[TowerTalk] Rotator Choice for Larger Yagi

[Jim Thomson]

Date: Tue, 26 Apr 2016 00:34:00 +0000
From: Ralph Parker <ve7xf at dccnet.com>
To: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Rotator Choice for Larger Yagi

>The M2 OR2800 will handle up to 35 square feet of antenna and support 1800
>pounds. It also fits in the tower nicely because of its triangular shape.

I've spent the last few weeks trying to pick a rotator for a new installation.
Indeed, the OR2800 looks good, but I've read too much about water ingress,
rust and the indifference of the manufacturer.
Comments?

VE7XF

##  I have 2 of the OR-2800s.  1st one is the older AC unit, bought new.  The AC capacitor
inside the unit craps out, now fixed.  The  2nd one was bought used, and is the newer DC type.
Former owner was turning a F12  340N  + a F12 C49....which is a massive array, with 4 els on 20m,
6 el on 15m..and  10 els on 10m..all on a 49 ft boom.  The 3 el 40m array is ona  36 ft boom, with
52-59 ft long eles. 

## the final gears are  totally trashed !   So don’t buy into the XXX  sq ft nonsense.  Part of the problem  is the
arrays are NOT Torque balanced.   The worm gear concept is fine.... BUT IMO, the worm gear assy is at the wrong
end of the food chain, being located right off the electric motor.   The very final gear is  one small gear driving the bigger gear
that drives the output shaft. The design allows for too  much gear slop.  It’s a good rotor, BUT, dont get carried away with
huge arrays, and I would also suggest tossing the oem m2 mast clamp...and use  the K7NV version for the  OR-2800,  his is
the real deal.  K7LXC  also make a heavy duty version..but only for a 2 inch mast.  The K7NV version pinches the  mast,
with barely any tq applied.   He makes it  for any diam mast u have, but it will only fit  one diam mast.   IE:  2 inch, 1.875 inch,
2.875 inch,  3.00  inch etc.     The oem m2  mast clamp is a fubar design.  Don’t mess with the  OR-2800  control box either,
its ok, but no point and shoot knob, like on the Green heron.  Both boxes  have the usual ramp up / down,  PC control,  etc.   

##  I swapped to a K7NV  small prop pitch + green heron box.... , no bigger or heavier than a OR-2800, but one helluva lot more TQ
available, like 1200 ft lbs  vs  the 233  ft lbs of the OR-2800.    The GH box for the prop pitch, is  specific for the PP. 

Jim   VE7RF