Stephenstargazer

I cant speak for the 8x20, or the 3x25 opera glasses but the surprise with 2X40 ish Vixen and clones is just how well they work with light polution - bringing a lot of fainter stars into view over about 25 degrees of sky. This explains why! http://www.ianmorison.com/vixen-2-1-x-42-mm-wide-field-binoculars-review/

Having been South a few times I would strongly recommend taking in the unique big sights such as LMC, SMC, Coalsack, Southern Milky Way and so many others. You can even do a lot of this with binoculars whilst imaging? It would be a shame to miss the big picture. Better prepare a good shortlist!

I bought an Omegon pair of 2x41 and enjoy them for the same reason. Maybe a lot of casual stargazers would enjoy modern opera glasses too, at little expense?

I am always wary of overloading mounts as I don't like much vibration. The weakness (and advantage!) of the AP is the connections between modules. If the scope is too heavy or not well ballanced then the worm drives or joints can be affected. For the mechanically minded the worm drive clearance and bearings can be re-adjusted in 6 places, as they are during factory assembly. Do not overtighten any of the screws, risk of stripping fine threads in aluminium , If you try an APZ with a larger scope you should use a counterweight bar in place of the fixed weight (based on my experiences). The APP tripod is less rigid than the HAL. If your 7kg is the total weight of scope and all attachments then it could be viable. There is a diagram in the AP manual showing the balance requirements.

Sorry, but this is a common misconception, often repeated - the equivalent to US 1/4" 20 tpi is a 1/4" UNC in UK parlance. Which is not a problem as UNC are stocked by most fastener companies. BSW and Whitworth are a different thread entirely. You would get a shock and disappointment if you ordered some of those!

@Franklin Vixen are good at not overstating capacity. My own take is that the difference between AP and Z is that the Eq base has an extra joint that flexes. It pays to tighten the polar declination joint once set for latitude. The motors are slow, but think bearings etc similar to manual, should not be troubled on balanced mount? May PM you about manual slow motion modules. OK? @spacehopper It is also my mount of choice for FS60CB!

I have had a manual Vixen AP Equatorial for some years and always admired the quality of its mechanical modules which provide very smooth push-to and the silkiest slow motions. The negatives were lack of go-to with the (expensive) motors and quite a bulky mount for limited capacity. I used it in AZ format too. I looked for a possible encoder kit, that might be modified. I wanted a compact mount with slow motions and digital setting circles, ideally avoiding the weight of motors, a battery and counterweights. An idea came to me that the modules of a Vixen AP can be configured to a half fork AZ mount. I did not need to accommodate long scopes so it could be made very compact. I already had the Astro Devices DSC on a Rowan AZ100 mount to use with longer and heavier scopes. The body and counterweight of an APZ are replaced by a pair of plates at right angles, which then provide the surfaces to mount encoders. To prove that this was feasible I made a trial with plywood, which worked OK as a manual mount and helped sort out clearances. To support encoders I decided the accuracy of aluminium plates would be better. I worked out a way of adding encoder shafts inside the Vixen modules with minimal modification. A friend kindly did the major machining on the plates, but I did the rest myself. Although Vixen sell AP modules individually it maybe cheaper to start with a whole APZ. at £570. The CUI AMT102 encoders, metalwork, fixings, wiring, sockets, etc cost less than £75 all sourced in UK. Nothing prevents me from restoring it back to it's Vixen configuration. The 'new' mount has now been tested on the sky and works better than the original for damping and rigidity. It measures 230x78x115mm, weighs 2.3kg, and conservatively will carry 5 kg without a counterweight. The DSC works perfectly with the encoders , which are not hi-res, that part of the project was the easiest! The photos start from the test prototype, an encoder shaft in a slow motion, parts bought, final assembly, with my smallest scope mounted and the whole kit in a camera case (except an AP tripod!) ready to travel to unfamiliar skies.

That makes sense and a handset connection too I can see.

What is the purpose of the power box on an AZ 75? The encoders would only need power from DSC or Nexus. There are no slow motions to be motorised. Is there something else inside??

Definitely implies that the worm boxes need adjusting. Worth doing slowly with care on both axes until they have no backlash, but still turn freely - then you probably will never need to touch them again..ever ? 🙂

Flexibles or knobs seem to be a personal preference and maybe mount depenedent ? Not a deal breaker, as they can be swapped. I do find good slow motions very helpful when - star hopping, searching for a new object (especially comets), and following planets (higher magnification). Less bothered when using a widefield view of familiar objects. So my view is they are worth having, even if you dont use them all the time. Having said that I do recommend getting the best quality mount you can afford. Better a mount with smooth push around than jerky slow motions.

Look at bags for photo lighting sets. I found one long enough for the tripod and some room to spare for other bits. For my car it would be too long with the mount fitted as well.

@Stu I only asked for a gentle hum, not a cement mixer! 😀

Shame, I like the reassuring soft hum of a goto in progress and the ping when it arrives. When it all goes quiet something could be wrong! Be nice not to have the long flip with a goto across the meridian - if I succumb to motors 🤔

Balancing scopes, eyepieces and binoviewers in both axes is well discussed above. If you are interested in an off the shelf solution using a sliding weight that will fit the opposite side of the mount, see this: http://www.desertskyastro.com/QBS.html I had one of these and wished I kept it when I sold the mount! The bar the weight slides on slopes down (adjustable) so as you slide it forward it also gets lower. On my AZ100 I use a small weight below the axis. The bar it's on has a few holes drilled for adjustment and it can balance a binoviewer.

Nope! You want them free while balancing. Yep! That's just basic mechanics because of your scope and the attachments. Yes you can! In fact the slow motions work EVEN with the clutches done up. You sure you (or previous owner) have not used the azimuth lock, or damper, instead of the clutch. Check the manual ??

Really? Vixen JP website lists many products, though supply in Europe is very poor since Bresser took it on. (Probably a topic for other threads)

Do we know which to expect first, the AZ75 or the 100 motor drives? From the comments above I expect the 75 is less difficult? Either way for a small company to launch and supply new product is a big step compared to a limited run for trials.

Clear spell in Leics this morning but unfortunately not got scope and wedge here! Consoled myself with a visit to: https://www.solarham.net/index.htm Which I find great as he brings so much data together. There is a video of 2936 developing in the AR section.

Thanks @Stu I really like the mount for its weight and the way it packs down. It's a shame the slow motions have not been better engineered. I think the fundamental problem is that that the slow motions have to work against the friction setting?? Whereas on a Rowan, or Vixen AP, the clutch is below the slow motion and can be locked completely. These of course are heavier and more expensive to boot, but do have very silky controls. Seems like the perfect small and light mount is elusive, though their are some good 'push' types. May have to look at the Ayo Vamo Traveller !

1 step above a strip of credit/membership card (which does work!) is to bend a strip of thin aluminium plate lengthwise so it fits the shape of the dovetail. Vixen scopes put a stainless strip down one side to protect aluminium bars - even that gets marked, but then you can turn it over. BTW @Stu and others, how have you found the Scopetech Zero over time? I tried a 'returned' example form Flo, which they said had been checked over but the slo-mos were either stiff or sloppy and would not adjust to a happy medium . I tried the factory adjustment method they sent me to correct the clearance between worm and wheel, but no joy so perhaps it was a bad example and I returned it. Like the design and portability so if quality was assured would try one again.

As well as flight cases it is worth looking at photographic cases. There is a variety and most have flexible padding arrangements. Also the plastic Really Useful Boxes come in many sizes and can be padded with foam. There are also specialist bags by Geoptik and Oklop sold by astro shops. Worth having a good look and working out what you need with a bit of spare room for extras. If it is for use traveling then you may need to spend more to keep kit safe than just for storage at home. Some examples:

Point taken Louis ! there is an upper size at which only a truss Dobsonian remains 'practical' or transportable. There were quite a few represented in the 'dream scopes' thread, and that was mentioned by @cajen2. I believe there was also at at least one truss cassegrain chosen. PS My first scope was a Rumak Maksutov and I still have one. Nice to look through, compact to mount , very long f/r can be a blessing and a limitation.

Reverting to @cajen2 original enquiry I would be very happy to list a Mewlon for my large aperture but practical visual scope of choice. Beyond 150mm refractors get to be quite a handful and a catadioptric or cassegrain with well designed optics and mechanics could be a joy. Others might go the Dob route, great value but less portable.

Thanks David. I avoid bringing cold scopes indoors and find this beats the problem too. I built a secure wooden ventilated store in the garden and use silica gel in the cases. Has worked well for some time now.