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Reviews For: HyGain CD45II

Category: Antenna Rotators & Accessories

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Review Summary For : HyGain CD45II
Reviews: 12MSRP: 389.95
Description:
8.5 sq. ft. wind load rotator
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.hy-gain.com/products.php?prodid=CD-45II
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00123.6
ZL3NB Rating: 2017-04-23
Not made like the old days Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've been running a Cornell Doubileer CDR45II since 1974 and it still goes like a champ although the direction potentiometer needs to be replaced at some stage. Have given it a maintenance check about every ten years with a good clean out and new grease applied. If memory serves me correct is cost around $100 back then and from the reviews on Eham and from other comments on the air the Hy-Gain models are a far cry from when CDR made them. Would not be surprise it out lasts me. :)

73 Bill ZL3NB (WA3GLX)

K3PD Rating: 2016-01-24
NEWER UNITS HAVE BULB BURN OUT Time Owned: more than 12 months.
While the rotor itself works OK the light bulbs on the meter are A DISASTER. The older models used a single 28v bulb that could be replaced or refitted with an led aftermarket product. (no the aftermarket led strip won't fit inside the new meter ) The 'new" design is two small soldered in (14v? in series!!) bulbs in the INSIDE AT THE bottom of the meter unit.

You have to disassemble the meter from the case and then good luck finding replacement bulbs. My control is dated 6-6-2012 and I have already replaced these bulbs twice even though this unit only gets limited use.

MFJ needs to step up replace this configuration with a reliable led fix!
AE7PS Rating: 2015-12-28
OK but early pot problems Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I installed this 6 months after I bought it from HRO new. The direction indicator failed to go past mid scale after 3 months. I performed resistance checks per the manual, determined the potentiometer was bad and the rotator was returned and fixed by HyGain for free under the warranty. But the shipping cost me $40. The tech at HyGain said all their rotators have the same potentiometer, so switching to another one will not solve the problem. If it fails again I will pay $80 shipping + $45 repair cost plus the agony or removing it from my antenna and mount. So if it fails again I will probably buy another brand of rotator. I don't know why HyGain can't fix what looks like a design problem to me.
KI6OSH Rating: 2012-06-15
So far, so good! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I've only owned this rotator for about 6 months so there will be another review later. So far, this has done everything it's supposed to do. No problems whatsoever and it's turning a Mosely T32-A mini yagi antenna 10-15-20 meter bands. Very light with an Elk 220 mz. yagi on top so total weight is about 12 lbs. Great performance so far, though.
N2QQF Rating: 2008-08-15
it works OK Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have the predecessor model CD-44 and it works well. the rotor is over 12 years old and it works pretty well. I would prefer a newer rotor something with a little more beef but so far it works. I plan to upgrade to a GX2800 so I can control it with my FT-2000.
K9FON Rating: 2008-08-10
not too bad. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I owned one of these about 15 years agow when they were made by Telex/Hygain and I never had any problems with it. I sold it when i upgraded to a H4 the year after I got the CD 45-2 simply because I didn't like to see it move around on the tower due to the lack of a break. I still have the H4 and it turns a Cushcraft A4 tribander with ease, but I wish I would have kept the CD 45-2 for my smaller antennas. Oh well. Life goes on!! However, my cousin has an older TR44,CD44,CD 45(I'm not too sure what it is until I look at it more closely, but it has an 8 wire connector on the bottom so it has to be one of the three) in his garage that he wants to sell less the control box. If I can get it cheap then i'll get a control box and have a nice spare rotator!!!
WB1FFI Rating: 2008-04-07
Above average service Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I had a CD 45II for 18 years. After 5 years, the directional pot failed and I had to guess the beam's direction. Only using a 2 element tribander so load is minimal. Climate however is severe with very cold winters and hot summers. I replaced this rotor with a upgraded new CD 45II from Norm's Rotors, extra ball bearings and machined steel ring gear and new rotor cable. Hopefully will get another 18 years and not loose the pot again.
KC9GUZ Rating: 2007-11-03
WORKS!!!!!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Back in 1994/95 or so i bought one of these when they were still being made by Telex Hy Gain to turn a Moonraker 4 beam back when i as doing the CB thing. The rotator worked great but i didnt have it all that long because i traded it fo a Ham 4 because it had a break. The CD 45 II worekd great when i did have it though. I had no problems in the short time i owned it. Now i hear MFJ now owns and makes the rotators and of course, the QC has gone down the tubes.
ON4UQ Rating: 2004-01-13
Workhorse...! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I'm using a CD45 since more than 10 years. After 5 years of service, the pot in the rotor itself, which controls the direction reading on the box, went compleatly dead. I then had to take the motor down and replace the pot by a 6 positions rotary switch and resistors. As a HF-beam has the -3 dB points at more or less 60 degrees from each other, the loss of accuracy was not so significant...
The antennas on top are a 3 elements beam and a 7 MHz dipole.
I recently purchased a 18 m tower, coming from the ground-train radio network of tne Belgian Railways, and I still will use the CD45 on it.
N7HFK Rating: 2002-02-18
Great Rotor Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had this thing for 8 years. Its been through rain, ice, snow, wind, and even a little hell being here in the Wasatch Mountains. No problems other than it sometimes won't turn when the temp is below 0. I would assume the gear grease is just too cold. No prob with the meter functions. No problem with sticking under normal conditions.