NEW Rowan AZ100 Alt-Az Mount

[johninderby]

Intesting idea but slo mo controls are a must. Giro already have that part of the market covered with mounts without slo mo controls. 

[McNewt]

If I didn't already have the APM AzMaxLoad I would be all over this mount.   It does add encoders and it does add slo mo controls.   Still, I cannot justify another purchase at this point.    Maybe I'm just battling some kick in of gear acquisition syndrome... in public.              

[johninderby]

Yes all these terrible companies bringing out new desireable bits of kit. 😂😂😂

Don’t want the DSC at the moment but wondering if I should get the encoders fitted with the mount so it will be easy to add the DSC later on if I want to.. 🤔

Edited November 2, 2019 by johninderby

[McNewt]

6 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Don’t want the DSC at the moment but wondering if I should get the encoders fitted with the mount so it will be easy to add the DSC later on. 🤔

Yup.  That's where my brain hurts.   It got the AzMaxLoad for its simplicity.  No electronics that needs to be powered and get in the way of what I'm actually out there for.   I also love the idea and feel of having a fully analog rig that allows me to see things that are so immensely far away.            Yet, having the option of adding the DSC makes the AZ100 so compelling.  You don't need to, but you can.

[jam1e1]

this new mount looks like i can sell my AZEQ6 and ST2 and use this instead so just have one mount...... I dont do imaging but do use goto with skysafari

[johninderby]

FLO advises having the encoders fitted by them or Rowan although they will be offering them as  a DIY upgrade later on. I suppose shipping the mount back to have the encoders fitted wouldn’t be a big problem. 🤔

 

[Stu]

32 minutes ago, johninderby said:

FLO advises having the encoders fitted by them or Rowan although they will be offering them as  a DIY upgrade later on. I suppose shipping the mount back to have the encoders fitted wouldn’t be a big problem. 🤔

 

I think Steve is aware that people might want to upgrade, so hopefully an easy 'return for retro fit' option can be made available.

It's amazing how much quicker it is to find objects with a push-to system rather than waiting for a mount to slow around. Alignment is very quick and easy too - put the scope pointing vertically, then two star align and away you go.

[FLO]

48 minutes ago, johninderby said:

FLO advises having the encoders fitted by them or Rowan although they will be offering them as  a DIY upgrade later on. I suppose shipping the mount back to have the encoders fitted wouldn’t be a big problem. 🤔

 

12 minutes ago, Stu said:

I think Steve is aware that people might want to upgrade, so hopefully an easy 'return for retro fit' option can be made available.

Encoders will be available for fitting to a regular AZ100 but, at least initially, they want either Rob at FLO or themselves to fit them. Not sure at this stage if they will be made available for fitting at home, though I think that is their intention. 

I think the beta testing is going well with useful feedback from John and Stu 🙂

HTH, 

Steve 

[omo]

5 hours ago, McNewt said:

Yup.  That's where my brain hurts.   It got the AzMaxLoad for its simplicity.  No electronics that needs to be powered and get in the way of what I'm actually out there for.   I also love the idea and feel of having a fully analog rig that allows me to see things that are so immensely far away.            Yet, having the option of adding the DSC makes the AZ100 so compelling.  You don't need to, but you can.

There is also the Nexus 2 option and using it with a mobile device - sorry not making it any easier 

I would prefer to have the encoders pre-fitted, the guys will be used to doing it and should save faffing about.

[Stu]

6 hours ago, omo said:

There is also the Nexus 2 option and using it with a mobile device - sorry not making it any easier 

I hope to give this a try out too whilst testing the mount out. I recently acquired a Nexus unit which should work fine just to connect a phone to and use Skysafari.

[johninderby]

Will be interested in how you get on with the Nexus II.

Astrodevices says it should work.

“All of our Nexus (Nexus DSC, Nexus-II and Nexus) devices will work with encoders installed in AZ100.”

[Stu]

7 hours ago, johninderby said:

Will be interested in how you get on with the Nexus II.

Astrodevices says it should work.

“All of our Nexus (Nexus DSC, Nexus-II and Nexus) devices will work with encoders installed in AZ100.”

Yes, I have the Nexus and Serge confirmed it would work. Not tried it yet.

[johninderby]

Any updates on an availability date yet or has the weather scuppered beta testing? 

[FLO]

Some good news regarding the new Rowan AZ100 Alt-Azimuth mount 🙂

Dave at Rowan just phoned to say the design and development stage is complete. A number of suggestions made by @John and @Stu have been incorporated into the design, the parts are machined and should be back from the anodisers later this week so production units will probably be arriving at our warehouse around the end of next week. (Stu now has a finished production model).

Also, we have one correction to make. Our product description for the counterweight said 6" / 5kg. It is actually 5" / 3.75kg. Sorry about that. Otherwise all is good. 

Thank-you for your patience. 

Steve 

[omo]

Its good to know they will soon be available, just placed an order

[johninderby]

The only problem I can see with this mount is if Rowan will be able to keep up with the demand. 🤔

Backorder?????

Edited December 3, 2019 by johninderby

[FLO]

4 hours ago, johninderby said:

The only problem I can see with this mount is if Rowan will be able to keep up with the demand. 🤔

Backorder?????

You were the first to order one so yours will be the first one dispatched. Promise 🙂

Steve 

[johninderby]

Thanks for the info but wasn’t concerned. 👍🏻

Hope orders for the new mount are coming in at a decent rate. 🙂

[djpaul]

I will be ordering one early in the new year.😁

Edited December 3, 2019 by djpaul

[djpaul]

BTW. 

I would be interested in knowing if most people are ordering just the basic mount with or without any accessories?

Saddles,encoders,etc?

Regards Paul 

[johninderby]

I havent bothered with the encoders at the moment but they will be available as a DIY option later on. Also had a nice new heavy duty dual fit saddle that will be ideal for this mount. Have ordered the counterweight shaft and a weight. 

[djpaul]

5 minutes ago, johninderby said:

I havent bothered with the encoders at the moment but they will be available as a DIY option later on. Also had a nice new heavy duty dual fit saddle that will be ideal for this mount. Have ordered the counterweight shaft and a weight. 

I'm thinking of just getting the mount and hopefully they will produce vixen only saddles.

John did say he managed to fit his adm but said it somehow didn't look right. 

I dont really want to spend £150  x 2 for 2 dual fit saddles when really all I'll use is vixen fittings

Paul

 

Edited December 3, 2019 by djpaul

[johninderby]

I have one of the Altair dual fit saddles which is a big heavy lump and seems to have a similar anodised finish unlike the ADM that is more of a matt finish. I also replaced the stock knobs with some matt stainless steel ones that are far easier to tighten. With the stainless knobs cost more than the Rowan one though.

Hopefully it will match. 🤔

Edited December 4, 2019 by johninderby

[John]

1 hour ago, djpaul said:

I'm thinking of just getting the mount and hopefully they will produce vixen only saddles.

John did say he managed to fit his adm but said it somehow didn't look right. 

I dont really want to spend £150  x 2 for 2 dual fit saddles when really all I'll use is vixen fittings

Paul

 

The diameter of the AZ100 body / mounting plate is as the name suggests, 100mm. The ADM clamp fitted and worked fine but did look a little puny against the bulk of the AZ100 mount head.

A losmandy / vixen dual fitting plate (by any good manufacturer) would look more to scale. The Rowan ones are rather nice though and do match the finish of the mount perfectly as you would expect.

 

[Anne S]

8 hours ago, johninderby said:

I have one of the Altair dual fit saddles which is a big heavy lump and seems to have a similar anodised finish unlike the ADM that is more of a matt finish. I also replaced the stock knobs with some matt stainless steel ones that are far easier to tighten. With the stainless knobs cost more than the Rowan one though.

Hopefully it will match. 🤔

Where did you get those knobs? I find Altair's hard to tighten.