn't mind the nananana sound so much...presently I resync every 5 moves...

I'm glad I invested in a better rotor system. It would really frustrate me to deal with these sync and freezing up issues...

I wonder what it would take to DIY a rotor heater for the winter months... :D

as long as your crown controller is a 3-wire, probably a model RC-18 same as channel master 9512, i can guarantee it will work fine with the 9521 drive motor . i have had to do it myself , no need for any alterations!!

Thanks,
I took a few readings the9512A controller IR 9537. Wallwart rated@ 18vAC actually 21VAC
reading output to drive motor 20.8VAC

Crown Tenn-a-Liner model 18C rated 30VAC
reading output 27VAC
Southgate you mention the 9521 I have the 9521A is there enough leeway to accept a variance of 6-7VAC without frying the unit?

Stampeder, would a black plastic/rubber shroud covering the rotor work to solar heat the unit (removable in summer)?