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| Reviews Summary for Yaesu G-800DXA |
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Reviews: 8
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Average rating: 3.9/5
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MSRP: $409
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Description: The Yaesu G-800DXA is a medium duty antenna rotator featuring automatic brake release, 450° rotation, overlap indicator, preset control, variable speed control, slow start/stop, and more. The illuminated control box has 360 degree readout, with moveable beam heading template. Supplied with weather-proof motor connector and quick-connect control plug for quick and trouble-free connection.
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More info: http://www.yaesu.com/
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You can
write your own review of the Yaesu G-800DXA.
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VO1HE
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Rating: 2/5
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Mar 3, 2008 07:15
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From my experience, this is a very weak rotator.
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I have been a supporter of Yaesu rotators for a long time. I had a G-400RC that provided excellent service for 15 years. When I upgraded my beam, I figured it was time to upgrade the rotator as well.
I bought a G-800SDX last year and I have to say it's one of the weakest devices I have ever seen in my life. It's braking power is pretty good but it seems to have no rotating power at all. The slightest bit of resistance and it refuses to turn. My beam had gone out of alignment so I tipped the tower over this morning and loosened the beam completely. I tried to realign the rotator and it wouldn't turn. I could move it slightly with my hand but the controller would only move it 5-10 degrees. After an hour of working on it, it finally broke free and went to the position I needed it in. I clamped the beam back on and tilted the tower back up and as, I sit here now typing this review, the rotator will only turn 5 degrees total in either direction. The temperature is 1C and sunny. It isn't frozen because I was working on it. It was working fine before I tilted my tower over.
If it's windy, it has a hard time turning into the wind although, like I said, it will hold there once it gets there.
I have thought that the mast was chafing a bit on the tower guides but, from what I can tell, it isn't touching in such a manner as to completely keep it from moving.
I don't know what else to say. I will be doing a complete realignment and service on it when the weather gets better. I will also be replacing the cable with heavier duty cable. If it continues to perform as weakly as it has been, it will be replaced.
73 -- Paul VO1HE
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AA6A
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 27, 2007 19:37
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Still Working Flawlessly
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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It has been over 2 years since I posted the last review of this excellent product, and it is still working flawlessly. My prior callsign was K6RSG and you may read that September 2005 review below.
The Idiom Press Board has also proven to be exceptional and has needed no attention nor realignment.
Aside from powering the unit on and off, I rarely touch the rotator control. Most of the time (about 95%) rotator activity is controlled via Ham Radio Deluxe communicating via the Idiom Press Card.
I do lubricate the thrust bearing on the tower at least once a year.
I'm not a fan of Yaesu's transceiver products, but their rotators are great!
Very 73,
Rob - AA6A
(prev. AK9G)
(prev. K6RSG)
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W7PSK
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 27, 2007 09:00
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After 6 months I love it
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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Over all I give it a great. Solid, dependable and quiet. It turns an A-4S pretty easily and is really fun to use compared to my old HD-73.
I must agree though that Yaesu really blew it with that connector. Change that and it would be a 10plus.
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W4RAR
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Rating: 2/5
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Feb 12, 2007 07:26
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a few faults
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This rotor works ok but a couple of things that really need improvement. Like everyone else wrote the connector for the control cable is the worst, a child could have designed something that would work better. I've also had problems with the presets they never seem to return back to the point you set em. Idiom press makes an upgrade board for rotor control other than that guess its ok
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W7IS
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Rating: 4/5
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Aug 28, 2005 14:14
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Old World Technology
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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The G800DXA is basically a well made product. The two way adjustable mast clamps can be adjusted for most any size mast by using the built in size markings. Although trying to see the marks and adjust it while standing at the top of a tower wouldn’t be the easiest process. Fortunately I had the top 8 ft of the tower at ground level and was able to perform all the rotator adjustments at ground level before final assembly of the tower. I found all the factory adjustments to be very close -- requiring only minor changes. A total of five pots to adjust on the back of the controller. There are two things I don’t like about these Yaesu series of rotators:
1.They use a pot in the rotator that controls a slave motor in the controller to show the ant position. It would be great of Yaesu updated their line of rotators to be all digitally controlled. The salve motor in the controller is just a trouble spot for later problems. And its old world technology not up to today’s standards.
2.The small connector that attaches the rotator cable to the back of the controller is very cheap and cheesy. It’s supposed to be crimp on pins and I found them to be totally inadequate. I soldered the pins but the cheesy connector is such poor construction that I plan to later solder the cable directly to the inside of the rotator. And use a proper external cable connector. I’ve already had problems with a bad connection due to this poor quality connector. The other connector at the rotator is weather sealed and good quality. But it does take a very steady hand to solder the tiny pins. Yaesu should have provided an option of purchasing a ready made 125 ft cable like what comes with the G2800DXA.
I used it with the Yaesu GS-065 Thrust bearing and it’s the best designed thrust bearing I’ve ever come across. The speed control is very handy and on fast speed it will turn the rotator 90 degs in 10 seconds. It would have been lots better if there were more than one adjustable preset. But that wont happen till Yaesu upgrades these old analog rotators to be digitally controlled. Other than what is mentioned above, it does the job very well. And dosnt have the loud clunk of the brake that the Ham IV rotators have. Every time I used the old Ham IV rotator it used to wake up the neighbors
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N6AJR
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 11, 2005 17:17
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works for me
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Mine is actually the g-800 sdx, older model of the same rotor. it does well with my 3 ele steppir on a 15 foot roof tower. The preset is hands and also the speed control helps with torque on the tower ( also the auto soft stop on the preset.) I live in a really windy area and use the preset to park it when I am done. it seems to do everything I need. Its a rotor and it turns the antenna.. what else is there to do??
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KG4TBQ
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 11, 2005 16:24
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great rotor
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I've owned this rotor before. It's a great rotor. I didn't have any problems with it. I like the preset because I could set it to a specific location to go to if I just wanted to talk to someone I usually talk to. Just push the button and it goes.It's no big deal though.Just a neat little feature. The extra 90 degree over lap is great also. It really saves you from spinning the rotor completely around just to get to someone.
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W6VA
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Rating: 3/5
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Aug 15, 2004 00:27
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Poor Presets
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I would have rated this higher except for the poorly designed preset control. One should expect better from a rotator in this price range but the presets are like an afterthought add on.
The preset markings are difficult to read and have almost no resolution. Each marking is 30 deg and is way too course for accurate beam headings. You very rarely can pinpoint the correct heading. The actual markings are a dull orange on black which is really hard to read, especially at night with normal illumination. The knob itself has almost no way to indicate where it is pointing. Only a slightly raised bump. Why couldn't they have put a white line for easy visual reference. Will have to get white out and paint it on.
As for ease of installation they make you wire bulky plugs which make it very difficult to test the system before final installation since once the plug is on you have a much harder time pulling it through conduit or through a hole in the wall.
On the plus side it does have a nice overlap feature of 90 deg which is handy so you don't have to go back all the way around to go a few extra degrees. It is also fast. I'm sure it is rugged judging from other reviews of Yaesu rotators.
If you are buying this for the preset feature be sure you can live with the limitations listed above.
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