AZ EQ6-GT First impressions

[Marki]

Took delivery of an AZ EQ6-GT from FLO a few weeks ago. Finally had my first opportunity to set it up and use it outside!

First impressions - its massive! I've been used to using an unmotorised EQ5 or my iOptron Minitower II, and less frequently the celestron 8SE mount. Mere toys by comparison! Setting this baby up is going to do wonders for my upper body tone...either that or break me!

The mount had already been checked over by FLO, and I was provided with a print out of the set-up instructions (from the pdf on their site), and they had already upgraded the handset to the latest version (V3.32).

Set-up was simple. Stayed with EQ mode for tonight. Polar alignment was easy - I just did it visually this time, and didn't bother with software assist. I like the illuminated polarscope - took a while to work how to dim the light though. I really liked the altitude adjustment bolt/lever thing - really neat and totally better than the adjustment bolts on the EQ5. Stuck my TAL125R on top (like the saddle arrangment - significant improvement over the basic EQ5) and dId a simple 1 star alignment on Aldebaran - and dumbly moved/knocked the scope on the ra axis before pressing enter. Chose to view Jupiter as first target - obviously out because of moving the scope, but once I centred it, all subsequent slews were pretty much spot on. Certainly well within the field of view of my BST-type 15mm. Switched to a 7mm BGO and left it tracking for a while. Came back after 45mins and planet still well centred.

Conclusion so far - durable, pretty accurate (so far), easy to use/st-up (notwithstanding the weight), solid as a rock. Very impressed by the quietness of the slewing - certainly not worried about upsetting the neighbours on a late night session. Its pretty difficult to hear it at all when tracking, unless you get really close.

Looking forward to trying the alt-az mode soon, and may even attempt the odd photo or two in due course . I had been in a quandary about which new mount to chose before buying the AZ EQ6-GT, but so far I am very happy with my choice!

By the way, does anyone know if the pillar extention for the eq6 would fit this? I assume it will, as the tripod is the same (I think), but has anyone any direct experience of this?

[Adumbleton]

Good to hear Marki, thanks for the report. Just ordered mine from FLO and it will be my first EQ mount (I've used an Alt-Az LX200 fork mount and wedge for some years now).

Andrew