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Reviews For: Yaesu G-1000SDX

Category: Antenna Rotators & Accessories

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Review Summary For : Yaesu G-1000SDX
Reviews: 28MSRP:
Description:
23.5 sq. ft. wind load rotator
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.yaesu.com/amateur/rotator.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00283.4
AA6VB Rating: 2020-11-16
Almost 30 years later - Still Works Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Still works fine after almost 30 years of service.
W8TRN Rating: 2014-10-01
Controller Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Let me try to describe the problem which is intermittent - rotator works OK for a few months then the problem returns. I set the controller to 135 ( heading is irrelevant, could be 85), hit the start button the indicator needle spins wildly. However, the rotator turns at normal speed. Using the Left/Right rocker results in the same: needle spins a 100 MPH (exaggeration of course. The rotator has been to Yaesu and they could not duplicate. I installed a new plug at the rotator but no change. Also, the cheap plug at the controller has been replaced, no change. Now, I have a break out box at the base of the tower, connect a battery and voltmeter/ohmeter and monitor smooth (vs erratic)change. Also, the resistance is in spec. I am turning a basic 4 element SteppIR (with a thrust bearing) with about 175 feet of cable. I have performed a couple of other tests but, due to mild memory loss, do not remember what they were. I think I connected a meter to the connector at the rear of controller and observed smooth versus wilding change in voltage/resistance. I believe the problem is in the controller.
WA3USG Rating: 2010-11-04
Very satisfied Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had my Yaesu 1000SDX up for 23 years with absolutely no issues. It is mounted inside a 40 foot Rohn-25 tower and turns a Hygain TH6-DX beam, 2 vertically polarized KLM 11 element beams, and a 88 element J-Beam. I use no thrust bearing and the rotor has never refused to turn, even when the temperature dropped close to zero.
I am downgrading to a much smaller HF beam in the next few weeks and am doing maintenance on the remaining antennas ... after all, they have been up there for that length of time with no attention. I'm going to switch over to a Ham-IV rotor simply because the load on it will be much less with the TH-6 gone. The 1000SDX would probably function fine for several years yet but I don't want to have to climb again for hopefully another 23 years!
ZL4IV Rating: 2009-09-13
Not a DX Rotator Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I kept the wind loading below what they spec but I could feel by the weight of it that it was not well built so I built my own one waiting for the failure to come. It did, 70 kmh wind from the quarter did it in. What was so odd was it was not the gears that gave up but the crap internal mounting plate. It broke at the three mounting points which are too far out from the centre point (excessive over hung load). When the crap metal let go it just went like a blender and totaled everything. Halve the loading to be safe. To be fair most big company tech's live in a bubble with the calc's in front of them only to go on. I never had anybody ask me what the weather is like at my QTH, maybe the should start asking us or derate not just this one, maybe most of them? They tell me the 2800 is very good, well unless I had one on apro for a winter I go for my own build thanks.
VE7IG Rating: 2009-08-19
Works well for me Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I replaced a seized up prop-pitch motor with one of these in 2000. It had seized up after 4 years of inactivity. The prop-pitch motor was sitting under a turntable with a 1700 lb tapered bearing in it and a drive shaft the full length of the 62' tower and it was easy to modify the mount for the 1000SDX. Consequently, there is no weight on the rotor and most of the torque is taken up by the drive shaft. It has lasted through several serious wind storms with no problems. It turns a 4 element 20m monobander on a 30' boom with a 5 element 6 meter beam above that. I keep the rotation speed at about 1/3. There has been no slippage whatsoever and no maintenance for 9 years. If this rotor failed tomorrow, I'd just buy another one.
W3AB Rating: 2008-06-17
Great rotor Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had my 1000SDX up at 2 different QTH's for a total of 14 years turning a KT-34XA and a 5 el 6M beam with no problems.

I also have G800 and G550 handling the sat beams. Again, no issues with them either.

----------------------
Earlier 5-star review posted by W3AB on 1999-09-01

I've been twisting my KT-34XA with this rotor for 4+ years now. Only a squeak of a problem, a burned out lamp that wasn't too difficult to replace. I dealt with the sloping case by making an extender for the rear feet. I also bought the HD mast clamps so I wouldn't have any problem.
DK5EW Rating: 2008-03-21
expensive but worse made Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I owned several rotators of Yaesu/Kenpro. The 1000SDX was the last one. He stayed 8 month on the mast and then it gave up. Some of the cheap made gears inside was brocken like on my other Yaesu rotators - I never buy one again also no spare parts availiable in DL anymore.
MI0LLL Rating: 2008-02-24
Nice piece of kit Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The G1000SDX control box is still the best looking control box's around today, i have two prosistels PST 61's and still like the look of the G1000sdx the best, but you got to know the rotor's limits, anything larger than a single 4el 20m yagi would not be a long term installation.

73!
Chris
http://www.MI0LLL.com
K5YY Rating: 2007-04-11
NO problems at all Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have been rotating a 95# Moseley PRO57 and a 13 ele 2 meter beam for 12 years now and NO problems with anything. I use about 1/3 rotation speed usually. Never had any slippage of the mast and have had some wind gusts up to 55-60 mph just a month ago, still no slipping of mast. I am pleased with the G1000SDX. I might go slightly heavier duty next time but only for "overkill" protection. Guess because I tightened the mast clamps properly and used a thrust bearing as I always do that I have extended the good operation time of this rotor.
Maybe some luck too? I think it is a good value.
IN3ASW Rating: 2005-01-10
10 years- no problems at all Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I'm owning 2 of them :
One 800SDX at home with a 5 el. tribander and a rotatable dipole for WARC (D3W) on top.
working flawless since 1989. A few months ago the indicator started rotating back and forth. I opened the control box and replaced the broken rubber belt that rotates the gears.
It took me abt. 30min. to fix it.

the second one,an 1000SDX, is working since 1994 on my contest QTH on a 20mt. tower rotating a 2 el. HyGain 402BA and a KT-34XA on top.

I'm definitely pleased with them !