SMF

Another one for the Altair Starwave Ascent 102ED. Brilliant little scope which I mostly use on an AZ5. I bought one about 6 months ago after reading the views of others on here and have been ridiculously pleased with it. I planned for it to be just a quick grab n go but I’ve ended up favouring it far more than that. Even over my 150 SkyMax. They do show up in the classifieds occasionally too.

I’ve used this company for work and added a few thumb screws to an order, they’ve been perfect for my dob and 200p. Look under ‘hand knobs and thumb screws’. https://www.wdscomponents.com/en-gb

Just booked my pitch. Never attended anything like this before and it’s been a long time since I felt such childish excitement……🤗🤗 Now how do I get that DOB in the back with all the camping gear 🧐😂

For interest I’ve used this company for work and for my astro set up. Decent variety of sizes, fair quality at good prices and spare foam is readily available from them to. I got through a few as I grew my set up. https://www.cases-and-enclosures.co.uk

Wish I hadn’t seen that vlaiv. I want one now 😩. Add it to the Xmas list.

I have a 200p on an eq5 and for visual it’s fine but near the limit I recon. As others say above, you do need to get used to rotating it in the rings as you move it around though. Again for me this is not a problem. However I’d say the eq5 wouldn’t handle a 10” there’s a big dimensional difference between the two sizes and the 200p is like a sail already if there’s even the slightest of a breeze. It’s not just about the pay load unfortunately. I also have a 12” dob which I got last year, appature fever finally got the better of me but I couldn’t afford an EQ6 at the time. To my surprise (I was a committed eq user for decades) I have found the dob base just as enjoyable but for different reasons. Convenience to set up being it’s strongest point, but I still dislike nudging at high mag. I’ve no longer any plans to get an EQ6. So for planets etc I use the eq with motor drive and for DSO and panning around, it’s the dob. Basically they are both great but just different. Some love one or the other, I’ve grown fond of both for different reasons. Given I don’t think the eq5 will take a 10” newt to any useable extent I’d make a dob base for it. You can’t get cheaper than that. Steve

Hi, I agree the ‘really useful’ boxes are excellent and I’ve found nothing better for my purposes but a word of warning. I use them for work storing spare parts in them in the back of the truck and have noticed that when cold they get really brittle. In the depths of winter working at night/early morning quite a few have broken and as a result I dropped them. The last thing you want is them to break as you carry your pride and joy in them. And boy are the edges sharp. Steve

Thanks, the 182mm were out of stock yesterday. Ordering now.

Definitely tube rings, id rather they came with them as standard. I’ve got the SkyMax 150 and the fixed position dovetail is a right royal pain on an EQ5. The finder scope becomes unusable without contortionists skills. Currently on the look out for a set to fit 182mm OD.

Hi, I think keeping the dob until you’re sure is a very good idea. Once it’s gone it’s gone and rather expensive these days to replace. I am fortunate to have a few scopes, all second hand purchases. Personally for a long time I thought I’d never want a dob, hated the thought of nudging, big and cumbersome and had used basic eq mounts with motor drives for most of my life. I bought the 12” dob last year from another SGL member almost on a whim and with a big dose of aperture fever. If your best scope is the one you use the most then I’ve got to eat a lot of humble pie over my prejudice towards dobs and nudging. I’ve put mine on a base with locking wheels and it’s ready for use in seconds without the need to break it down. At home, the other scopes hardly get a look in these days and going from max 8” aperture to 12” revealed more for me. For traveling (and we’re hardly doing much of that lately) I use an EQ5 or AZ5 with the smaller scopes. In conclusion, I was adamant for many years that I’d only ever get on with an eq mounted smaller scope but in the end, and very much to my surprise, at home it’s the dob I’m actually using the most. Steve

Hi Rob, I have the same scope and really like it. It is the long dovetail that came as standard with mine. I’m not sure where the shorter white plate that you have came from. Others might know more. If it’s not tapered in the same way as the dovetail bar then I’d not use it in the manner shown in your picture. It will not be held in the saddle securely enough and the OTA might fall out. That’ll cause a lot of damage. The rear of the mirror being exposed is normal and most reflectors are like this. You’d really have to be very brutal with it before you could harm it. Its the inner reflective surface that needs care. Hope you enjoy it. Steve

To be honest I find if you want perfect, and I mean perfect, right on the nose collimation (which isn’t absolutely necessary) then I find no matter how hard screws are tightened or otherwise, even with a solid tube it’s easier to just tweak or check the collimation each session. Takes less than a minute. It’s part of the reflector/dob experience. So many aspects affect it, temperature, vibration, repeatability of the collimation tool being used, etc, that I find it easier to accept a quick collimation is just part of the set up procedure. And that’s only if it bothers me or the view is noticeably affected.

Second what Mamm7215 says, mines a solid tube OO UK and although it holds collimation well it does need a minor tweak most outings if bumped a little. The 200p on the other hand only needs you to look at it and the collimation can be way off. Takes a few seconds to collimate both. I use a 1.25” Hotech laser collimator which itself is easy to calibrate if needed. I think they are one of the few laser collimators that allow easy access to the setting screws.

Hi, I also have a 200p on an EQ5 and have been really pleased with it. The first upgrade I made to the mount was fitting the RA motor drive and did so just to make visual use more comfortable. The flexible cable slow motion controls are worthwhile as well. Visually I find the mount and OTA to be a very useable combination and struggle to understand some of the negative comments Newtonian reflectors on EQ mounts attract. Bang for buck they’re pretty good. However it is not so good on windy nights, the OTA being relatively large the view through the eyepiece wobbles a bit. This also affects the dob so I switch to using a 150 SkyMax on an EQ5 if I’m still wanting to stay out. If it were me I’d just remove the existing motors and fit a new RA motor with basic hand set. At the moment I think you might struggle to get a replacement controller for the existing motors, new or second hand. I’ve attached an old SLR to it as well and found it a lot of fun with surprisingly interesting results, though nothing compared to others on this site who are well down the AP rabbit hole. Frankly, AP beyond a bit of fun expanding the visual experience, the mount is not meant for serious AP. If the livery is black, white and green I think the scope will be relatively new. Also, as Cosmic Geoff says, I’d not bother fitting the mount to the EQ6 tripod. The standard one with the stainless 1.75” legs is quite ok. Good luck and hope you enjoy it. Steve

Belay all the above, I’ve just realised you’ve already got essentially the same, the DX being the older version, it’s late, it’s Saturday night and with cloudy skies the wine and beer has been flowing a little to much 🙄

Hi, I have the VX12L 1/6 and am really impressed with it. As far as the scope goes, I’m sure you’ll not be disappointed. However I’d not consider it very portable. It’s the same length OTA as the VX14 at approx 1.5m. The altitude bearing wheels can make for good carry ‘handles’ when needed but you’ll need a vehicle with a long, well padded, soft and very accessible cargo space or you’ll end up with one very dented OTA. The tube is made from rolled aluminium which although light is relatively soft. I have an L200 pickup with a role out bed which many people consider to be a big vehicle. The VX12 OTA will just fit in at an angle and with very good cushioning it can be transported without damage. I was surprised just how big it was when I collected it (second hand) and the VX14 will be bigger. The dob base is relatively light, well made, smooth and easily transported on the back seat in the cab. Excellent scopes and I’m sure you could transport one regularly with the right vehicle but be prepared to accept it will get damaged no matter how careful you try to be. And that will slaughter it’s second hand value.

Hi, Had a very similar experience, borrowed scopes at college, got hooked, purchased 4” reflector on an eq on leaving and used that for the last 3 ½ decades. Kids left, house/wallet allowed so treated myself, started with a 200p on eq5 a few years back and fitted it with an RA motor drive. Wanted more so last year started looking at the same scopes as you. Particularly the 14” and 16” Skywatcher dobs with goto. I was nervous about dobs. I love and understand eq mounts. Not being able to source new I ended up buying a second hand VX12L dob from another member on this forum. Frankly it’s awesome, the extra aperture is impressive and brings back memories of my college years. The secondhand experience proved very positive. However I absolutely loath nudging the thing. Especially at high mag. Compared to the relaxed viewing experience of an eq I’ve come to accept it’s not for me. If Skywatcher hadn’t increased the prices so dramatically I was about to order and EQ6 size mount to try the VX12L on. As it is, the size of increase has annoyed me on principal and I don’t get the maths. To me, the reasons they give don’t add up to such a huge increase. I’m now planning on building an eq platform for the dob. Considering how bad the weather has been this year for the SE at least it’ll be something useful to do within the hobby on cloudy nights. In mad moments I’m even contemplating making a manual eq for it. Luckily I have access to a full machine/welding shop and an M&E background. I find I still use the 200p particularly for planets/lunar and use the VX12L more for dso (even though it excels on planetary views). I dapple in very rudimentary AP using an old DSLR with both scopes and find it very satisfying even if the results are basic. The eq is much better at this and a lot of fun for very little outlay, just don’t expect to compete with others on this forum let alone Hubble. For me, RA tracking is a must for visual. Either by simple slow motion manual or motor drive. Keep an eye on the second hand market, I found it very worthwhile for the VX12L, a 150 SkyMax and in putting together a set of Pentax eyepieces. It also suited my impetuous nature not wanting to wait up to 12 weeks once the idea is in my head. I found half the fun was in tracking the equipment down in the classifieds at justifiable prices.

Hi, I have the 200p on an eq5 with just the ra motor drive. Works well for visual but I think it’s right on the limit. AP is just about possible but only in the most limited manner and on the calmest of nights. I think the mount will struggle with a 250p, might just work for visual but the slightest breeze will make it unstable and a very frustrating experience. Until the recent price increases I was looking to upgrade to an EQ6 size mount to try the VX12L on but primarily for the 200p and hopefully for another scope more suited to dabble in AP. I love an EQ mount and the EQ5 is great but I feel it’s already at, if not beyond, its limit with a 200p.

Very questionable and frankly it’s not promoted brand loyalty in me. I was dead set on getting a new AZ-EQ6 GT Pro as soon as they became available again but I am not prepared to accept that level of increase. I don’t think as a product it’s worth £1750.00 so I’m now looking at competitors/alternatives. In my day one of the rules of sales was not to give loyal customers a reason to look at your competitors. It becomes the thin end of a very damaging wedge.

Again, instinctively the maths are not adding up. China production has all but recovered if not now in a growth state. Their domestic consumer demand is also down. In my industry (automation and control) production in Germany barely missed a beat over the last year and is at pre COVID levels with no increase in price 2020/21. After a life time in engineering and working with imports from China and Germany all I’m sensing is a dominant brand taking advantage of a huge increase in demand and current circumstances. Fair play, it’s business and given the opportunity maybe we’d all do the same, but engineering/production/transport cost wise I don’t consider the increases justifiable. I’d have more respect if the importers just said ‘supply and demand guys, we’re gonna fill our boots while we can’.

No reflection on FLO or any other retailer who’s prices/increases are very similar. This comment is aimed at the importers. I'm instinctively not getting the maths and I’ll admit the below might be a very crude and simplistic evaluation but: If shipping costs have gone up by £8k for a 40ft container and it has a capacity of 2376cuft. The Sky-Watcher AZ-EQ6 GT Pro GEQ & Alt-Az Astronomy Mount I’ve had my eye on has increased about £340.00. Rough guess is the mount comes in packaging approximating 10cuft. Then Approx 230 mounts will fit in one container. Increase in shipping per mount is then about £8k/230=£35.00. Where’s the other £300.00 coming from?

Not a lot of help finding Polaris for the first time, there’s heaps of good advice above, but a great help for each time thereafter: If you have to pack away each time, always set the tripod back up in precisely the same position and identify that position by permanent markers in the ground corresponding to the location of each tripod leg foot. Speeds up levelling and alignment no end and for visual you’d barely need to check. This was one of the first tips given by my college lecturer back in the 80’s.

One other thing to make up whilst your at the dew strips is a hand warmer or two. A god send the last few nights.

Personally I used 330ohm resistors in parallel spaced 25mm. Work a treat wrapped in Velcro. RS are far cheaper and you’re guaranteed good products. https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/through-hole-fixed-resistors/2141888 https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00186Q7XY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 With these as controllers: https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07RHMMM9W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hi, I have the 200p on an eq5 and you’ll not be disappointed with it for sure. It’s a great allrounder. The OTA is light enough and I’d have no trouble carrying on my back if a suitable bag was made. I’ve seen similar by others. You might need to collimate it every trip though. Mine looses collimation when moving it around. No big deal as it’s a quick process anyway. The EQ5 would be doable and the bulk of the weight is in the counterbalance weights, two at 5kg. Tripod n mount in one hand and weights in the other with the OTA on your back but it’ll be heavy going. I carry a similar weight in tools around sites most days and I’m mid 50s. Spread the weight and I think it can be done. Don’t forget the eyepieces etc. That’ll be another bag. Good luck.