Show us your Vixen Scope or mount

[MalcolmM]

14 minutes ago, Franklin said:

You're not going to break the mount, it just won't be as stable as it would be with a lighter scope. Also, I'd use a power supply rather than the internal batteries.

Thanks @Franklin. I normally use a USB pack. It's very small and light but lasts forever!

Malcolm 

[AlcorAlly]

*Duplicate*

Edited February 27 by AlcorAlly

[AlcorAlly]

How does Vixen GP compare with AP for stability when all other variables (tripod etc) are the same? I assume GP can take slightly more weight (6kg AP vs 7 kg GP quoted) before stability is affected. Is that the case in practice? 

[Franklin]

26 minutes ago, AlcorAlly said:

How does Vixen GP compare with AP for stability when all other variables (tripod etc) are the same? I assume GP can take slightly more weight (6kg AP vs 7 kg GP quoted) before stability is affected. Is that the case in practice? 

Yes. People assumed that the AP was the replacement for the GP, just like the GP succeeded the SP, but that is not the case. The AP design is a totally different concept and is made up of various, interchangeable modules. The GP has a more "rugged" build to it and will be quite happy carrying beyond it's rated capacity. The AP is more of a precision, though more delicate product. The AP works best when underloaded but the GP can be overloaded to a degree. Both fantastic mounts though.

[radiofm74]

I am glad to see the Advanced Polaris discussed here. Can't remember if I posted the pictures below already but I do have the AP (dual motors) and the APZ and they are absolutely crucial for my life as travelling astronomer. They may seem pricey at first, but in fact they're priceless. There is no other mount that combines portability and capability quite like the AP…

I use the AP for imaging with a SD81S, much more rarely – and especially for lunar/planetary – with a C6. I've used it for visual for the Sd81s, C6, C8 and R200SS. The 8 inchers are a little at the limit but the C8 in particular is fine on it. The APZ carries all the aforementioned scopes without batting an eye and it's even more portable, although sometimes I find myself missing the nice tracking of the AP. 

Along with my Vixen refractors and the GP-DX, the AP and APZ are the pieces of kit that I know I'll never let go. 

 

[F15Rules]

I'm chuffed to bits with my Vixen SD115S and Takahashi equatorial mount combination.

The only components that I felt looked in any way a little flimsy and small were the plastic tube rings securing knobs..see below..

..then it struck me that the spare original focuser knob, (made redundant by the Moreblue microfocuser upgrade), which is much larger and more solid (metal or aluminium) than the plastic tube ring knob, might just have the same thread locking grub screw..and it did!

I then fitted the spare focuser knob to one of the tube rings..a lovely fit. And then, in online chat with Tim, (@Franklin) who sold me this scope, he said that because he had also upgraded his SD81S scope to a Moreblue microfocuser, he had a spare focuser knob from that too!

Tim promptly offered me his spare for a pittance (all the SD apos have the same sized focuser knobs), and it arrived yesterday. 

These larger knobs could have been made for the scope rings, and I do think they look great, as well as feeling much more solid👍☺️..

Dave

Edited February 29 by F15Rules
Photo added

[Franklin]

8 minutes ago, F15Rules said:

These larger knobs could have been made for the scope rings, and I do think they look great, as well as feeling much more solid👍☺️..

Just don't turn them in the dark thinking you're focusing Dave😁.

[Franklin]

5 hours ago, radiofm74 said:

They may seem pricey at first, but in fact they're priceless.

Very true.

[MalcolmM]

32 minutes ago, F15Rules said:

I'm chuffed to bits with my Vixen SD115S and Takahashi equatorial mount combination.

The only components that I felt looked in any way a little flimsy and small were the plastic tube rings securing knobs..see below..

..then it struck me that the spare original focuser knob, (made redundant by the Moreblue microfocuser upgrade), which is much more solid (metal or aluminium) than the plastic tube ring knob, might just have the same thread locking grub screw..and it did!

I then fitted the spare focuser knob to one of the tube rings..a lovely fit. And then, in online chat with Tim, (@Franklin) who sold me this scope, he said that because he had also upgraded his SD81S scope to a Moreblue microfocuser, he had a spare focuser knob from that too!

Tim promptly offered me his spare for a pittance (all the SD apos have the same sized focuser knobs), and it arrived yesterday. 

These larger knobs could have been made for the scope rings, and I do think they look great, as well as feeling much more solid👍☺️..

Dave

Now that's what telescopes and mounts should look like! Beautiful!

Malcolm 

[MalcolmM]

Here's my AP tracking Jupiter. Unfortunately the seeing was not great. Just occasional moments of clarity. 

Malcolm 

[mikeDnight]

On 26/02/2024 at 09:26, MalcolmM said:

@astro_al, @The60mmKid, I realise this is now slightly off topic but just wanted to clarify with the caveat that everyone will have a different opinion on what's usable or acceptable.

I've tried quick experiments with 1.25", 2" eyepieces, and binoviewers. In all cases, the tap on the eyepiece vibrations die down in roughly 1 second, which I think is pretty good. Helped, I presume, by the short tube and all the weight concentrated in one place (the back end).

Ideally I would have a heavier counterweight and tighten the friction locks more for the 2" and the binoviewer case, but I find the setup usable. But certainly would not want to load the mount up any further! I do believe it's right on the edge of the mount's limit.

If you want me to try any other experiments, please feel free to PM me.

Malcolm 

WOW, a Vono Table!  Thats a blast from the past. I thought i was the only person left on earth with one of those. When youre six years old they make great tents if you throw a sheet over them!

[MalcolmM]

One of my parent's Bridge tables They had one themselves and then inherited two from each of their respective parents. We use it for jigsaws 🙂

Malcolm 

[woldsman]

Last weekend picked up a Vixen mount GP to go with the SP. It has a RA motor of some kind. Does the box shaped mounting  just pull off to get at the motor? Also can anyone recognise what it is from the look of the pin!?

[John]

There should be a small screw on the lower side of that box. Remove the screw and the box slides off revealing the motor, if fitted.

I seem to recall that Vixen motors have DIN type connections so I would guess that the motor under there is a Skywatcher EQ5 RA drive, or similar.

Edit: I see from your 1st photo that the screw is missing so the cover should just slide off - downwards and away from the mount body.

 

Edited March 4 by John

[woldsman]

19 hours ago, John said:

There should be a small screw on the lower side of that box. Remove the screw and the box slides off revealing the motor, if fitted.

I seem to recall that Vixen motors have DIN type connections so I would guess that the motor under there is a Skywatcher EQ5 RA drive, or similar.

Edit: I see from your 1st photo that the screw is missing so the cover should just slide off - downwards and away from the mount body.

 

Thanks John!

[Franklin]

19 hours ago, John said:

I seem to recall that Vixen motors have DIN type connections so I would guess that the motor under there is a Skywatcher EQ5 RA drive, or similar.

Vixen's motors are 8-pin DIN, that looks like a SW motor to me as well. Also, the Vixen plastic RA cover is a green one that's been painted black so it may be a tight fit because of that.

[The60mmKid]

On 29/02/2024 at 07:23, MalcolmM said:

Here's my AP tracking Jupiter. Unfortunately the seeing was not great. Just occasional moments of clarity. 

Malcolm 

Now that's a good looking setup! Beautiful. Makes me miss the old Mewlon... Lovely telescopes.

[Franklin]

4 hours ago, Franklin said:

the Vixen plastic RA cover is a green one that's been painted black

In fact the whole green GP looks to have had a black paint job. Vixen did make black GP's back in the day, I think for Celestron.

[osbourne one-nil]

Here’s my new dedicated SD103S visual scope…with my SD81SII on top for scale. The reduced price was too good to miss. 
 

I’ve had one before but I’d forgotten how big they were (compared to a 3” scope). 

[F15Rules]

14 minutes ago, osbourne one-nil said:

Here’s my new dedicated SD103S visual scope…with my SD81SII on top for scale. The reduced price was too good to miss. 
 

I’ve had one before but I’d forgotten how big they were (compared to a 3” scope). 

Pure, elegant, simple beauty..

Sublime.

Dave

[Ianfuk]

Here’s my vixen AX103S on  the T-rex

Edited March 6 by Ianfuk

[John]

15 minutes ago, Ianfuk said:

Here’s my vixen AX103S on  the T-rex

Great scope and mounts 👍

You don't see many T-Rex's around., at least here in the UK. I have a black one and it's superb 🙂

Welcome to SGL as well 🙂

[John]

17 hours ago, Franklin said:

In fact the whole green GP looks to have had a black paint job. Vixen did make black GP's back in the day, I think for Celestron.

Yep 🙂

And, many, many years back, SP's for Bresser:

 

Edited March 6 by John

[Ianfuk]

16 minutes ago, John said:

Great scope and mounts 👍

You don't see many T-Rex's around., at least here in the UK. I have a black one and it's superb 🙂

Welcome to SGL as well 🙂

Thanks for the welcome  , I’m originally from hampshire moved to Australia and picked up the T-rex here .   I got the AX directly from Japan  along with the clouds 🙄

[Franklin]

1 hour ago, Ianfuk said:

Here’s my vixen AX103S

I bet that's a cracking scope for visual, it bests the FL102S according to Vixen's catalogue specs. Must be a bit heavier than the SD103S though, does the APZ cope ok?