Comments on: Choosing a Ham Radio Rotator: AlfaSpid, ProSisTel BigBoy, M2, HyGain, Yaesu

By: David Branson

David Branson — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 05:24:59 +0000

I own an Alpha Spid, and I would NEVER get another! I really don’t think it is well made. Mine came new with rusted gears, very noisy motor and gear lash set wrong because the holes were drilled in case wrong. There is places were water can get into the top of the gear box and cracks in bottom of the gearbox were water AND YOUR GREASE can drip out. I am not happy. The Alpa said it would take a 2 inch mast. I hauled a 2 inch OD, 24 foot long “DOM” mast from Dallas to Tucson only to find my Alpha had a bore of ~ 1.980. A 2.000 inch mast would not fit in my Alpha Spid!! They made it too small for 2 inch tubing mast! I was pissed. I had to spend hours boring out the Alpha with a brake hone. And the pinch bolts to mount the base of the rotator id\s a REAL PAIN. It is extremely hard to center the rotator when you have 16 bolts (8 bottom and 8 top) and tightening any one more or less will tilt the mount pipe or the mast. I was able to do this on the ground and put up the top section with a crane, I spent hours working on it to get it all centered. But if it needs replaced in the air my tower guy will never get it right.
And you must build a mount because the bottom is made to fit on a pipe, not a flat plate like most all others in the free world. And it was priced at $599, but it ended up being a ““surprise”” on my credit card at around $1,000 because of “import tax” and exchange rates and “an old web price” posted by they guys selling the Alpha Spid.
Now to be fair, these guys wer nice guys to talk to. And when I complained about the rust they sent me a new rotator out the same day. But it had more problems than the first one! So I just tour it all apart and redid it as best I could.
Nice guys, bad rotator.

David F. Branson

Senior Technician
Action Communications, Inc.
Tucson, AZ
520.792.0326
520.792.2709 fax
KCØLL@hotmail.com
http://www.kc0ll.net
http://www.ActionCommunications.com

By: Steve KG5VK

Steve KG5VK — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 16:00:03 +0000

I have been using a Telrex Prop Pitch rotor with my monobander pair (3el 40m and 5el 20m Telrex beams) for several years

My issue was the controller and more specific lack of reliable indicating system

The indicator chain drive to the tower mouted slsyn broke over a year ago this also led to in active limit switches
after one instance of twisting the coax to shreds

I decided I needed to do something before the 2006 ARRL SS Phone contest

I choose a new rotator controller from http://www.GreenHeronEngineering.com

The support of thier product is Bar none (outstanding)
and the built-in soft limit switch programming was a perfect all around solution

Any that is fighting indicator problems and in need of an updated controller for their rotor should race on over to the fine folks at Green Heron Engineering

73
steve
KG5VK

By: pat

pat — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 05:17:28 +0000

Hi Ken,

Sorry to hear about your problems with the Yaesu rotator.

Unfortunately, my ProSisTel remains boxed in my garage - waiting on my tower construction. I’m disappointed that I’ve not been able to make better progress on the project by now.

However, a local ham has had great success with his ProSisTel rotor so far with a very heavy load on it.

73
Pat

By: Ken McVie

Ken McVie — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 01:54:59 +0000

Hi Pat,
I’m in trouble with my Yaesu rotator G1000SDX, it has smashed itself to bits!!! The rotor unit has completely demolished itself inside, gears, gear housing, limit switches, etc, all broken. It was turning a KLM KT34-XA antenna at 36ft. I was wondering if you made the right decision with the ProSisTel unit. I have been looking on the web site at these and wondering if they would be a good buy for my tower. Any comments would be appreciated.

73
Ken ZL4NR