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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
KG4EHV Rating: 2004-06-13
fast and quiet Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Very nice looking controller, like the presets. Just put it on tower so I'll see how long it holds up. Only bad part are those little #@!* pins for cable.
N4JBK Rating: 2004-05-11
not what they should be Time Owned: more than 12 months.
These rotors command quite a price for no more than they are. The aluminum housings are brittle and several friends of mine have broken them when trying to tighten the mast down. The rotors are very succeptable to lightning and once damaged no one but yaesu will work on them.Unfortunately I currently am using 2 of these rotors and both of them allow the antennas to slip in strong winds. If you through bolt the masts be prepared to replace the rotor because its guts will be on the ground soon.The control boxes look great and I think most of the complaints would be gone of the housing was steel instead of that cheesy aluminum.
KE2FE Rating: 2004-05-02
burned out transformer in the rotor control box Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have been operating with the 1000sdx for over a year turning a Cushcraft a4. The power transformer in the controller burned out its primary and caused a dead short. Not an easy controller to find on the trade nets. We have ordered another transformer from Yaesu, but have not heard from them. Transformers should not short out in the 1 year time it has been in the station.

K1HC Rating: 2004-02-19
NOT pleased Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Mine failed after only a few years on the tower, rotating a Force 12 C-3, a Force 12 EF-706, and a Cushcraft 17B2, totalling well under the square foot rating. It had intermittent indicator problems before a complete failure occurred.

I bought a M2 2800 to replace it. Save your money and buy that! Yes, it is $1200, but it will last.
K4GLM Rating: 2004-02-03
Flimsy, overrated Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I helped the local university radio club replace this rotor. It was turning a 5 element beam about 23 feet long. I had no clue why it failed, though it did last over a year.
I dissasembled the unit, to try to learn why it failed. In my opinion ( I am a mechanic, 30 plus years of fixing things that break), the failure was of the gear carrier frame, and subsequently everything else. The frame is thin pot metal, or soft aluminum based casting. It is held by three 6mm thread screws on a circle of maybe 5 inches. This can't hold much torque, or windload.
On the plus side, the controls have a very smooth sweet touch.
But for my money, I prefer rugged, reliable, durable. And since I find this quite the opposite, I can't recomend it.
Sincerely, Shannon Boal
K4GLM
NT4I Rating: 2004-01-26
JUNK! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I had one that crapped out after 6 months so I bought another. BIG MISTAKE! It lasted about 8 months and died. I only have half of the rated wind load in antennas.
Stay away from this one!
F6DUK Rating: 2004-01-26
early death Time Owned: more than 12 months.
After using a HAM 3 for over 20 years I decided to go for a Yeasu G1000 SDX Nice control Box Rotor looks good. First surprise are the plain steel mounting screws I replaced them with stainless steel screws before mounting. After a bit less then 3 years it gave up with a gear breakdown. Antenna is a Titanex dlp15 I will return to Hygain and its break system
K8DXX Rating: 2003-12-17
Another Vote of Confidence Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Mine has handled a Force-12 C4EXL (11 element, 30 foot boom 40 - 10 meter) antenna for almost 3 years. We have had some severe winter wind storms that have caused other rotors in the neighborhood to free wheel. No problems whatsoever. This unit is mounted inside a 12 foot Glenn Martin roof tower with a 10 foot steel mast extending through a G/M thrust bearing. So far, so good!
KB4QLZ Rating: 2003-02-26
A+ Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Excellent rotor. Turns a Force12 C19-XR with out any problems. Antenna stays put in high winds.
KU7I Rating: 2003-02-03
OUTSTANDING Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Mine is turning a 4 ele 5 band quad on a 24 ft boom. I have the rotor inside tower mounted and use a thrust bearing. It has been installed now for a few weeks and it seems to work as designed. I turned the rotation speed down to abt a 1/3 of the way just to not over stress the rotor. I hope it lasts. The manual wiring of the cable harness is not a fun job but once you start you can have it all done in less than two hours. DOUBLE CHECK YOUR PIN OUTS!!! AN ERROR CAN CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE ROTOR!!!