EQ6 Pro

[OXO]

Hi All,

Went to Stockport Telescopes and Binoculars Ltd today some nice kit on show and enjoyed looking at what was on offer, plenty of stock there and all well presented throughout the shop!.

Anyway back to the purpose of my post, the EQ6 Pro Skyscan Mount oh my it's HUGE :shock: made my HEQ5 look like a photo tripod . The mount looked awsome it has to be said and the quality of build looked excellent. On top was a ED100 Skywatcher Pro which looked great on the Mount. I wonder how many people here own a EQ6 or EQ6 Pro and how do you cope with its size?

Thanks

James

[GordonCopestake]

I have a little Vixen GP and to be honest thats at the limit of my portability threshold! Anything heavier and I think i'de start to find excuses to not set it up. I saw a Vixec Sphinx at orion optics in crewe, and that was massive. I guess a similar size to the EQ6. I could bearly lift the mount head and I certainly wouldn't like to carry it far. I think these large mounts are best suited to more permanent installations.

[GazOC]

I'm not a big bloke but I find the EQ6 pretty easy to setup, I only observe in my backyard so I don't have to carry it far. I can lift the mount/ tripod and two counterweights in one go, I think people worry too much about if they can manage large mounts. Having said that, I wouldn't like to have to setup anything too much bigger than the EQ6!

[OXO]

Mmmmmmmm interesting, just been told iam having an Astro Shed in the Garden Wednesday next week :shock: so an Eq6 would be fine :shock: feel some selling comeing on quick

Looks really heavy Gaz cant say as i tried lifting because the ED100 was on top hehe..

[GazOC]

Its harder if the legs are extended (like if your using a refactor) because the weight is higher up, then I either collapse the legs or take the tripod out seperately. I know people worry about the setup but I can't believe that any even half healthy bloke would struggle to carry it 50 - 100 yards, maybe not with the weights but def. mount and tripod.

I can understand the guys who go to dark sky sites and have to clamber over fences and ditches with their gear to get there not wanted the hassle but if you have a astro shed (lucky git!! ) and just need to setup a few yards way then the size isn't a factor.

The mount is a dream, whatever you put on it (within reason) the thing is solid.

[GazOC]

http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/891436/page/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1#Post893186

My setup is all fixed up and waiting for the clouds to [removed word] off. Pictures to follow, it looks the mutts nuts!!

[OXO]

No probs moving it matey well not 5 yrds hehehe, i can pic up the HEQ5 +2 counter weights and the 10"sct OK so moving that EQ6 a small distance should be a doddle, i was thinking i would after move it 200yrds but i didnt know about the Astro Shed :shock: ...

Checked the pic

[GordonCopestake]

Mmmmmmmm interesting, just been told iam having an Astro Shed in the Garden Wednesday next week :shock: so an Eq6 would be fine :shock: feel some selling comeing on quick

Looks really heavy Gaz cant say as i tried lifting because the ED100 was on top hehe..

Who told you that and can they tell me the same thing? Or more pertantly can they convince my missus to tell me the same thing!

Oh and I must be a weakling as I can't pick up my Vixen GP with 5kg counterweight and the C8 on top and walk very far. Although it doesn't help that my study is upstairs so i have to cart everything downstairs to get to the backyard. One day I will have that shed!

[GazOC]

Stair or uneven ground would be a lot harder you'd need to break the mount down somemore, but 20 yards across a reasonably flat garden is a doddle.