Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: Yaesu, G-2800DXA

Category: Antenna Rotators & Accessories

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : Yaesu, G-2800DXA
Reviews: 17MSRP: $1089.00
Description:
Yaesu's newest top-of-the-line rotator is for extra-heavy-duty antenna installations. It includes “Auto Slow Start” and “Auto Slow Stop” features to avoid sharp jolts to the antenna array and tower. The G-2800DXA includes a rugged mast clamp and 40 meters of control cable, for easy installation. Total rotation range: 450°, with presets
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=DisplayProducts&ProdCatID=104&encProdID=yN9ulhWwjG4%3D&DivisionID=65&isArchived=0
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
14174.1
W6LQP Rating: 2011-02-26
Needs better quality fasteners Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Powerful unit but mast locking bolts are very poor quality and show rapid signs of deterioration in salt air after only a couple of weeks on line...replaced with stainless steel bolts - something Yaesu should have included as standard considering the high equipment price.

Used as base mounted operation with US Tower MA-550 - base mounting removes all vertical load and now with better locking bolts I expect good service life. Easily turns heavy tower and antenna - make sure your thrust bearing is balanced and periodically lubricated.

It comes with a lot of control cable - so don't buy any more unless you are a couple hundred feet away from the rotator.

I strongly recommend DC shunt for the control lines at bottom of tower if you want your ham shack control unit to survive any type of lightning strike.
PY1BR Rating: 2009-08-27
Very Disapointed Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought the G-2800DXA in 2003 and is working fine since then but I also bought the Tower Shock Absorber Joint GA-3000. I could not installed immediately. After 3 years I moved to a new QTH and yesterday I installed it. Whenever I put the rotator over de GA-3000 the four absorber joint stater to smell like icecream and in minutes were destroyed. I can not understand it. Something to support vibration, design to it, whenever it start to work colapses...I could not believe when I saw it. I wrote to Yaesu trying to understand the situation.
KW4CQ Rating: 2009-07-23
Control box failure. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My G-2800DXA was placed into operation in May 2004 and it has worked flawlessly ever since then turning a big Sommer 9 element log periodic beam on a 50 tower. Recently, the control box azimuth indicator stopped working while the rotor itself worked fine turning the antenna. I checked the slider potentiometer inside the rotor with an Ohm meter at the shack end and it correctly showed resistance varying with rotation of the antenna. I also checked the voltages on the control cable. At their request, I sent the control box to Vertex in Calif. seeking its repair and return (cost to me about $50.00 plus shipping). The azimuth indicator worked ok and dial lamp worked normally for a few weeks and then quit displaying azimuth and lamp dial light all together. I tried to see if I could locate the problem inside the box and repair it myself by opening it up and disassembling the front panel and removing the molex cable connections from the PC boards, etc. Aside from the main AC power line fuse on the back of the control box there is a tiny fuse on a PC board inside the box, which in my case, checked good. Nothing was found which may have contributed to this condition. At this time the azimuth display and dial lamp no longer function. I can still rotate the antenna but have to go outside to see where the antenna is pointing. If anyone else has experienced this problem with the azimuth display I sure wouuld like to hear from you. I post this information just in case it may be of use to other G-2800DXA owners.


KB7UB Rating: 2009-07-18
Yaesu Cut Corners Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Having used the G-2800SDX for 7 years I was very happy with it. On April 8th an EF-3 Tornado ripped thru the town and bent the mast completely over and twisted the old rotor so hard it pulled the bottom on of it. I decided to replace it with the new and improved G-2800DXA
It is turning a M2 40M2L, Bencher Skyhawk, Hy-gain DB-12/17 and a M2 6M5X strapped to a 22 foot chrome molly mast, it works great, my reason for giving it a 4 and not a 5 is because Yaesu in the rush to save a buck used 16 gauge Lamp Cord without a ground, where the old SDX had a heavy duty cable and amolded pluc with a ground. For a rotor that cost almost $1100.00 its a shame the cut corners on the cord,
WS4B Rating: 2009-03-08
Great rotor!! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have owned this rotor since 9/2008. Its a great rotor that has automatic breaking. Just pretend its an old T.V. antenna rotor and turn the dial! I am using it to turn my Mosley PRO-67B which weighs 110 lbs. It works like a charm!

Just to mention, the rotor comes with 100 feet of cable. I'm mentioning this as I did not know that when I ordered it and bought extra cable.
W3VIA Rating: 2007-06-14
Strong & Reliable Time Owned: more than 12 months.
When I first opened the box I thought "This ain't no Tailtwister!". And it's not - it's better than the HDR-300 I had before! The 2800 has worked flawlessly for over three years with over 300 lbs of antenns and a 21 foot tall mast on top of it (and a thrust bearing). Great rotor!
K8IA Rating: 2007-03-27
Rugged Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My G-2800DXA has been up for 4 years now. Since I am a very active contester, this rotator has been used way more than the average ham would. I have made 55,000 qso's in that period and the rotator plays like its brand new.

Mine is turning a M-Squared 40M3L, a good sized (30 ft boom and 47 ft elements) 3 element 40m yagi, plus a 3 el SteppIR. It hasnt missed a beat.

Very rugged unit and I recommend it.

73, Bob K8IA
Arizona USA