Expect Cloudy Skies for 6 months - Just paid for a EQ8-R

[Catanonia]

Apologies for the cloudy skies for the next 6 months at least as I have eventually dropped the money on a new EQ8-R mount to replace my aging NEQ6 Pro

Can't wait

[Robindonne]

Im afraid someone else bought one also like 5 months ago

[MikeP]

It gets worse - I bought one a couple of weeks ago.

Mike

[Jiggy 67]

I think I’m buying one about 6 months from now

[Craig a]

As above for me too 😅

[newbie alert]

Guys, come on... no wonder nobody can use their equipment lately 

Forecast says, cloud,cloud, cloud, cloud, cloud

Stop being so inconsiderate...

But interested how well they're performing🤔

[jacko61]

Mine just arrived at lunchtime.

Graeme

[Catanonia]

4 minutes ago, jacko61 said:

Mine just arrived at lunchtime.

Graeme

waiting the phone call about when mine will be delivered

Can you tell me what power leads / options they give you in the EQ8-r box  please  as I think I got what I need ?

[Elp]

@jacko61 Would explain why it's been clear all morning until now...

Edited January 26, 2022 by Elp

[Sunshine]

Wait a minute, only telescopes come with clouds!

[jacko61]

2 minutes ago, Catanonia said:

waiting the phone call about when mine will be delivered

Can you tell me what power leads / options they give you in the EQ8-r box  please  as I think I got what I need ?

I went for the head only option. In the box, the only power lead is a cigar lighter plug type cable to the eq8r plug. Haven't opened the packet yet to see how long it is but in my case it's a temporary thing anyway as I have a Lynx astro cable on order to run through my pier to the Nevada binding posts. You also get the synscan handset and cable plus a short cable to run from a camera to the snap port.   What isn't in the box are the two M8 azimuth locking bolts, nor an M12 main fixing bolt.  What really surprised me was the fact that the mount comes in a rock'n'roll band type flightcase on wheels. 

Graeme

[Catanonia]

1 minute ago, jacko61 said:

I went for the head only option. In the box, the only power lead is a cigar lighter plug type cable to the eq8r plug. Haven't opened the packet yet to see how long it is but in my case it's a temporary thing anyway as I have a Lynx astro cable on order to run through my pier to the Nevada binding posts. You also get the synscan handset and cable plus a short cable to run from a camera to the snap port.   What isn't in the box are the two M8 azimuth locking bolts, nor an M12 main fixing bolt.  What really surprised me was the fact that the mount comes in a rock'n'roll band type flightcase on wheels. 

Graeme

Thanks buddy. I though that would be what they shipped. I got a 12v 10amp power brick with a cig female end for when mine turns up.

Yes watched a video and the flight case is included which is nice.

Edited January 26, 2022 by Catanonia

[jacko61]

The manual says it'll run off 12 - 16 volts but is better at a higher figure. My Nevada has a preset 13.8 but I'll probably wind it up to 15. That's going to have to wait though. When FLO sent out the lynx astro cable it had ring bindings at one end and a cigar adaptor at the other. No use to anyone - Mine isn't the only one either so it looks like the manufacturers have messed up the whole batch. 

 

[jacko61]

Here we go. Took about an hour to get it set up on my Pier and a quick electrical test just to make sure it slews. A few points.  It'.s huge. Even with the 2 carry handles it takes some lifting.  When it arrived the clutches were loose so as soon as I started to take it out of the flightcase it flopped around which is a worry if you're not expecting it.   If you look at the picture you'll see that the Declination Jackscrew handle doesn't extend far enough out to miss the top plate of my Altair Astro pier. The jackscrew itself moves quite smoothly so it's well worth getting it roughly to the right angle by hand before putting the toggle in.  This won't be an issue if you've bought the tripod to go with the head. The supplied power lead is only about 3 metres long.  I wish the cable management was reversed. All the USB ports are sited at the front of the losmandy plate.  If they'd been at the rear, I could use much shorter cables from the plate to the camera/focusser/guidescope.  For now I've only connected up my Polemaster.  

I'm going to have to save for a new scope (maybe a skywatcher 150 ed) as the C8 looks lost up there

Graeme

 

[Peter Drew]

A nice set-up.  I have a SW 150ED, it might hit the roof!   🙂

[Catanonia]

WOOHOO   Delivery on Friday for my EQ8-R

[Catanonia]

1 hour ago, jacko61 said:

Here we go. Took about an hour to get it set up on my Pier and a quick electrical test just to make sure it slews. A few points.  It'.s huge. Even with the 2 carry handles it takes some lifting.  When it arrived the clutches were loose so as soon as I started to take it out of the flightcase it flopped around which is a worry if you're not expecting it.   If you look at the picture you'll see that the Declination Jackscrew handle doesn't extend far enough out to miss the top plate of my Altair Astro pier. The jackscrew itself moves quite smoothly so it's well worth getting it roughly to the right angle by hand before putting the toggle in.  This won't be an issue if you've bought the tripod to go with the head. The supplied power lead is only about 3 metres long.  I wish the cable management was reversed. All the USB ports are sited at the front of the losmandy plate.  If they'd been at the rear, I could use much shorter cables from the plate to the camera/focusser/guidescope.  For now I've only connected up my Polemaster.  

I'm going to have to save for a new scope (maybe a skywatcher 150 ed) as the C8 looks lost up there

Graeme

 

 

Looks massive

[Catanonia]

Today is the day when the man with a lorry and a pallet arrives

[Catanonia]

It's arrived 

[Catanonia]

It's a beast !!!!

[jacko61]

Knowing how big the mount is, the tripod must be huge!!.  Good luck with it. I've been checking out the cabling hub this lunchtime and found that my ZWO ASI533 isn't recognised through the USB 3 hub in the mount unless I plug the 12 volt power in for the camera's cooler. Just having the 12v aux power in the mount doesn't 'do it' although everything else (polemaster, focusser and guidecam) worked fine.  

graeme.

[Catanonia]

Wow, this is a big mount. Just unpacked it all and set it up in the garden where it will live under a cover.

NEQ6 Pro for comparison (which will be up for sale at a very good rate)

 

[Catanonia]

10 minutes ago, jacko61 said:

Knowing how big the mount is, the tripod must be huge!!.  Good luck with it. I've been checking out the cabling hub this lunchtime and found that my ZWO ASI533 isn't recognised through the USB 3 hub in the mount unless I plug the 12 volt power in for the camera's cooler. Just having the 12v aux power in the mount doesn't 'do it' although everything else (polemaster, focusser and guidecam) worked fine.  

graeme.

I have all that fun when work officially finishes at 5pm.

Work out what cables go were, how to connect my ASI Air Pro and other goodies to it.

A little disappointed the power socket is on one of the turning axis and not in the static location, but yet to read the manuals

NEQ6 Pro saddle came up to middle of my chest, the EQ8-R at that full extend is top of my head

Edited January 28, 2022 by Catanonia

[Catanonia]

4 hours ago, jacko61 said:

Knowing how big the mount is, the tripod must be huge!!.  Good luck with it. I've been checking out the cabling hub this lunchtime and found that my ZWO ASI533 isn't recognised through the USB 3 hub in the mount unless I plug the 12 volt power in for the camera's cooler. Just having the 12v aux power in the mount doesn't 'do it' although everything else (polemaster, focusser and guidecam) worked fine.  

graeme.

This is because the USB hub is unpowered without the 12v external power attached and the camera doesn't get it's power.

Makes sense if you think about it.

This means that the power and USB hub is totally separate to the actual mount and its power.

This I did not expect and is a little bit disappointing as I still have to run cables that can snag to moving parts.

 

Edited January 28, 2022 by Catanonia

[cajen2]

4 hours ago, Catanonia said:

Wow, this is a big mount. Just unpacked it all and set it up in the garden where it will live under a cover.

NEQ6 Pro for comparison (which will be up for sale at a very good rate)

 

'kin'ell! Not exactly grab and go! 😄