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Reviews For: M2 Orion 2800P

Category: Antenna Rotators & Accessories

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Review Summary For : M2 Orion 2800P
Reviews: 40MSRP: 1429.00
Description:
35 sq. ft. wind load rotator
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.m2inc.com/pdf_manuals/OR2800PX%20(AZ).pdf
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
10403.9
KC4PX Rating: 2002-11-25
Built like a Tank Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just received my Orion 2800 as a replacement for my HyGain HDR300A. Upon inspection, this rotator is amazing. It is really built like a tank compaired to my other rotators, T2X and HDR300A. I do suggest that you get familiar with this unit in the shack. As per the instructions, one should take some time in hooking the rotator and fooling around with all the programming modes and operation. One note, when you are in the programming mode (Mode 3) and you loose power, you must re-calibrate the control box. What happens is that the CCW limit gets reset and the rotator can only move 5-10 degrees in either direction. Re-programming the CCW limit brings the rotator control box back to normal. I experimented with all possible failure modes and this one needed to be identified.

The rotator control box looks much nicer in person that the current pictures on the WEB site. I was concerned it looked like a "Home Made" controller. The rotator itself (42 pounds) is unreal.. its massive. I'll bet it could rotate my House.... I also ordered the ROUND rotator top plate (Highly Recommended) so I could lower my LM354 Crank up Tower completely.

I do recommend this roator for anyone having a large array or to Hams that like "overkill" designs.
WV4R Rating: 2002-10-11
A Big Dog Rotor fer Sure! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The RC2800P-A is the High Water mark for rotors in my 43 years of ham radio.
I bought my MilSpec unit at HamComm 1998 for a number of reasons: It is Heavy/HeavyDuty, Everywhere. They had one sliced in half on display and it is MilSpec and built like a Harley Davidson. All other rotors look like 'toys' in comparison. It will rotate my Dodge Avenger! It looks like a lean mean spinning machine. It is Overkill... but it is a hobby. In a world of compromise, some don't. Go for it and savor the moments of Knowing you gotz the TopGun of rotors for the money.
73 es God bless, murf.
KA0MR Rating: 2002-09-03
Top a the line Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Outside of the documentation a bit lousy and neglecting to point out that you must have the top plate bolted down tight so the pins retract or it won't rotate 360 degrees. It took me 5 days and a long distance call to Houston , no M2 don't bother with answeing their e-mail, and that ham helped me out. But the memory problem seems to occur the first time you put it into mode 1 and let your fingure off the direction button momentarily the rotor takes off and goes to the postion you stopped at but after that it will dwell after you take your finger off the button it waits momentarily and then operates perfectly. Not really a big problem once you discover it but other than that it is a very good rotor.
KG6EPV Rating: 2002-08-18
excellent rotator! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
i don't think i can add much to the other reviews, except to echo their sentiments. this rotator is nice. it works flawlessly. i would definitely buy another, but probably will never need to. it's built to last! i use it with my 7-10- 30 log and 6m7, both by m2. excellent customer service too, they are the best! patiently answering my many questions. m2 gets a 5/5, period. 73 de kg6epv
KZ1X Rating: 2002-08-02
just fabulous Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Capacity, ease of installation, quality of hardware, pre- and post-sale service ... in every evaluation category, a 10 out of 10.

Why use ANY other rotor? I certainly won't.
Worth every penny.
former_K4XG_Tom Rating: 2001-11-11
Outstanding Rotator ! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just completed replacing a Hy-Gain HDR-300A with the M2 Orion 2800SDC and what an improvement!!!

The HDR-300A had been in use for 5 years and was not without numerous problems. The direction indicator ceased working from 180 to 360 degrees although the rotor still turned. Also, the 1/4 inch "key" used to hold the mast clamp assembly to the drive shaft had worn significantly and the result was about 30 degrees of sway. Using the 0-to-5 rating scale I would rate the HDR-300A a 3.

The M2 Orion 2800 is a fine example of craftmanship. The mast bracket is extremely heavy duty and unlike the Yaesu brackets, you are not going to break the rotor to mast bracket while tightning it down.

I will admit that when I opened the box I was a little dissappointed. The human error factor was at work and while packing the rotator at the factory, no instruction manual was included. An email to the M2 factory resulted in the owner of M2, Mike Staal, personally calling me to apologize and to verbally talk me through the installation and programming process. A manual was also sent to me via Fed Ex the next day so I was pleased with the quick response from M2.

Installation went very smoothly. The craftmanship is superb, it is designed to fit the standard Rohn 55 rotor shelf (as well as numerous other towers) and installation was without any hitches or glitches. My tower sits 400 feet behind my house which requires a long cable run to reach. The M2 2800 requires only 4 conductors for the motor and directional indicator which was a real plus. My rotator cable was 8 conductors conposed of two #14 and six #18 which worked well with the 2800.

The RC2800-P control box is a dream to operate. With ten pre-programmed beam heading and computer control via RS232 port nothing could be more simple to operate. Programming the rotator is straight forward and it is a simple task to change from a South Centered to a North Center rotation pattern.

The M2 rotor is a giant step up from any of the HyGain series of rotators and I highly recommend it for consideration if you are looking for a quality rotator.

Drop me an email if you have any questions about the M2 2800. Tom K4XG
W6IZT Rating: 2001-10-16
One beefy rotator Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I looked at all of the rotors currently available on the market. I wanted one with an RS232 port to interface with my logging sw, and one that would last more than a few years. I passed on the Yeasu rotors as I felt they wouldn't hold up and with the optional RS232 interface they were in the same price range as the M2. I've used Ham IVs in the past but my experience is that they don't hold up too well over time either.

I purchased my M2 at HRO Atlanta for installation in a US Tower TX-455. The rotor fit inside the tower fine, but I did have to re-drill the mounting holes as the tower was mis-drilled. Next I found that the oval mounting plate supplied with the rotor wouldn't turn inside the tower. One call to M2 and I had a round mounting plate in hand in 3 days free of charge.

The rotor works as advertised and will turn anything that I would ever plan to put up. I plan on putting up another tower next year, and it too will have a 2800 turning the beams.

73
Gregg
K5RS Rating: 2001-10-08
FINALLY! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
AFTER A 48MPH WIND LITERALLY TRASHED MY GX-1000 ROTATOR, I DECIDED TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT ROTATORS BEFORE I BOUGHT AGAIN. THE 2800 0RION WAS KINDA PRICEY, BUT AFTER LOOKING AT ITS RUGGED CONSTRUCTION, DECIDED TO TAKE THE PLUNGE. THE PROBLEM WAS GETTING IT INTO MY W-51 CRANK-UP. THE GUYS AT M2 WORKED WITH ME ON SPEC'S TO MAKE SURE IT WOULD FIT. I HAD TO CUT A COUPLE OF STRUTS AND REWELD, BUT IT WORKED OUT FINE. IT TURNS A TH-11 AND A 40/30 FULL SIZED ROTATABLE DIPOLE, AND HAS SURVIVED 75MPH GUSTS.
KC0W Rating: 2000-11-13
Will turn a house. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I use a M2 2800 along with a M2 3000 elevation rotor to turn & elevate my moonbounce array. Total number of antennas here are 12 long boomed yagis with a windload of over 3Ø sq. ft. and a weight of almost 250 Lbs. including the 65 pound elevation rotor that the 2800 turns.

The 2800 is built like a tank & will withstand even the coldest of Minnesota winters.

The weight and quality of this rotor makes Yaesu's G-2800SX look like a toy.
PA9DX Rating: 2000-10-07
New software Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Today I got a new eprom and eeprom from M-2 for free. I hope this will solve the problems. I will write a note if I replaced the chips. But again a great service from M-2.

Martin PA9DX@AMSAT.ORG