robbymain

Hi All Anyone considering selling a good condition Vixen GP mount, please give me a shout! Preferably with Vixen controller and drive motors on both axes but will consider RA only or undriven... Happy to pay sensible sum, otherwise I would buy a new AP Thanks Rob

Loving the 'vintage' Vixen mounts on this thread - I really regret selling my gorgeous green RA-driven GP back in 2005-ish and I'm now looking to pick up a replacement having got back into the stargazing malarkey with a Heritage 130P! Next on the (ever growing) list is to replace the wonderful Orion Optics 200mm Newtonian that I stupidly sold at the same time =P All the best to my fellow Vixen fans

Well put CM! I had this same experience near Coldstream on the Scottish border when stopping for a wee on the drive between Newcastle and Edinburgh several years ago now... My wife and I plan to move to Plymouth later on this year where we will be 30 mins from the centre of Dartmoor

I bought a Porta II for mine straightaway which is great - especially when I upgraded the tripod to a APP-TL130! Of course the mount plus tripod ended up costing much more than the scope did but how stable is it

I also stumped for the 130P and am very happy with it

Many thanks to everyone for the helpful and instructive replies

Welcome, I'm also Bristol based! Been researching some dark sky sites out beyond Wickwar towards Westonbirt if you fancy trying some out?! cheers, Rob

Hello everyone! Sounds like I'm not the only one still struggling to see many details. I have a Heritage 130P on a Porta II and using Baader Classic Orthos (10 and 6mm) with their 1.3/2.25x barlow. I think my suburban early-evening seeing in North Bristol has been fairly bad as its hard to even achieve really decent focus (especially with the plastic helical-type focusser)... Any advice? I've only had the Heritage a matter of months but already thinking about adding a scope thats better for lunar and planetary performance... Cheers all, Rob

Anothe reluctant camping cancellation here - shame at it looks like a really well organised event! However we are hoping to visit during the day on Saturday to socialise and sample the hog roast

Ah I see from the itinerary it's 5.30pm - hope to see you there!

Hi Grant Due to the forecast, we are unfortunately going to cancel our camping plans but might come for part of the day on Sat to meet people, have a few drinks and talk telescopes! What time will the hog roast be served? cheers, Rob

PM sent re: the 7mm Cheers Rob

Shroud complete! I used heavy black card from Hobbycraft and double sided tape. 2 short pieces of self adhesive Velcro either side of the secondary mount and reinstalled the existing curved plastic light shield opposite the focuser to hold the shroud in place in that location and it works a treat

Hi Roland from another new SGLer in Bristol! I'm also interested in meeting like minded gazers and finding good dark sky sites nearby - have got a few likely spots East of the city in mind but not visited them yet. Keeping things simple with a Heritage 130P on a Porta 2 at the moment but have owned a few RA drive Newts in the past. Have you been to any BAS Friday night meetings yet?

Welcome from Bristol but used to work near Blackburn!