Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to post an update; my radar tower is a 1988 version, #6-12749 which I guess is an MPC product. The problem was that the hole in the vibramotor was much too big for the pin at the base of the antenna.
Operation was noisy, and when I turned the voltage up past 14V the antenna jumped out of position and stopped. The antenna would fall out of its socket when I tilted the tower past 30-40 degrees from vertical because of the slop in clearances.
The closest I could find to the correct rivet size was 1/8". After removing the rivet pin from the rivet, I drilled out the hole in the rivet a bit so the radar antenna pin would fit. Then I drilled out the vibramotor magnet with a 1/8" drill and inserted the rivet.
I can tilt the tower now almost past 60 deg from vertical and the antenna still stays put. There is much less play between the antenna pin and the magnet with the rivet in place. I can run the antenna all the way up to 18V and the antenna keeps spinning instead of jumping out of its drive mechanism. It's still noisy, but what can one expect for only spending $2.95 plus tax for a box of 20, 1/8" rivets? Anyone need a few? I have 19 left I can't use.
Thanks for all your help on this!
Roger
