200P with HEQ5 mount arrived today.

[RichieG]

Hooray, my new scope arrived today and it's probably the cloudiest and foggiest night in Bristol this year! At least that'll give me a chance to balance the scope and read the manuals. Got no power tank yet as the 17amp skywatcher one from a chap on eBay isn't actually in his hands as he implied and is in back order with his supplier. He is now ignoring my email to cancel! Look on the bright side, I got a new scope

[Catweazel]

Good old eBay

Congrats on the new scope! It's a good idea to get to know the scope and mount prior to going out for the first time.

[Tinker1947]

When you set-up the mount, check the peg on the top of the tripod is over a leg and not between them, this allows for having a leg pointing North when you align and the weights sit over this leg when you mount the OTA on the mount, also allows you to get between the 2 rear legs to view through the polar scope, once all thats set-up mark where the tripod legs sit and next time you put the mount out use them and it won't need polar alinging...

[RichieG]

When you set-up the mount, check the peg on the top of the tripod is over a leg and not between them, this allows for having a leg pointing North when you align and the weights sit over this leg when you mount the OTA on the mount, also allows you to get between the 2 rear legs to view through the polar scope, once all thats set-up mark where the tripod legs sit and next time you put the mount out use them and it won't need polar alinging...

Thanks for the tip Tinker, I was going to make some marks on the patio so I know where to place the scope each time. There is a leg with "N" on it which the top of the mount can only go one way into the tripod with this "N" being at the front. I assumed this meant North anyway.