That sounds good to
@scopus
So you have a 1.8m SSS raven? The profile is still channelmaster.
As CJ points out, it is the same dish, made under different brand names.
The company that makes the dish have changed names several times.
First Channel Master, then Andrew, then ASC, then Raven, and now Skyware.
The dish is the same, the mold is the same.
Some guys from Skyware told me that there only ever was one mold for the 1.8.
It is the same that is still used in production.
Discussions of a similar topic, only for 1.2meter dishes can be found here:
Best 1.2m Dish?
As also stated, the polar mount for the dish was only manufactured long time ago.
It seems to me that it was only made under the Channel Master name.
Same for the polar mount for 1.2/1.0 metres - only existed under the Channel Master brand.
And as can be seen elsewhere on this site, the CM polar mount for the offset dish is clearly an adaptation of the CM polar mount for their prime focus dishes.
The offset declination (about 23 degrees) is established through an extension to the top bracket.
This clearly looks like an add-on to an original design.
Even the steel ring attaching to the back of the dish gives the origin away.
As the reflector is in one self-supporting piece, there is no reason to have a steel ring.
A simple "H"-structure made from angular iron should be, and is, enough.
As can be seen for the normal Az/El mount that comes with the dish, even today.
My belief: The original polar mount is not particularly "spitzen-klasse".
It was probably made for the same market that received C-band and early Ku-band transmission in the US and Europe.
And therefore made to be cheap, but still working.
Your Prodelin 1.8 with polar mount is probably from around the same time.
In the years after this, fast development and deployment of stronger satellites meant that dish sizes got smaller (1.2m, 1.0m).
No market for a polar mounted 1.8 meter.
End of product.
And once digital arrived, even polar mounts fell out of the mass-market.
Only us enthusiasts left wanting to buy.
Which leaves us today with niche-market manufacturers like Satellite Super-Store.
Now, I don't have one, but I think it will deliver more than the original Channel Master mount did.
(It also costs a bit more.)
The SSS mount has the weight of the dish closer to the polar axis, meaning less power required to turn the dish.
The polar axis is also quite long, meaning less stress on the bearings.
(different from the Purplesat one - I don't know if it really makes a difference.)
So, if professional mounts are not an option, then either PS or SSS are what you can have.
Or you would make it yourself, or get someone to do it from drawings.
But unless you are good at welding, and "metal-basteln" in general, you probably will be more happy with the SSS or PS mounts.
(well, had till couple of minutes ago, but then I opened it to take some pictures). Instructions says that it is for small antennas, but I think 1,8m antenna has exactly the same holder.
