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My latest frac setup is a Startravel 120mm f/5 and AZ4, taken in part ex for my 5" f/9 Bresser plus Skytee. It's on trial at the moment to see how it performs with binoviewers. Well, now that Fozzie has helped me find a way to get it to reach focus with BV's :) It balances well which is a good start!  

 Hope it works out well, Chris - looks good with the binoviewers! 

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My latest frac setup is a Startravel 120mm f/5 and AZ4, taken in part ex for my 5" f/9 Bresser plus Skytee. It's on trial at the moment to see how it performs with binoviewers. Well, now that Fozzie has helped me find a way to get it to reach focus with BV's :) It balances well which is a good start!

I'd be interested to hear how the aluminium AZ4 stands up to the weight, as I'm considering the same set up as a grab 'n' go and was favouring the ally tripod over the steel to reduce weight.

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The AR127L is beautiful.  I'm taking it with me to a talk this evening to the local cub scouts.  I think they'll recognise it as a "proper" scope!

They will love it. Certainly is a proper scope. I hope it's clear for you so you can introduce them (get them hooked) on astro ;)

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I'd be interested to hear how the aluminium AZ4 stands up to the weight, as I'm considering the same set up as a grab 'n' go and was favouring the ally tripod over the steel to reduce weight.

Well, I've used the setup for single eyepiece viewing a few times now and the mount performed brilliantly - easy and smooth to move on both the axis, the friction of the axis are easily adjusted, and very little vibration at 600mm focal length. The mount is also super light with the ali legs, which is great if like me you weight 9 1/2 stone wet through and have knotted string for muscles. 

I'm gleeming that the ali legged version will be fine with scope such as ST120, ED100, C6, Mak127 etc, whereas the steel legged version can handle a bit more. I did once have the steel legged version and it didn't flinch at anything I got round to throwing at it, but it did feel twice the weight of the Ali version.

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..... if like me you weight 9 1/2 stone wet through and have knotted string for muscles. 

This is probably way before your time but you sound like a character called Bluebottle from "The Goon Show" to me :icon_biggrin:

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Well, I've used the setup for single eyepiece viewing a few times now and the mount performed brilliantly - easy and smooth to move on both the axis, the friction of the axis are easily adjusted, and very little vibration at 600mm focal length. The mount is also super light with the ali legs, which is great if like me you weight 9 1/2 stone wet through and have knotted string for muscles.

I'm gleeming that the ali legged version will be fine with scope such as ST120, ED100, C6, Mak127 etc, whereas the steel legged version can handle a bit more. I did once have the steel legged version and it didn't flinch at anything I got round to throwing at it, but it did feel twice the weight of the Ali version.

Thanks - that's really helpful. I was only looking at an ST-102, so it sounds as though it would manage that no problem.

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Thanks - that's really helpful. I was only looking at an ST-102, so it sounds as though it would manage that no problem.

I've also used the aluminium-legged AZ4 with an ST120 (same scope as Chris) and it was a great match.  I also had an ST150 on it, which was challenging in all but the best conditions, and a SkyMax 127 Maksutov, which was also a great match.

You'll have no problem at all with the ST-102.

Paul

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This is probably way before your time but you sound like a character called Bluebottle from "The Goon Show" to me :icon_biggrin:

I had to Google this John. Is he the coat hanger esq character in the middle with the big smile? If so I do have a very slight weight advantage :D

post-16129-0-67056700-1453283717.jpg

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First LIght :hello2:

My new Opticstar 127mm Apo on a new EQ5+Synscan upgrade

The scope has been in its box since the start of December and the mount has been in the living room for a couple of months longer :hmh:

But by 'eck it was cold - -6c here - enough to completely frost over the finder - fortunately I bought a dew heater for the scope.

20160119 155940web

20160119 162742web

20160119 162803web

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And, if you're wondering the big orange box - £8 tool case from B&Q - houses the 60Ah battery and sundry power focussed accessories (inverter for PC power and the charger, power leads, dew system etc) On the top are two sets of 12v car lighter sockets giving me access to 7 sockets - the other on has a usb converter in it.

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Look what I grew from seed in our greenhouse - 150mm achro and 120 ED doublet cooling for a session :grin:

Ah, that Evo 150 looks like a new edition!?

P.s if you have any spare telescope seeds, let me know :)

Edited by Chris Lock
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Ah, that Evo 150 looks like a new edition!?

Nah - it's probably 13 or more years old. Dark blue was the colour scheme that Synta used for the Skywatchers desined for the European and US / Canada markets. It's a project I'm working on at the moment - it's needed some TLC but it's in very decent nick really :icon_biggrin:

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Nah - it's probably 13 or more years old. Dark blue was the colour scheme that Synta used for the Skywatchers desined for the European and US / Canada markets. It's a project I'm working on at the moment - it's needed some TLC but it's in very decent nick really :icon_biggrin:

I meant a new edition for you ;) Sorry for the confusion :)

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I meant a new edition for you ;) Sorry for the confusion :)

No problem - they do "come and go" a bit, much to my wife's frustration ! :icon_biggrin:

My "core" set of 12" dob + ED120 Skywatcher + ED102 Vixen seem to be fixed though.

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No problem - they do "come and go" a bit, much to my wife's frustration ! :icon_biggrin:

I think that's the story for a lot of us :) I think my wifes lost count of the scopes I've had over the years, come to think of it, so have I! 

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I had to Google this John. Is he the coat hanger esq character in the middle with the big smile? If so I do have a very slight weight advantage :D

Those are "The Goons" (Harry Secombe, Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan and Michael Bentine). Bluebottle was a character in the show voiced by Peter Sellers. One of his catch phrases was "You dirty rotten swine you" usually when he had been blown up, shot or otherwise "deaded".

I think it was your "knotted string muscles" reference that made me think of him :icon_biggrin:

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Those are "The Goons" (Harry Secombe, Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan and Michael Bentine). Bluebottle was a character in the show voiced by Peter Sellers. One of his catch phrases was "You dirty rotten swine you" usually when he had been blown up, shot or otherwise "deaded".

I think it was your "knotted string muscles" reference that made me think of him :icon_biggrin:

Sounds good. I do recognise Spike now you've pointed him out. Without wishing to get too morbid, didn't his tomb stone simply read "I told you I was ill".....Brilliant :D

I can just about remember the Goonies, but not the Goons :) 

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Look what I grew from seed in our greenhouse - 150mm achro and 120 ED doublet cooling for a session :grin:

attachicon.gifIMG_8369.JPG

How many EVO 150's have you owned now John? :D

Did you not have a similar scope some years ago? Did it have a Baader focuser though?

I feel the only down side to them is they are really demanding on mounts ( I admit I have ocd towards focusing vibrations no matter how small) but those 6"s of unobstructed glass on doubles and the moon makes it a keeper for me. While I don't think mine suffers overly much from CA they do benefit from a semi-apo filter. Although I'm sure now your more accustomed to ED glass your eye may become easily distracted to a blue atmosphere around the lunar limb.

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