Can this dish be motorized

[GenBap]

Is it possible to put a motor on this dish considering it has a square base. What motor would you recommend? Thanks

 

[Anole]

I can't tell from the tiny picture (and single view) what you've got.
But, there are STAB models (the 120 comes to mind), with an up-pointing shaft.
Would that do it?

What we've done many times in the past, is to remove the original heavy mount from fixed commercial dishes,...
... and fabricate a lighter weight (and mechanically convenient) bracket to grab the motor.

The molded ribs on the back side of your dish give me serious encouragement that it would be worth motorizing.
More pix, post the size, etc...

 

[turbosat]

Looks like the standard ol 4bolt mount for the primestar/channel masters, If it's not 80lbs I'd say yes , motorize it. Compared to the ones I've rigged together, looks like a breeze lol.

 

[GenBap]

Here are a couple of more small photos. It is a 1 meter Channel Master dish. I was unsure if I could fit a motor to the square mast since all of what I have seen done is on round poles.

 

[turbosat]

Gen, search threads for 'motorize primestar' and you should find lots of ideas on how to accomplish this. In a nutshell, you take the dish off the mount, and mount IT to something ELSE that the motor can hold. Like a flat piece of aluminum or metal, I think a piece of plywood has even been used. I went to the hardware store and bought a length of angle-bracket, and cut it into 4 pieces to mount my channel master to a DG380 motor, been over a year ago now-haven't had to touch it yet. Let me know if you don't find the threads to help and I'll see if I can dig up my old photos of mine. Or maybe go outside tomorrow in the 95degree heat and make some new pictures for you! The project isn't that hard to do.

 

[GreatFTA]

I motorized my Primestar dish that had that kind of bracket and it worked quite well for me! Do the search on this forum with the words Primestar and SG2100. You will find the past forums on this subject with excellent ways we all made this work. I based my setup on the way Old John did his. You want to cut down on the weight of the bracket, if you use the SG2100 type motor for the dish. Let us know how you did your setup!

 

[Anole]

These two were prominent in my private list.
Scroll through both for ideas:


Big 2005 thread with Primestars and motors (some pix on page 1, then skip to page 6 for more):
http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-air-fta-discussion/23072-primestar-dish-sg2100.html


Stogie does 84e on a motor (2007):
http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-air-fta-discussion/95652-motorized-primestar-84e.html

 

[GenBap]

Thanks, great information!

 

[Tron]

Nice non-penetrating roof mount! The 1 meter CM is a great dish. Many members here have attached them to motors by removing the factory AZ-EL mount and using improvised mounts.

 

[ChuckBoozer]

I use a STAB HH120 motor for my Channel Master 1.0 meter......used stock mount w/PVC shim. Works great.

 

[Auric]

I use a STAB HH120 motor for my Channel Master 1.0 meter......used stock mount w/PVC shim. Works great.

That's how my ASC Signal 1.2 is, except I made myself adjusting steel rings. The dish is 50 lbs & the STAB 120 is rated for 36-38 lbs. I figure my STAB will ware out & then I'll convert it to a polar mount. These commercial dishes are absolutely super.

I like the STAB Motors a lot, but they are a little slow. They are the only motor I know of that mounted this way.

A few years back there where some motors called Jaeger I believe. They would be perfect for a commercial dish, but I think they are discontinued now