Transporting kit to dark site

[ninjageezer]

ok so got myself a nice bortle 4 site just a few miles from my home ,(famers garden) he will provide power as well.

im unsure of the best way to transport my kit .....i normally keep it setup in the garage and carry  it one piece to the back garden .

i can lay my seats down if need be i have a reasonable sized car. should i just remove the scope/camera/guidescope or should i take the mount off the tripod as well ?

[900SL]

Transport mount and camera/scopes etc in padded cases or similar

Any sudden deceleration or jolt can result in gear flying off seats or bouncing around

So securing against the unexpected is prudent..

 

[rickwayne]

CEM70s are notoriously fiddly to mount on the tripod, so I have left mine mounted for over a year now and transported mount and tripod as a unit. I have not noticed any performance degradation. That's just one data point, and the prudent course is certainly to encase and pad the mount.

CEM70s also have a means of locking the RA axis loosely in place with a bar through sets of holes in the housing and the RA axis, so they can be transported unclutched without RA flailing about.

[ONIKKINEN]

Take every major piece of kit apart to avoid damaging anything i would say. Especially things that are awkwardly shaped, like a camera jutting out from the back of a long refractor, or the side of a newtonian. Very easy to bump that onto a doorframe and break something. If possible put the individual items in easy to carry bags (like sports equipment/hockey bags) to make them easy to carry. The more difficult you find carrying them, the more likely it is you drop something and have an expensive oopsie.

[rickwayne]

I've been looking at various  options for transporting my  OTA, so I'm not quite Neanderthal in this  regard. Celestron make some nice padded soft cases for low-aspect-ratio items like SCT  scopes. I've been looking at weather-resistant rigid toolboxes with wheels --  put most everything but the mount head and the counterweights in a  padded box, I am thinking, which will help me keep things organized.

[Clarkey]

I used a piece of plywood to make a base for my scope. This was bolted into the bottom of the dovetail and kept the scope flat in the boot. This was put on an old duvet for padding. No good if you have a long way to walk but good for car transport.

[iapa]

how about getting a downie in the car boot an laying the rig on that?

[ninjageezer]

On 28/05/2022 at 22:18, iapa said:

how about getting a downie in the car boot an laying the rig on that?

Downie ???

[Elp]

All my setups are dismantled and in their own bags/cases. I've got a large 50L bag for my main ap setup, everything I need fits into the one bag. If I need a sturdier tripod, its in another bag. If I need my Newtonian, in another 50L bag with wheels. I buy cheap around 5 to 10mm thick yoga mats and cut and layer them within each bag, wrap each critical item separately and make sure they're packed tight within so they can't move. In a car make sure the larger stuff is seatbelted and put on the backseats for extra cushioning.

Just a sidenote, the gem manual actually states when the mount is in its case to unlock the Dec/Ra clutches to ensure no damage is caused to the gears/mechanicals.

Edited May 29, 2022 by Elp

[carastro]

I transport all my kit dismantled but nicely padded with sleeping bags etc.  the camera’s are in their own bags.  Been doing this regularly for years.  

[ninjageezer]

8 hours ago, carastro said:

I transport all my kit dismantled but nicely padded with sleeping bags etc.  the camera’s are in their own bags.  Been doing this regularly for years.  

That sounds like a good idea.the site is 15 mins drive from mine.its a private farm. i will put scope on back seat rolled up in a small duvet,take the mount off the tripod that can then be wrapped in a large duvet in the boot along with the tripod.

the other  bits can go in a bag .😉

[carastro]

I never had the aluminium cases to go with my kit apart from one, but in any case (pun = groan), they take up too much space and when I go camping I used to have to take a tent with me, food, cooker, fridge. seats, tables etc etc.  I do sleep in Glamping PODs these days or a caravan, but still loads to take.   Even now sometimes I have to strap things onto the roof rack.  

Carole  

[iapa]

16 hours ago, ninjageezer said:

Downie ???

slang term for a bed covering with  a filling such as feathers to provide warmth

You might know it as duvet.

[ninjageezer]

On 30/05/2022 at 14:47, iapa said:

slang term for a bed covering with  a filling such as feathers to provide warmth

You might know it as duvet.

arh should have guessed lol.

[ninjageezer]

Just now, ninjageezer said:

arh should have guessed lol. as in an old eiderdown,,,,

 

[robanddebrob]

In the 70s they were continental quilts I remember....