Grab and go mount

[Sirius Bizness]

I am thinking about getting a mount for grab and go visual at dark sites. I have a HEQ5 at the moment which definitely isn't grab and go. Key things are it needs to be stable and easy to manually operate with no power. I am looking for an 80-100mm grab and go scope but I do have the 120ED now so would be ideal if it could handle this as the scope does fit in the boot easily and I can carry ok.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Carbon Brush]

The Vixen porta mount is a nice altaz. Not heavy and good slo mo.

It comes in two size/weight ratings. Probably the bigger is best.

[Has Been]

The SkyWatcher AZ4 holds my 100ED quite nicely. Fine for visual use although at higher magnifications the lack of proper slow motion controls makes things a touch fiddly. Very happy with it, handles the frac better than my PortaMount. The Vixen will take it but there is some play in the slow motion controls with this heavier scope and it takes longer to settle down when playing with the focus. Fine for lighter ones.

The AZ4 feels sturdier, but I realise this is a subjective view. That said, in my subjective view out of the two I'd have the SkyWatcher.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Sirius Bizness]

Thanks for your advice. The specs on the Porta II seem to be 5kg weight and 5-6.8kg capacity depending on which site you look at. The 120ED is 6kg as an OTA.

I can't find any specs on the SW AZ4. Looks like you can get it with either a steel or aluminium tripod. Has Been - what tripod do you have? Also do the tripod legs make much difference to stability and handling? I find the handling and compactness of the steel tripod on my HEQ5 tricky.

The good bit is the SW AZ4 is £180 vs £245 for the Porta. The bad bit is I will have to buy a new scope if the 120ED is too heavy for either.

[Has Been]

Mine has steel legs. From trawling the forums the steel legs appear to make a positive difference, but as I haven't tried one with aluminium legs I can't confirm. As for weight, my scope is rated at 3kg, more with all the bits and bobs on it. The AZ4 is heftier than the Vixen which is probably why it feels more sturdy.

Don't get me wrong, I like my PortaMount. I bought the AZ4 because I run an astronomy class, wanted two grab 'n go set ups and was keen to explore the difference between the two mounts. Out of the 2 the AZ4 is the one I grab first; to me the 100ED sits sturdier on it. As for a 120mm, I don't know...but I have read of people putting a 150 Skymax Mak on it. although that's probably really pushing it.

[Carbon Brush]

My Porta was bought for going on holiday.

Luggage allowance meant weight mattered more than rigidity.

[E621Keith]

Since you are looking at using a ED120, I'd consider a SW Skytee.

The 120ED weights around 6kg without accessories. A Porta is only rated for 5kg but Skytee is rated for 15kg.

Personally I use a Borg SWIII and my 80mm for grab and go. I use GEM for anything larger because I would have finished setting up the mount and went back inside for tea before those bigger scopes finished cooling.

[RikM]

I regularly use a 150P Newt on an AZ4 and it is fine with the weight. The steel tripod is the same as the EQ5/HEQ5. I have also used it with a 127/1200 achromat and this was a bit too much. Usable but not really comfortable. Although it weights about the same as the 150P (6.5kg), the longer tube length gives it more turning moment. The sky tee or a Giro II would be better if you don't want to drop aperture.

[nightfisher]

I bought the AZ4 on a little bit of a whim, its now my most used mount, handles my Tal 100rs like it was made for it, very comfortable to use

[SteveInNZ]

My travel mount is a Super Polaris on cheap aluminum legs (from an EQ3 maybe). The mount head weighs 4.2kg (compared to 5.5kg of an EQ5) and the legs are 2.6kg (compared to 5.3kg for EQ5 legs). I have a metal tray that gets bolted to the tripod braces and that makes it very rigid. It's become my favorite mount. I can set it up quickly and with a drift alignment, do 60 second subs unguided at 500mm f.l. all night on a single 9V battery.

Steve.

[twotter]

I bought the AZ4 on a little bit of a whim, its now my most used mount, handles my Tal 100rs like it was made for it, very comfortable to use

Now that's given me something to think about!

[Dodge]

+1 for the AZ4, I also have a Tal 100RS on mine and it's great.

[Sirius Bizness]

Looks like I may give the AZ4 a go then. The cool down time is an interesting point I had forgotten so it may be an excuse for another scope. Thinking about a 100mm instead on an 80mm but this may make the 120 redundant.

[Bender]

There are also the Giro and Ayo alt az mounts to be considered. Take 10 kg and more without a wobble

[Astro_king]

Try the celestron nexstar 5 se.

I have a heq5 and hated taking it here and there along with the 200P!

Nexstar gives you amazing optics at the weight of a frying pan!!

I just recieved mine yesterday and the good thing is that you can take it out with a cheap camera and do live short subs at a dark site too just for fun.

You can make the plastic polethene sort of thing it comes in (donno what we call it) into a case for the goto and the telescope using ductape and grab the tripod in your hands. I am not sure but I believe an SCT with a Focal reducer should beat a refractor? experienced members can shed more light but I actually bought this to take with me on vacation via airline and its very easy to handcarry too!!

very happy with my purchase. A but scared I might loose interest in my HEQ5 mount and 200p which are an absolute pain to setup specially polar allignment breaks my back everytime.

I was surprized how easy nexstar's allignment it. Just 2 stars (ANY) and it knows what you looked at