Case for Tak FC100 Class

[JCAZ]

Lens

[JCAZ]

Weight 8.4 ibs - digital bathroom scale.

Length  from end of dew shield (retracted) to the end the blue part of the focuser, just under 23 1/2".  Dew Shield extended 26 1/4".

My apologies for non-metric specs.

 

Focuser is buttery smooth.  Unfortunately, looks like a cloudy night ahead.

Edited August 30, 2019 by JCAZ

[John]

Very, very nice

Thanks for posting the photos - these are the 1st non-stock pics that I've seen of one.

As the owner of a Tak FC-100DL, I'm very much looking forward to reading your performence reports on this scope

[JCAZ]

3 hours ago, John said:

Very, very nice

Thanks for posting the photos - these are the 1st non-stock pics that I've seen of one.

As the owner of a Tak FC-100DL, I'm very much looking forward to reading your performence reports on this scope

Should be interesting.  I like Tak as a brand, haven't had one in a while.  Just moved back to AZ and some really dark skies, so hopefully figure on the lens is good.

Edited August 31, 2019 by JCAZ

[JCAZ]

Scope on AZ GTI.  Scope, 2" Televue diagonal, tube holder, rail total 11.6 lbs.  I don't have any big eyepieces, my 2" is a Paragon 30, so I think for quick looks this should work.  Slews in the house seems effortless, we'll see how it does under the sky.   I  think I will use the HEQ5 counter weight as ballast on the accessory tray, seems to add some good heft without as lot of bulk.

I also have an HEQ5, so that will definitely hold this scope well.  And I have a small wooden tripod I am going to see if I can get set up.  

So I guess that's it until I get some clear skies.

Side note the HEQ5 hand controller does not work stock with AZ GTI.  Cable for controller is 8 pin (for EQ mounts), Az GTI is 6 pin for alt az.  Controller does have another 6 pin port so I may try and  picking up a cable and see if it works.  Been using my phone with app for testing.

 

PS - I also adjusted the scope a bit  after this pic, scope back and rail forward - clears focusing knob better.

 

Take care,

john

Edited August 31, 2019 by JCAZ

[dweller25]

Very nice scope 👍

[JCAZ]

43 minutes ago, dweller25 said:

Very nice scope 👍

Thank you.  Looking forward to many nights under the stars.

[jock1958]

6 hours ago, JCAZ said:

Lens

Superb scope and love the retractable dew shield, wish my 100DL had one! 

[JCAZ]

43 minutes ago, jock1958 said:

Superb scope and love the retractable dew shield, wish my 100DL had one! 

Apparently the Japanese in the home market don't care about retractable dew shield.  But a DL is a sweet scope.  I'm sure the views are superb!

[A McEwan]

Congratulations on your new Tak and bits'n'bobs! Clear skies ahead hopefully!

 

[AdeKing]

9 hours ago, JCAZ said:

Side note the HEQ5 hand controller does not work stock with AZ GTI.  Cable for controller is 8 pin (for EQ mounts), Az GTI is 6 pin for alt az.  Controller does have another 6 pin port so I may try and  picking up a cable and see if it works.  Been using my phone with app for testing.

You'll need the Skywatcher Synscan AZ cable to use the handset with the AZ Gti. 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-mount-accessories/sky-watcher-az-goto-synscan-handset-cable.html

I use one with my V4 handset from my EQ5 with this cable without any problems. 

[JCAZ]

3 hours ago, AdeKing said:

You'll need the Skywatcher Synscan AZ cable to use the handset with the AZ Gti. 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-mount-accessories/sky-watcher-az-goto-synscan-handset-cable.html

I use one with my V4 handset from my EQ5 with this cable without any problems. 

Wow.  Thank you so much for that, much appreciated.

[JCAZ]

O.K, here's one for the water cooler - impress your friends.

My scope serial number is 1D013.  Well, my scope is the 13th one ever made - so I get lucky thirteen.  So how about 1D ,well, this indicates the scope was made during the first year of Emperor Naruhito's reign, which happens to be 2019.  Gotta luv the Japanese.

[John]

Well done for decoding the Tak serial number. It took me quite a while to work out how the year code worked with mine.

I guess with a new design 2019 was likely to be the answer !

I wonder what the total production run of the DZ will be ?

[JCAZ]

50 minutes ago, John said:

Well done for decoding the Tak serial number. It took me quite a while to work out how the year code worked with mine.

I guess with a new design 2019 was likely to be the answer !

I wonder what the total production run of the DZ will be ?

Ya, I figured it was  2019, but how do you get that from 1D? Now I know.

[John]

18 minutes ago, JCAZ said:

Ya, I figured it was  2019, but how do you get that from 1D? Now I know.

My DL serial number begins 8C which apparently means 2016.

[JCAZ]

1 hour ago, John said:

My DL serial number begins 8C which apparently means 2016.

I wonder if it was also tied to an emperor.  If logic holds their dynasty lasted eight years.  Should be easy to check,  since the guy in place now has been emperor 1 year (2019), then the one who preceded him would have been emperor for eight years.

[william123]

10 hours ago, JCAZ said:

O.K, here's one for the water cooler - impress your friends.

My scope serial number is 1D013.  Well, my scope is the 13th one ever made - so I get lucky thirteen.  So how about 1D ,well, this indicates the scope was made during the first year of Emperor Naruhito's reign, which happens to be 2019.  Gotta luv the Japanese.

 

My TOA-130NFB was made circa January 2018.  (I ordered it in January 2018 and received it in March 2018.)  Its serial number is 9C030.  The Takahashi salesman told me at the time that he had heard that the serial number had something to do with the year of the Emperor's reign.  I concluded that my TOA was the 30th Takahashi telescope made (planned?  authorized?) in the ninth year of the third ("C") decade of Emperor Akihito's reign.  Akihito reigned from January 7, 1989, to April 30, 2019.  The ninth year of the third decade of his reign ran from January 7, 2017, to January 6, 2018.  (Is my math right?) 

Given all that, my guess is that your scope, with serial number 1D013, was the thirteenth Takahashi scope made (planned?  authorized?) in the first year of the fourth ("D") decade of Akihito's reign.  But I am probably completely wrong!!  🙂

Emperor Naruhito began his reign on May 1, 2019.

Edited September 1, 2019 by william123

[JCAZ]

Based on what Texas Nautical told me it the first year of Emperor Naruhito's dynasty . I suppose further research may be required.  Even if you're wrong, it was a fine effort.

What's interesting is that they have started to base their serial numbers on the reign of an emperor.

Edited September 1, 2019 by JCAZ

[william123]

12 hours ago, JCAZ said:

Based on what Texas Nautical told me it the first year of Emperor Naruhito's dynasty . I suppose further research may be required.  Even if you're wrong, it was a fine effort.

What's interesting is that they have started to base their serial numbers on the reign of an emperor.

 

Clearly, we are now in the first year of Naruhito's reign, which began only last May.  However, what is the "D" for in your serial number?  And what was the "C" for in my serial number?  I strongly suspect that your scope was planned or authorized or started production in the first year of the fourth ("D") decade of Akihito's reign.  That theory explains the most.  

Remember, if you received your scope recently, it must have left the "factory" in Japan in June or July (or even earlier), not long after Naruhito started his reign.  It might actually have been manufactured -- or the serial number plate itself manufactured -- before Naruhito started his reign.  The scope might even have been sitting in a warehouse for a while before shipment.

Edited September 1, 2019 by william123

[John]

16 hours ago, JCAZ said:

I wonder if it was also tied to an emperor.  If logic holds their dynasty lasted eight years.  Should be easy to check,  since the guy in place now has been emperor 1 year (2019), then the one who preceded him would have been emperor for eight years.

I wondered if they simply restart the number sequence every 10 years eg: 8C = 2016, 9C = 2017, 10C = 2018, 1D = 2019 etc, etc.

I'm not realy that bothered though - if you upgrade the focuser, which quite a few folks do, the serial plate stays with the old unit

[JCAZ]

4 hours ago, william123 said:

 

Clearly, we are now in the first year of Naruhito's reign, which began only last May.  However, what is the "D" for in your serial number?  And what was the "C" for in my serial number?  I strongly suspect that your scope was planned or authorized or started production in the first year of the fourth ("D") decade of Akihito's reign.  That theory explains the most.  

Remember, if you received your scope recently, it must have left the "factory" in Japan in June or July (or even earlier), not long after Naruhito started his reign.  It might actually have been manufactured -- or the serial number plate itself manufactured -- before Naruhito started his reign.  The scope might even have been sitting in a warehouse for a while before shipment.

I don't necessarily disagree.  I would like to find out from an authoritative source, and I will.

Thanks for the feedback.

[JCAZ]

Picked up a Pelican 1615 with plucked foam.  Chose a nice subtle color!

Been cloudy all weekend, but cleared a bit last night.  Hopefully I can get scope out tonight for a bit.

[JCAZ]

So this is what I received from Texas Nautical. They are the distributor for Takahashi in all of North and South America.  If anyone can find out anything, from an authoritative source, that differs, or elaborates on this, please post it.  I have another feeler out, will see if that brings anything further.

"The serial number that starts with 1D stands for 2019. It has something to do with  
the new era in Japanese imperial transition of 2019
Not easy to understand. Last 3 numbers stand for the number of scopes produced. Please let us know if you have more questions."

 

Looking like tonight will be clear and there is a crescent moon low in the west.  Will see what I can get a look at and try and post something over the next day or two.

 

Thank you,  john

 

[JCAZ]

Finally got the scope out and had a look around.  Air was quite unstable but views we fairly pleasing.

Looked at the moon at various magnifications: 13mm NT6, 8.5 Pentax XF, and Nagler zoom.  Views were crisp even in mediocre seeing, which was a rapid shallow boil.  Contrast was obviously very good.

Jupiter was tougher but Great Red Spot was easy, even at lower mags.  There was a large dark barge in the Northern Equatorial Belt that was also very prominent.  I also managed to catch a moon emerging from the edge of Jupiter, pretty good given the seeing. 

All and all a decent quick look but any real test of the optics will require considerably better seeing.  Still, color saturation was very good on Jupiter with browns/maroons, tans, whites, blue/grays, especially for a 4". 

The mount on the other hand was a challenge.  I did not do an actual alignment and instead just swung around to the moon.  I did select the moon and GoTo and the mount pointed at the ground and swung around, at least in the right direction.  Vibrations were intrusive with legs extended 2/3 of the way towards full.  The Tak focuser was smooth, but stiff, that did not help any.  I will need to spend more time with the mount to see if I can do a real set up.

Which by the way, which way is the dam scope suppose to point, away from the AZ clamp or toward it.  Videos I have seen seems to indicate the opposite direction from the clamp.  It would have been nice if they provided some level of instruction on how to actually use the mount - what a novel concept.

In the end I hope it will be fine with a bit of experience, I do think a Tak dual speed focuser add on and a new tripod may be in order.  I do have a nice wooden tripod, but it has an odd top with a large center opening surrounded by much smaller openings around it.  I also have vibration pads, but that kinda kills the quick look.  Also, tracking was awful, but without a proper alignment don't know if that was just from improper setup.  Oh, and I was using my phone  to control the mount and a AC adapter (not batteries).  

That's it for first look.  Bit of a mixed bag,most of which I hope to sort out over time.  Also, as a side note, got my big yellow Pelican Air (1615), looks like a great fit (scope, clap, and rail) with room for a diagonal and some other extras.

Take care,

john

 

Edited September 5, 2019 by JCAZ