How do you setup / store your grab and go?

[wibblefish]

Currently I can just about pickup and squeeze my AZ Pronto and short tube through the two doorways between my garage and the outside. This means it is kept under a sheet fully ready to go.

My new telescope will be mounted on a stainless steel tripod and the OTA will weigh probably double. After checking earlier I can't get the tripod through the doorways any more when it is in its full height / spread state. It might be possible to fit through the side gate by coming out the other end of the garage but again unlikely. and if I did I'd have to juggle it whilst I collapsed / opened the leg extensions. (or buy a an extension pier?)

This has led me to probably a stupid question about what is the best option / what do other people do in this case? I presume people remount their OTA's all the time, I always worried it would be less secure / less balanced or some such doing that every time you want to move it indoors / outdoors?

On another note if you do demount / remount do you keep your telescope in a storage case or remount it when it comes back inside? I am a little leery of leaving it in the storage box since I had camera's get fungus problems and don't want that to happen to my telescope!

Sorry for the ramble  

 

Edited November 2, 2021 by wibblefish

[Franklin]

It's probably better to store scopes in their cases or bags. Just make sure they are dry first and use plenty of dessicant bags. I know some people like to leave their scopes set up so they can look at them and drool, but it only leaves them at the mercy of the dust. Having said that, at the moment I have a small G&G setup ready to go by the back door just with a sheet draped over it. I am between houses at the moment and staying in a flat so have no garden area, but I do have a South facing balcony which is accessed fom my living room. I can literally take in some night sky views and talk to the other half at the same time.

[Tiny Clanger]

Because my tripods are photo ones, with no bracing triangle , I lose some rigidity but gain the ability to fold the legs in , actually I generally just fold one tripod leg in to ease my way through doors, and carry the setup as one, with the 'frac locked in a vertical position so I have a tall but fairly narrow thing to carry . It helps that the bresser 102 has a handle on its rings, a very useful thing I find 🙂  I close the leg sections down for storage ('scope still on top)  , and the clip locks allow me to hold the setup one handed, have the sections unlock one at  a time and drop with gravity, then lock them in place quickly with the other hand.

I do the same process for the 127 mak/AZ5 setup which has it's own photo tripod . I've no idea if your new tripod could have the bracing loosened or removed to fold the legs in, but if so that may be less faff than taking the 'scope on and off.

My kit gets used plenty, so I'd not pack it away , I want it convenient and ready for quick deployment !

[MalcolmM]

I do the same as @Tiny Clanger for grab and go. Photo tripod, small refractor (Tak FS60CB) permanently attached, carried outside with the tripod leg sections fully closed up (or if extended, one leg folded in).

I also have a 4" refractor but it gets taken out in 2 stages; tripod then scope. The combination is just too big to fit through doorways without being bumped!

Regarding storage, I'm afraid I'm a drooler, so the scopes are left out in full view gathering dust  Though I like the sound of  @Franklin's idea of covering it with a sheet.

Malcolm

[wibblefish]

@Franklin @MalcolmM yeah I currently have a sheet draped over my smaller one but I do have a full length flight case for the new one so that could work I am just worried I'll drop the OTA or something ridiculous mounting / un-mounting in the semi-dark! (though no worse than bashing it on a doorway I guess which may have happened before *cough*)

@Tiny Clanger I was looking at the tripod again and the metal bracing plate it has in the center could be removed and that would allow the legs to fold in, it also looks like they don't actually fold out beyond a certain angle regardless so maybe that might be an option, I shall investigate when I get everything sorted!

[johninderby]

My latest mini grab’n’go can be stored in a drawer.🙂

[wibblefish]

@johninderby that is definitely grab and go, with one hand  most impressive! 

Edited November 2, 2021 by wibblefish

[Starslayer]

19 minutes ago, wibblefish said:

 

@Tiny Clanger I was looking at the tripod again and the metal bracing plate it has in the center could be removed and that would allow the legs to fold in, it also looks like they don't actually fold out beyond a certain angle regardless so maybe that might be an option, I shall investigate when I get everything sorted!

This is what I do with both my scopes. I have left the accessory tray / plate off completely. Just make sure legs a well 'spread' when taken outside then give them that extra little pull outwards at the bottom to make double sure.  Fold and carry as needed.  Easy. 

 

[ONIKKINEN]

My grab and go is an 8 inch newtonian, full astrophotography setup including guiding and mobile power station, EQ mount and steel tripod. Oklop EQ5 bag carries the mount with counterweights on one shoulder, Oklop bag carries the newtonian on the other shoulder, backpack fits all the small items (cameras, electronics, guidescope etc), tripod on one hand and power station on the other.

I cant open doors, or walk more than 50m with the 40kg+ mountain of gear but technically grab and go 🤣.

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

Tripods chucked in the corner, telescope case next to them. Accessory bag on top of telescope case. AVX Mount in a rucksack and various bits and bobs hanging around nearby in various bags and drawers. Basically unsophisticated and slightly untidy but all the gear is in the same room and one door from the garden.

Wibblefish your new ota is tiny to carry around. Just don't move in and out of doors with finders attached or the dew shield extended.

Don't worry about fungus. I leave my eyepiece box open & ota on the dining room table for maybe an hour or over night if it's really damp then put it all away.

 

Edited November 2, 2021 by ScouseSpaceCadet
or

[johninderby]

2 minutes ago, ONIKKINEN said:

 

I cant open doors, or walk more than 50m with the 40kg+ mountain of gear but technically grab and go 🤣.

We call thst grunt’n’go. 🤪

[Elp]

This is always my aim to try and keep it all within grasp so I can walk with it/go places with it. Until very recently I could fit most of my whole setup in a 38L rucksack + DSLR kit in it's own lump of a bag with a short photo tripod + eyepieces in a flight case so not quite there yet. If I get a dedicated astro camera I could technically fit the whole (AP only) kit in the 38L = one heavy bag.

That was up until I got a 5" newtonian, now there's a fourth bag (50L rucksack hybrid on wheels)... it never ends...

[UKDiver]

1 hour ago, johninderby said:

We call thst grunt’n’go. 🤪

Can Pixinsight etc. remove Herniation?

[Stu]

If the setup needs it, then it’s always safest to remove the scope and carry it out separately. Probably my most portable setup currently is a Telementor on a Unitron tripod and mount, that’s an easy carry out assembled but is currently gracing my study which is upstairs, so it is not going out much.

[Saganite]

This set up stands at permanent readiness in my Conservatory.  The telescopes are removed , the tripod carried 4 metres and the scopes put back on , singly or together.  It takes very little time.

[Marvin Jenkins]

4 hours ago, wibblefish said:

Currently I can just about pickup and squeeze my AZ Pronto and short tube through the two doorways between my garage and the outside. This means it is kept under a sheet fully ready to go.

My new telescope will be mounted on a stainless steel tripod and the OTA will weigh probably double. After checking earlier I can't get the tripod through the doorways any more when it is in its full height / spread state. It might be possible to fit through the side gate by coming out the other end of the garage but again unlikely. and if I did I'd have to juggle it whilst I collapsed / opened the leg extensions. (or buy a an extension pier?)

This has led me to probably a stupid question about what is the best option / what do other people do in this case? I presume people remount their OTA's all the time, I always worried it would be less secure / less balanced or some such doing that every time you want to move it indoors / outdoors?

On another note if you do demount / remount do you keep your telescope in a storage case or remount it when it comes back inside? I am a little leery of leaving it in the storage box since I had camera's get fungus problems and don't want that to happen to my telescope!

Sorry for the ramble  

 

No messing. If you want the best views you have to take up power lifting and hoist the whole thing above your head. Power lifting screams and grunts will keep foxes and other animals away. 
I use this very same method to keep wild boar at ankle distance and it has proved most effective. Only one leg lost so far. Seriously move the OTA after the mount, the mount will then be waiting for the OTA. You are right though, the tripod has knocked chunks out of my door frames.

Marv

[Marvin Jenkins]

52 minutes ago, Saganite said:

This set up stands at permanent readiness in my Conservatory.  The telescopes are removed , the tripod carried 4 metres and the scopes put back on , singly or together.  It takes very little time.

It is a thing of minimalist beauty. I feel it would be waiting for me , not the other way round.

Marv

[HollyHound]

My grab and go setup… the Takahashi FC-76DCU… this lives just inside my office door and is carried out in one go. Fortunately I only have to travel about 30 ft and through two doors to my patio 👍

I usually orient the scope almost vertically whilst carrying and am quite careful 🤞

The observing chair and small eyepiece case follow and I’m ready to go in a minute or two at most 😀

[Ags]

My Zenithstar 66 lives fully assembled on its tripod ready to go. My favorite eyepiece lives in the focuser.

[Stu]

1 hour ago, HollyHound said:

My grab and go setup… the Takahashi FC-76DCU… this lives just inside my office door and is carried out in one go. Fortunately I only have to travel about 30 ft and through two doors to my patio 👍

I usually orient the scope almost vertically whilst carrying and am quite careful 🤞

The observing chair and small eyepiece case follow and I’m ready to go in a minute or two at most 😀

Lush 👍😀

[badhex]

When at home, my ZS73 lives in an Airport Essentials backpack along with duster bulb, filters, diagonal and the AZ-GTi mount head. The SW tripod legs and extension column live in a Manfrotto bag. Eyepieces normally live in two small flight cases, unless travelling in which case they are already in bolt cases in the backpack.

As I have to traverse several heavy metal-framed doors and two flights of stairs, I will usually set up the tripod and mount head with the legs out but not extended whilst in the house, and while the backpack is open I grab one of the 2" EPs and put into its bolt case. With the backpack on, 1.25" EP case in one hand, I can then grab the whole mount/tripod by the column and carry with the other hand. Usually takes me about 10-15 mins to get all that together and up to the roof, but means that I don't have to worry about bashing expensive glass against metal doorframes or similar.

[wibblefish]

Thank you all for your input, been good hearing / seeing your setups! I have had a couple of practice runs now (unintentionally - thanks british weather!) so far and I have done as has been suggested.

Set the tripod up first outside, I can leave it in the garage with the legs collapsed, extend the legs and then bring the scope out separately with no fear of bashing it off doorways! Seems the easiest way at the moment, I guess getting a pillar eventually might mean I don't have to muck about with the legs but it isn't a huge hardship just slightly awkward with the weight of the mount head.

I am very impressed with the limited time I have had with the mount / tripod, it isn't so heavy as to be unwieldy but it is much more stable feeling than my AZ Pronto on its aluminium legs. I am also glad I read about purchasing the ADM saddle for the Skytee2 and even though it was fairly pricey as an extra cost it is very reassuring to have a wider / double clamp over the standard small / single clamp that was provided.

Been a week so far, still waiting on first light, just need some clear skies....

Edited November 11, 2021 by wibblefish