HollyHound

42 minutes ago, Saganite said:

Hi Gary,

Correct, Andromeda on the left.

Yes, minimal shake really, certainly better than when she was mounted on the NEQ6, but when I put the mount on my pier, it is just incredibly solid, even with the 2 metre length. This mount is everything I hoped for

Thanks. Interesting you mention it gets better on the pier. I've got my AZ100 on a Uni 28, which will of course be absolutely solid for my StellaMira 80mm and StellaLyra CC6, and should I ever get a larger refractor... however, I am toying with the idea of mounting my 10" Bresser dob OTA on this too and seeing how it gets on, but if I find it a bit shaky, I do have the adaptor mount for my iOptron Tri Pier which will allow me to put the AZ100 on that. Although you wouldn't expect it to be wildly different, the Tri Pier might just as well be bolted to the floor... it's that solid 👍

And in case you think I'm going crazy considering mounting the 10" OTA on here, what would be the advantage.... my thoughts are that with Nexus onboard, I could have a superb "push to" DSO scope, for those nights when I'm feeling super lazy (or want to find something super challenging). Unfortunately, I haven't seen a method of attaching encoders to this Bresser dob (unless I've missed something).   Getting it on might be a challenge (I believe @johninderby has experience of this), but I think I could use my Berlebach chair footrest as a stand to offer up the scope vertically into the mount... just an ongoing thought... TBD 🤔

Just now, Dantooine said:

Slow mo’s on an az kick it 👍

Agreed... I do like the little Castor mount and I've only been able to use my StellaLyra CC6 on it so far, as the AZ100 was accompanied by cloud (of course)... but it's not much fun having to carefully push it around on the moon when using high power. Testing in the office of the AZ100 with the same scope shows it's supremely smooth, jitter free and smoothly moveable by hand too when required... even more so that the ScopeTech Zero 👍

1 minute ago, Saganite said:

How's this then Dale...

That scope on the right is a lovely scope, but absolutely dwarfed by the left one... is that the "Andromeda"... wow, she's a beauty 👏

Presumably you get fairly minimal shake even with that big scope... Shows the carrying capacity of these AZ mounts 👍

10 minutes ago, Dantooine said:

Well I’ve just been out roughing it with my losmandy, it’s terrible. It’s Just far too quick to set up.

There seems to be a healthy A/Z following that makes me feel one of the boyz. It makes pleasant reading.

Two scope, one mount, I’m very happy and hope you all are too 👍

I actually think that the AZ8 should be allowed as an honorary member of the AZ100 members club... they seem to be similar build and functionality 👍

34 minutes ago, Stephenstargazer said:

Point of interest: If you order a UNI tripod plus the solid spreader will it come with it fitted? The Planet has spreader as standard.

My Report 472 (ordered from Germany) came with the spreader already installed, along with the wooden tray (which is interchangeable with the Uni 28 tray).

12 minutes ago, Dantooine said:

😁now then,, when shall I get the 10 ?????

You need the 10, I think we've agreed it will complete your set 👍

5 minutes ago, Dantooine said:

By the way, the 2.25” cap is on the 6 as well. I wouldn’t want you to think it lacks in clarity 🤣

Ah that's why it looked so "cloudy" 🤣

Thanks for including the 2" adaptor and parfocal rings... along with the equivalent Hyperion extension rings I have on the 8mm and 13mm, I can now use all the Ethos in the Paracorr without swapping to a 1.25" adaptor at all... just need to work out the Paracorr settings for each now and I should be able to swap quickly between all five within a session 👍

And the Ethos set for the dob is now complete, decided to extend down the focal length with two superb condition arrivals from fellow forum member Dale... thanks😃

Ethos 6mm and Ethos 3.7mm, with 2” adaptors and parfocal rings 👍

Now the set runs... 21, 13, 8, 6 and 3.7.

20 minutes ago, Another Drizzle Dweller said:

To be honest I did not appreciate the advantage of the spreder bar when ordering, so I am actually looking at retrofitting the  spreader now. Just wondering if anyone here has retrofitted a spreader rather than getting it delivered day 1? Slightly worried as the instructions talk about removing the screws on all the leg clamps to remove the existing pin to allow fitting of the new spreader axis pin. However the spreader pin on the spreader looks very similar to the existing pin. Think I read somewhere that Berlebach glue in the screws, so reluctant to start stripping down a new tripod. The  pin on my mount is held in place with simple cotter type pin that a bit of pliers work should open. Can I simply pull out that pin without opening the leg clamps?

Donal

I retrofitted mine for the Uni 28... very easy job and took 20mins if I recall... there was no drilling and just removal/replacement of screws 👍

54 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Just fit the spreader Berlebach makes for the tripod. Better solutuion all round. 

Agree, makes the tripod an absolute breeze to setup and close down again... I have them on my Uni and Report 👍

7 minutes ago, Dantooine said:

Yes.. a proper mount. The final upgrade. Congratulations. 

Thanks... I've set it up in the office, mounted the StellaLyra CC 6" and my little ST80 (as a dual scope finder) and it's superb... the smoothness of operation is lovely, a bit like a super refined version of the ScopeTech Zero (which in itself is fantastic), but with massive payload capability. The EQ5 tripod adaptor worked perfectly and it's now on the Uni 28, where it will stay 🙂

Just need some clear skies again, to get it outside and then formally join the AZ100 owners club.... looking at some other new owner reports, it's very much as we all hoped for... well worth it, and as you say, I think this is "the final mount". I suspect your AZ8 is very much the same👍

1 hour ago, callisto said:

A nice Atlas recommended by Mark at Beaufort 

I have the same, it's brilliant 👍

And this all arrived today, also from @FLO

Rowan AZ100 mount, 2x Dual Saddles, Tilt/Pan Handle, DSC tray and Counterweight Bar

and direct from Rowan... an EQ5 tripod adaptor 👍

Not setup yet, but this mount head feels so well engineered and smooth in operation 😃

The missing gap in my Pentax XW set is finally filled... XW5 arrived today... quickly as always from @FLO 👍

That's a beauty Dean, both the scope setup and that amazing photo of the moon 😀

7 minutes ago, John said:

Congratulations on the Ethos 8mm. It's one that I use very often with my 12 inch dob. It gives 199x in that and still shows half a degree of sky

I've often said that I skip straight from 21mm, over the 17mm focal length, to 13mm, but in all honesty the "skip" is quite often straight to the 8mm.

Thanks. I've read various posts (yours included) that indicate the same, and indeed TeleVue talk about the sets of 21, 13, 8 or 17, 10, 6... so after playing with just the 21 and 13 over the last few nights in my 10" dob, I'm convinced I should be able to manage with just these three for most of my viewing in that scope... switch to XWs for anything else 👍

I've also got a couple of Hyperion 2" extension rings, so that I can keep them all as 2" eyepieces, which will also help in a session... just need to work out if I need to adjust the Paracorr now for those 🤔

Oh and the final piece of my new Ethos trilogy... the Ethos 8mm... so I can now go 21, 13 and 8 👍

A few things from FLO... 

StellaMira 1.25" 90º Erecting Prism Diagonal to use on the moon... I've tried a WO previously and the quality wasn't great, but as it rattled, I think the prism may be loose on that one, so hopefully this is better 🤞

Footrest for my BerleBach NIX II Observers Chair... even being quite tall, I should find it more comfortable when the chair is fully raised 😀

1 hour ago, johninderby said:

Built to a standard not down to a price. An old fashioned concept nowadays but glad there are some businesses that still believe in it. 👍🏻

Can’t wait to receive mine this week, I’ve been admiring everyone’s for a while, and now I have the CC6, I need something with a little more capacity than the ScopeTech again. I do miss the SkyTee, but this takes that concept to a whole new level of engineering, as you say 👍

28 minutes ago, Telescope40 said:

Hello @HollyHound

Another kidney then. Pity just adding motors didn’t require the encoders but then it being an Altaz mount it figures I guess. 

Rowan can take their time in fettling the motor upgrades. 
John 

I guess it must be that, as I started with a simple SkyWatcher Avant mount and fitted an optional motor drive which tracked very well... but that was indeed an EQ mount when in that mode.... these things aren't cheap unfortunately 😬

1 hour ago, Telescope40 said:

Hello all. Interesting read. With a view to buying the “tracking bundle “ might I ask. I’ve not got the mount with any electronics fitted atm - eg - encoders / DSC / Nexus- just SLO mo controls. Will any of this be required so that the tracking kit, motors and handset etc will operate OR will the tracking kit work as a stand alone add on. I’m just after the mount to track once I’ve located my target. Goto / push to not needed. Just a spare kidney required to fund it all. LOL 

TIA. John 

Re-reading that post on CN (referred to above), I found this from Rowan...

"The motor upgrade is a user install, if the mount already has encoders fitted. None-encoder mounts will need to be returned to us for encoder installed, before the motor upgrade is fitted."

The implication being that the encoders would need to be installed for the motor (tracking) kit to operate, but the Nexus DSC or II are only required for GoTo. Anybody else have confirmation of that, or more information on the motor kit upgrade 🤔

Just now, fireballxl5 said:

yes, just before 9pm so most likely my purchase that you saw. I noticed that there was only one DSC unit in stock earlier in the day and with recent financial approval from my lovely wife I decided not to hang around any longer!

Very wise. I've done the same with the encoder variant. I'm aware there's a motor driven "tracking" option coming quite soon, so want to be prepared for when that drops. I haven't yet decided between the Nexus DSC or Nexus II, so will be ordering those separately anyway 👍

1 hour ago, Oldfort said:

Gary, the Rowan website says its fits with EQ5, and that's what my tripod top is (I think - it says Vixen GP, but I also use an AZ EQ5 on it).  The UNI 28 is good and stable.

I got the whole kit (other than the Nexus, which I had already) direct from Rowan.  I ordered it last weeekend, got a confirmation on Monday and delivery Thursday.

That's brilliant, just what I hoped. My Uni 28 is the EQ5/Vixen Gp model, so it confirms this will work perfectly 👍

Yes, as my Uni 28 is really doing very little, since selling my SkyTee, I'd like to put it back to good use and it's a good solid tripod for all the scopes I intend to mount with this and the AZ100. I do have the iOptron AZ Mount Pro and Tri Pier, which are great and quite quickly setup/aligned, but most of the time these days, I'm either using the dob or want manual Alt/Az (my new StellaLyra CC6" is just a bit too much for the little ScopeTech)... the AZ100 will fulfil this need perfect and should I want "push to" or tracking that's an option anytime 🤔

I'll put in an order for that adaptor with Rowan now, thanks for your help and good luck with the new mount too 😀

Edit: EQ5 Adaptor ordered direct from Rowan, thanks for the heads up about this... it belongs on the Berlebach 🤣

2 minutes ago, fireballxl5 said:

After seeing the unit Rowan had at the IAS in 2019 I knew that I'd be getting one of these mounts sometime.  Finally pulled the trigger on the AZ100 with Nexus last night😀  

I think we ordered around the same time, I noticed the AZ100 with Nexus was sold just before I ordered mine (with encoders)... looks like there are at least two new owners coming along this week then 👍

19 hours ago, Oldfort said:

John, mine has the add on for an M10 thread, and an EQ5 type post.

The mount looks great and you've inspired me finally to order one last night 👍

As I have a Berlebach Uni 28 with EQ5 head, I presume this adaptor would work for that ? I do also have the option to mount it on my iOptron Tri Pier, but would prefer to use the Uni 28.

Did you get that adaptor direct from Rowan, as I notice @FLO don't seem to stock them ?

Thanks

Gary