Let's see your kit and how you carry it!

[Simon Dunsmore]

Hi Fellowship Astro Enthusiasts! 

Just sorting through my kit and it struck me just how much stuff I've accumulated over the years. 

I live in quite a light polluted area and so I generally walk to a nearby field not far from home where there are no street lights, roads or houses. 

I tend to pull everything in a festival trolly, None of it is very expensive, working on a budget (and being a bit tight😁) I rigged up a plastic box with a red strip light from ebay to protect the laptop from dew and this is bungeed  on to a little fold up stool. The chair was purchased from a fishing shop on offer and I recently purchased two blocks of foam to go in the old maplins flight cases (not yet completed). 

I have a Heq5 Pro goto mount and for this and the tripod I purchased two cobra cases from a music store. 

The only really purpose built thing is a bag to carry the OTA, I put this over my shoulder. 

And that's my kit, I don't always take it all, depends if I'm doing AP or visual. Of course I also have a flask and snack box!!! 

Be interested to see how you folks do it! 

Thanks and clear skies 

Simon 

[John]

You look very well organised there Simon

My scopes, mounts and eyepieces all live in a corner of the dining room. I just lift the scope or scopes that I'm going to use out through the french windows and onto the patio where I observe from.

 

[Woj2007]

John, what a lovely family with a corner on their own!

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

The whole lot. In *theory* it can be carried from car to observing area in one go...

The Oplok bag for small telescopes fits two tripods (1x 1.75" steel and 1x aluminium Star Adventurer), an AZGTI, AZ5, finders and assorted stuff.

The 150p in its own bag.

A camera bag for the Skymax 102, diagonal and rdf.

Plus a waterproof case with six eyepieces.

 

Edited June 27, 2020 by ScouseSpaceCadet

[SteveWolves]

I think I may have too much... (not all mine but in my keeping)

[Barry-W-Fenner]

57 minutes ago, John said:

You look very well organised there Simon

My scopes, mounts and eyepieces all live in a corner of the dining room. I just lift the scope or scopes that I'm going to use out through the french windows and onto the patio where I observe from.

 

That corner of the house Looks like it was built for the sole purpose of storing your scopes John. The perfect match!

[Barry-W-Fenner]

13 minutes ago, ScouseSpaceCadet said:

The whole lot. In *theory* it can be carried from car to observing area in one go...

The Oplok bag for small telescopes fits two tripods (1x 1.75" steel and 1x aluminium Star Adventurer), an AZGTI, AZ5, finders and assorted stuff.

The 150p in its own bag.

A camera bag for the Skymax 102, diagonal and rdf.

Plus a waterproof case with six eyepieces.

 

Very nice compact, tidy bit of kit there SSC!

[Paz]

1 hour ago, Simon Dunsmore said:

 

 

A very well organised used set up!

 

1 hour ago, John said:

 

 

I like all the refractors having finders and diagonals loaded and ready to go, I bet that saves a lot of hassle.

[Simon Dunsmore]

1 hour ago, John said:

You look very well organised there Simon

My scopes, mounts and eyepieces all live in a corner of the dining room. I just lift the scope or scopes that I'm going to use out through the french windows and onto the patio where I observe from.

Love this! I see a common theme emerging here.. You can never have enough scopes! 

Wouldn't want to drag that dob into a field though 😁

[Simon Dunsmore]

26 minutes ago, ScouseSpaceCadet said:

The whole lot. In *theory* it can be carried from car to observing area in one go...

The Oplok bag for small telescopes fits two tripods (1x 1.75" steel and 1x aluminium Star Adventurer), an AZGTI, AZ5, finders and assorted stuff.

The 150p in its own bag.

A camera bag for the Skymax 102, diagonal and rdf.

Plus a waterproof case with six eyepieces.

 

Nice! 

That's the bag I have ordered for mu OTA. How do you get on with it? 

You could try a cart like I have, works well and makes life much easier. 

Very neat and tidy! 

[Simon Dunsmore]

16 minutes ago, SteveWolves said:

I think I may have too much... (not all mine but in my keeping)

Brilliant! I'm guessing you observe from home! 

[mikeDnight]

40 minutes ago, SteveWolves said:

I think I may have too much... (not all mine but in my keeping)

Nice try Steve, but try as you might, those legs are not quite as appealing as the girl from the Celestron adverts of the 1980's! 

[John]

59 minutes ago, Simon Dunsmore said:

2 hours ago, John said:

.....Wouldn't want to drag that dob into a field though....

Fortunately it's not too heavy lifted in two sections. 10kg for the base and 16kg for the tube. I've taken it to star parties quite a few times.

 

[John]

1 hour ago, Paz said:

..I like all the refractors having finders and diagonals loaded and ready to go, I bet that saves a lot of hassle.

I keep the finders off the dob though - too much chance of whacking something on the way out of the french windows.

[Geoff Barnes]

2 hours ago, John said:

You look very well organised there Simon

My scopes, mounts and eyepieces all live in a corner of the dining room. I just lift the scope or scopes that I'm going to use out through the french windows and onto the patio where I observe from.

 

A bit of a dilemma for you @John, where on earth will you put your next scope without upsetting your better half? 🤔

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

2 hours ago, Simon Dunsmore said:

Nice! 

That's the bag I have ordered for mu OTA. How do you get on with it? 

You could try a cart like I have, works well and makes life much easier. 

Very neat and tidy! 

Thanks. My aim was to keep things small and portable, while maintaining some variation. Plus not spending too much! Something brand new entrants need to bear in mind. The telescope is just the tip of the spear. The accessories can cost more than the scope & take up more space!

All the bags work as intended, although the TS-Optics focuser fitted to the 150p only just fits into the bag. The focus wheels are quite spaced out.

 

 

Edited June 27, 2020 by ScouseSpaceCadet

[John]

27 minutes ago, Geoff Barnes said:

A bit of a dilemma for you @John, where on earth will you put your next scope without upsetting your better half? 🤔

I can put a strong shelf in above the refractors and fit an 8-11 inch SCT or mak-cassegrain in there

It's called "scope corner" already so might as well go for broke !

[scarp15]

Carrying equipment to my obs - a (significant) step up from my backyard, 1.5 mile walk close to the Scottish border and an overnight stop over. This was taken in March,  just before lockdown. My left side is TV-85 in carry bag, right side; porta mount in a bicycle rack pack. Shouldering a Berlebach Report tripod in a Berlebach shoulder / carry bag. Hefty eyepieces in the rucksack side pockets (neoprene camera lens pouches), along with camping stool. Also took filters, finder, charts and of course a Unihedron SQM-L devise. Thought at the time, I will not repeat this, but in the fullness of time, I know that I will.

 

[JeremyS]

6 hours ago, John said:

You look very well organised there Simon

My scopes, mounts and eyepieces all live in a corner of the dining room. I just lift the scope or scopes that I'm going to use out through the french windows and onto the patio where I observe from.

 

Just hope nobody shouts "strike"  🙂

[andrew s]

Where  @JeremyS keeps all his

 

Regards Andrew

[Stardaze]

3 hours ago, John said:

I can put a strong shelf in above the refractors and fit an 8-11 inch SCT or mak-cassegrain in there

It's called "scope corner" already so might as well go for broke !

Was thinking that you’re missing one of those to the ‘collection.’ 

[Stardaze]

I do like to see people’s dedication to their pursuits and the lengths they’re prepared to go to. Great thread and a good inspiration. Next year I plan to put together a mobile system with some travelling in mind.

Edited June 27, 2020 by Stardaze

[Simon Dunsmore]

13 hours ago, scarp15 said:

Carrying equipment to my obs - a (significant) step up from my backyard, 1.5 mile walk close to the Scottish border and an overnight stop over. This was taken in March,  just before lockdown. My left side is TV-85 in carry bag, right side; porta mount in a bicycle rack pack. Shouldering a Berlebach Report tripod in a Berlebach shoulder / carry bag. Hefty eyepieces in the rucksack side pockets (neoprene camera lens pouches), along with camping stool. Also took filters, finder, charts and of course a Unihedron SQM-L devise. Thought at the time, I will not repeat this, but in the fullness of time, I know that I will.

 

Looks incredible 

 

13 hours ago, scarp15 said:

Carrying equipment to my obs - a (significant) step up from my backyard, 1.5 mile walk close to the Scottish border and an overnight stop over. This was taken in March,  just before lockdown. My left side is TV-85 in carry bag, right side; porta mount in a bicycle rack pack. Shouldering a Berlebach Report tripod in a Berlebach shoulder / carry bag. Hefty eyepieces in the rucksack side pockets (neoprene camera lens pouches), along with camping stool. Also took filters, finder, charts and of course a Unihedron SQM-L devise. Thought at the time, I will not repeat this, but in the fullness of time, I know that I will.

 

Looks incredible! What was the viewing like? 

[scarp15]

5 hours ago, Simon Dunsmore said:

Looks incredible! What was the viewing like? 

By around 10pm, I measured 21.5 mag on the SQM. Much later and I would have expected readings to have decisively gained 21.6 or 21.7. Unfortunately later some thin haze, sea fret swept in from the north east. Before that I did accomplish some quite good observing, that included the California and Barnard's loop. Cold night, ice had formed on the outside of the tent by morning and my water bottle had partially froze. This vast area is protected as a national nature reserve, the upland heather and bog lands are being preserved against erosion, such as caused in heavy storms. The walk out was quite relaxed, as I'd refined how to modify carrying the equipment.  

[Jforson]

On 27/06/2020 at 18:31, scarp15 said:

Carrying equipment to my obs - a (significant) step up from my backyard, 1.5 mile walk close to the Scottish border and an overnight stop over. This was taken in March,  just before lockdown. My left side is TV-85 in carry bag, right side; porta mount in a bicycle rack pack. Shouldering a Berlebach Report tripod in a Berlebach shoulder / carry bag. Hefty eyepieces in the rucksack side pockets (neoprene camera lens pouches), along with camping stool. Also took filters, finder, charts and of course a Unihedron SQM-L devise. Thought at the time, I will not repeat this, but in the fullness of time, I know that I will.

 

That looks really good and actually very compact considering you are carrying the tent, sleeping bag + food and water.  
 

Living in a national park I often do something similar but with a smaller scope (tv-60) and mount.  Easier to carry but probably not as useful on the aperture front.  I have had great fun with it though and although I have larger refractors there is just something that I love about my portable setup whilst wild camping.