[TowerTalk] Orion OR2800P

[K8RI on TowerTalk]

I have spent the last hour searching for information on the Orion OR2800P 
rotator.  All I found were opinions such as "I like it", "built like a 
tank", etc...but absolutely no information on how it's constructed, or the 
actual mechanics of the thing.  I did find one photo of the assembled unit 
which doesn't even show scale.

Would some one please describe the insides for me?  What do they use for 
load supporting bearings, what kind of gears, are they spur or worm gear. If 
worm gear is a single or double reduction. What do they use for a brake if 
not a dual worm gear?

If you need parts how long to get them? What kind of service and turn around 
time. Are there any parts that are a long delivery item?

Are parts readily available for the controllers.

For me it's not just how well an item works but how well it's supported and 
whether parts are standard and readily obtainable. Standard, readily 
obtainable parts is second only to "is the rotator adequate to do the job 
with a substantial safety margin".

For large arrays like my system (there are *much* larger systems out there) 
I want the speed to either step up and down or smoothly increase and 
decrease at the beginning and end of any movement.

Roger Halstead (K8RI and ARRL 40 year Life Member)
N833R - World's oldest Debonair CD-2
www.rogerhalstead.com (Use return address from home page)