What do people think of this antenna mount?

[Andrew Thornett]

Currently on aliexpress.com

I just found this on AliExpress: Antenna rotator AntRunner-Pro Satellite Tracking System 360 Degree Azimuth and 180 Degree Elevation 12V Power Supply https://a.aliexpress.com/_EwBdis4

Andy

[jpett...@gmail.com]

I have one of those; it works fine so far. A useful feature is its use of Power over Ethernet. One cable and you have a networked mount!! Useful if you want to use multiple programs from multiple computers.

 

Jonathan

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[Andrew Thornett]

Hi Jonathan,

Can you track the stars with it? To track for example a maser?

What do you use it for and how do you control? Is it handset or from your computer?

Andy

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From: sara...@googlegroups.com <sara...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of jpett...@gmail.com <jpett...@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 14, 2026 3:41:38 PM
To: sara...@googlegroups.com <sara...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: RE: [SARA] What do people think of this antenna mount?

 

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[Andrew Thornett]

Also Jonathan,

How heavy is the mount and how much does it carry/what do you carry with it?

Andy

Sent from Outlook for Android

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From: Andrew Thornett <andrew....@googlemail.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 14, 2026 5:08:40 PM
To: sara...@googlegroups.com <sara...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [SARA] What do people think of this antenna mount?

 

[jpett...@gmail.com]

Andy,

 

All of the information can be found here https://github.com/wuxx/AntRunner-Pro

 

They suggest using Gpredict, but it can be used by other programs such as SDRAngel, PSTrotator etc.

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[Don Latham]

I have the non-sealed version of this mount. It is driven by stepper motors and there is no independent measure of angles. It must be manually oriented at power on. The version I have is well made. The operating software is a chain and requires setting of lots of variables.
Don Latham
PO Box 404,
Frenchtown, MT, 59846
406-626-4304

 

 

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From: jpettingale <jpett...@gmail.com>
To: sara-list <sara...@googlegroups.com>
Date: Saturday, 14 March 2026 12:33 PM MDT

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[Andrew Thornett]

How big a dish can it carry?

Sent from Outlook for Android

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From: 'Don Latham' via Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers <sara...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 14, 2026 7:43:08 PM

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[Stephen Arbogast]

In this link is a table that compares AntRunner to various alternatives...

https://www.crowdsupply.com/krakenrf/discovery-drive

[Don Latham]

The claim is 10 kg. But I have no measurements. I sense two problems, however. Powering stepping motors makes lots of pulses, and a load can cause slippage. So if pulses do not result in motion, the angle is not what the count says it is and pointing is off. The pulses are liable to cause RFI as well. Again, I have no measurements.  

 

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Don Latham
PO Box 404,
Frenchtown, MT, 59846
406-626-4304

 

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From: 'Andrew <sara...@googlegroups.com>
To: sara-list <sara...@googlegroups.com>
Date: Saturday, 14 March 2026 1:45 PM MDT

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[Stephen Arbogast]

I  would   be   very careful  about  lite weight motors for  small  dish  antennas.....  Consider the  torque needed....  kg-cm...  A  small  dish less than 1 meter can  capture   a  large wind  load.

Before  I  started using  my  Discovery Dish  I used  a  WiFi dish,  same as scope in a box.   Under  a  foot  of wet snow  the  dish  held  up  but  the  mounting  bracket  collapsed.

I  remember  a  picture  of Ted  Cline's  dish   folded  like a  taco   due  to wind.

A very cool  feature  of the  new Discovery Drive  is  the  wind  sensor...   It  will  move  the  dish  perpendicular to the  wind  if  needed?.  

Also  It  uses  brush less  dc  motors  that will lock into place..

Looking  forward to testing  it!

Stephen

[Don Latham]

Good onya.  Torque is never given in the specs. only load, whatever that means. But if the antenna is balanced around the elevation axis, the torque is the critical variable, especially under wind or (dare I say it) snow load.

 

------------
Don Latham
PO Box 404,
Frenchtown, MT, 59846
406-626-4304

 

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From: 'Stephen <sara...@googlegroups.com>
To: Society <sara...@googlegroups.com>
Date: Saturday, 14 March 2026 5:26 PM MDT

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[Stephen Arbogast]

Sorry  I  got the units  of  torque  wrong   should  be  see...     https://byjus.com/physics/torque/

[Marcus D. Leech]

On 2026-03-14 20:03, 'Stephen Arbogast' via Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers wrote:

Sorry  I  got the units  of  torque  wrong   should  be  see...     https://byjus.com/physics/torque/

On Saturday, March 14, 2026 at 5:53:52 PM UTC-6 Don Latham wrote:

Good onya.  Torque is never given in the specs. only load, whatever that means. But if the antenna is balanced around the elevation axis, the torque is the critical variable, especially under wind or (dare I say it) snow load.

 

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Don Latham
PO Box 404,
Frenchtown, MT, 59846
406-626-4304

I don't know about these smaller worm reducers, but at higher gear ratios, NMVR50 (which takes a NEMA-42 sized motor) typically offer up to 105nm output torque.

Our elevation gearbox has a torque requirement of about 35nm, and  the "prefix" worm-drive that we use can easily deliver this and more....

I will comment that using these in dish applications without brakes is asking for broken gears.....

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