Yaesu G-450ADC
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| Frequency | n/a |
| Power | Antenna rotator, not a radio |
| Modes | n/a |
| Weight | 3.5 kg (7.7 lb) - Rotator: 3.2-3.5 kg. Controller: 2.3-2.7 kg. Total ~6 kg. |
| control cable | 4-conductor cable (post-2019 DC version uses 4 wires, 20V DC). Older G-450A used 5-conductor 26V AC, NOT compatible with new controllers. |
| mast clamp | fits 32-63 mm (1.25-2.48 inch) outside diameter mast |
| computer | optional GS-232B computer interface |
| power req | Controller: 117V AC (G-450ADC) or 230V AC (G-450CDC). Rotator: 20V DC from controller (post-2019). |
Estimated (unverified): Introduction year is not documented. The current models are the DC-motor G-450ADC (120 V) and G-450CDC (230 V), which replaced the AC-motor G-450A/G-450C.
The entry-level HF beam rotator. Handles small tribanders (Cushcraft A3S, Hy-Gain Explorer 14) and VHF/UHF arrays up to ~10 sq ft in-tower wind load. 98 ball bearings, sealed housing, DC motor (post-2019). Simple 4-conductor cable. 450 deg rotation with a compass display (fixed speed; no preset - that is a DXA feature). Compact and affordable. The rotator most operators install with their first tribander.
Not suitable for large antennas (TH-11DX, large monobanders; use G-800DXA or G-1000DXA). K-factor 100 limits antenna boom length more than wind load area alone suggests. 220 lbs continuous vertical load is marginal for some installations. GC-038 bracket required for mast-top mounting (not included). Control cable not included (unlike G-2800DXA). Post-2019 DC version NOT compatible with older AC controllers, verify before mixing components. No preset and no computer control (fixed speed; those are DXA-only features).
An entry-level beam rotator. The G-450ADC turns the tribanders and VHF/UHF arrays most operators own. It is not the strongest, but it is enough for a Cushcraft A3S or Hy-Gain Explorer 14 on a modest tower. The 2019 switch to a DC motor improved reliability by removing the AC starting capacitor. Check the K-factor (100) and wind-load rating against your antenna; it matters more than wind-load area alone.
The Yaesu G-450 is the entry point to Yaesu's azimuth rotator line - the rotator most hams put up with their first HF beam. Sold today as the G-450ADC (120 V) and G-450CDC (230 V), it succeeds the long-running G-450A, the main change being a switch to a DC motor in 2019 (which removed the AC starting capacitor that used to fail). It is rated for about one square meter - roughly 10 square feet - of antenna wind load, which covers a small tribander or a VHF/UHF array.
It turns the full 450 degrees the family is known for - a circle plus a 90-degree overlap so you can set where the stop falls - and shows the heading on a simple compass dial. Unlike the bigger DXA models, the G-450 is a basic rotator: it runs at a fixed speed, has no "preset" point-and-go feature, and is not designed to be driven by a computer. You turn it by hand to the bearing you want.
It is built like its larger siblings - a sealed die-cast housing with no shaft hole on top, riding on dozens of ball bearings - but at a much lower price. Watch the load rating: the G-450 is sized for small-to-medium antennas, and a separate thrust bearing to carry the antenna's weight is still recommended.
If your antenna is bigger than a light tribander, step up to the G-800DXA or the popular G-1000DXA, which add preset, variable speed, and computer control. But for a first beam on a modest tower, the G-450 is the affordable, proven starting point.