Jforson

I am planning to update my grab and go options and I am after some thoughts / feedback on tripods that people are using with the skywatcher AZ GTi WiFi. I intend to use it with a tv-60 and tv-76, both with 1.25” eyepieces. I have a 2” stainless steel tripod for my heavier sabre mount and I am looking for something lighter. I have previously used a Manfrotto 190x (not fully extended) tripod with a Altair Astro mini az mount that worked well. Has anyone used a similar tripod with the GTi WiFi? What sort of mounts are people using? Budget for a mount would be approx £200. Or is the standard Sky-Watcher tripod suitable?

Now Found thanks.

Pm sent re the 4mm

A wee bump. I am still looking for a 4mm SLV or a TV-Delite.

Fantastic photo, very atmospheric!

Hi, I am looking for a 4mm SLV in good condition, similarly may consider a TV delite. Cheers John

Some absolutely cracking eyepiece cases on show. I have taken some inspiration on the Camkix case for the 102mm f11 kit. Thanks to @F15Rules for the 22mm LVW, I am really looking forward to trying it out under some dark skies. The second case is a maplin special. The 32mm plossl was an impulse buy a couple of weeks ago from astrobuysell. Early test with TV-60 was promising. I have some overlap in the 18-25mm and 32-35mm range. I may need to thin out eventually. Ultimately I will probably keep the 19mm panoptic and 22mmLVW and the 35mm Baader. The next target is a high power 4mm for the tv-60/76. Early thoughts are a vixen slv or a delite. No immediate rush though, and if anyone has done a comparison I would greatly appreciate feedback.

I am sure that I have spare one, I can check this evening. But I would not be able to post until late next week.

Hi David, I appreciate the response, I really don’t fancy the dismantle approach. A Herschel wedge was on the list for later this year I may bring the purchase forward.

I am always particularly careful when repacking my scopes after an observing session to ensure that they are dried out. Most often packing up in the morning. However last night I spotted what appears to be a small fungus spore on the rear element. It is small enough not to interfere through the eyepiece but I am keen to stop it spreading. The scope is is a tv-76 that I have had about 9 months. Bought it secondhand in a good condition (optics were very clean) and it has been my most used scope over the past 9 months. I really enjoy using this little scope and want to continue using it in the longer term. Therefore I am keen on the thoughts from the forum on how best to stop the spread. The Scottish winter is not really the best for leaving it out in the sun. Do you think a UV torch would be suitable for killing the spore and stopping the spread. I am fortunate in that I have a few nice scopes to use. But there is something about the TV-76 that I really enjoy.

Not much snow but minus 6 and still dropping!

I have a red star wave f11 and mount on a saber with a pier extension - lovely setup as recommended by the guys here. This new scope has certainly sparked an interest and if my achro is anything to go by this scope will be brilliant on planets, the moon and doubles. I await some feedback from purchasers with interest, especially when compared with the achro.

That's good to know I had not heard much about the 24mm. Like the OP a 30mm for my long achro a 102 f11 may be nice.

I think that you can order them direct from APM, I have had my eye on the 24mm UFF for a while. Might be worth checking but I think altair astro may do a similar Eyepiece.

I think it is a great eyepiece, it is one that I use regularly. It is also surprisingly robust, I dropped mine onto my patio slabs during its first use. Not a mark on the body and optics fine - I was very lucky!