Gentlemen, Google is your friend here. I can kit a G-5500 class rotator from available shafts, bearings, gears, motors and such for less than $300. That's not accounting for economies of scale. Add some stuff from radio shack and the appropriate length of wire and you have for less than $500 a complete Az-El rotator and associated driving stuff, less antennas (which can be made reliably and cheeply) and antenna support.
A quick search on CL will yield a tower section reasonably. I got a bunch at $70 just a few months ago. Step over from Skycraft to AES and see what they charge for this stuff. The rotators sold now cannot be repaired, period. When the bit of kit on the top of my tower goes, I'll probably build one. Much cheaper that paying the 1500 that the top line mfgr wants for theirs.. I submit that the aformentioned project could be homebrewed by someone with a torch and access to a junkyard and tools no more complex than a grinder. The interface electronics are a little more difficult to build, but certainly wouldn't take a lathe. Norm n3ykf _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
