Equatorial Platforms.

[NIGHTBOY]

Hi guys.

Just stumbled across this site and wondering if anyone has any experience with Equatorial Platforms???

http://www.equatorial-platforms-uk.co.uk/home/scopes-on-platforms

I'd like my dob to track but I don't want to pay the earth for a tracking mount!!!

These come in a lot cheaper than the EQ6 etc but are they and good???

[Laurie61]

I have the same platform, I have used it with my 300 mm dob for planetary images and it copes OK. I have also used it with an alt az mounted 80 mm refractor and video camera for 10-20 sec integrated exposures but It will not replace an eq mount for deep sky long exposure work. So it will depend on what you want to do     

[Charic]

NIGHTBOY.....Hi there, Only one standard (what I perceive) EQ mount visible in those photographs. Says enough for me! I bought an EQ mount last Year and said after the first nights use, this is just not right for visual work. Just too much fiddling and continual adjusting. Then came the Dobsonian Skyliner. No regrets. I would use an EQ for  'proper' astro-photography, I think that's a no brainer for me, but I'd also be using an Apochromatic Refractor for any serious imaging,  but that's a while away for me.  I have used my  Android and DSLR already on this Skyliner., basic results in gallery. Someone on SGL recently added kitchen cabinet feet (fully height adjustable) to their Dobsonian which helps to tilt /steady the base to  polar align, and no doubt a RA motor drive could also be adapted to fit. 

Watch house platform is pre-set for your latitude prior to dispatch. make sure you can still adjust yourself  (  you may move house within 12 Months ) and that its not a pre-set, fixed attitude. I live 57N so already appears out of limit for me. Only  by 1° mind you. But I know that one decimal point or degree can cause issues for standard tracking set-ups if the data entered is wrong?  I can see the idea behind the platform, but not for me. 

[NIGHTBOY]

Great stuff thanks guys. I'm thinking a wedge and gentle hand movements will be enough for my needs. I shoot Video with my dslr and 200p. It's only for planets really and I've already done the lazy suzan mod. I'm not looking to get into the bigtime!!

[Charic]

Doesn't the lazy Susan make more  for an easier , frictionless glide. How would the balance rotation on your scope handle any inclination on a platform?

[NIGHTBOY]

That's a very good point.... Grrrrrrr.