Upgrading from an AZ GTi?

[Ags]

My AZ GTi seems to be giving up the ghost, it seems like something is catching in the azimuth axis leading to continuous vibrations. I'm not too sad as the GTi has been a constant source of headaches interspersed with the odd magical session.

I use the mount for photography and a little visual (solar, lunar and planetary).

I had been thinking of getting a bigger refractor next, sometime in October, but now it looks like I need a mount. But what? Reading on CN about Star Adventurer GTi and the Ioptron Skyhunter make my blood run cold. Are these new mounts really that bad? A harmonic drive mount capable of AZ and running off an app or preferrably hand controller would be a contender, but the cost is insane. Also I would be doing short 5-20 second subs unguided. Not sure that's possible with a harmonic drive mount.

The other option is to give up on photography for now and get  ScopeTech Mount Zero. That will allow the fine tracking and intuitive controls that would work for sharing the views with my family.

Or maybe an EQM35? I don't know! I don't know! 🤣

 

Edited August 10, 2022 by Ags

[JeremyS]

AZ 75?

[ONIKKINEN]

The EQM-35 is an EQ-3 with extra marketing and cost. If you really want a cheap wobbly EQ mount then go for the EQ3 as its pretty much the same thing mechanically but much cheaper.

Maybe just a good old EQ5? Doesn't break the bank and is a step in the right direction from the AZ-GTi. I would wait for Skywatcher and ioptron to iron out the kinks of this first generations of products out before buying either one of them. Reading the CN threads doesn't paint a picture of a properly finished product.

[Ags]

Sadly the AZ-GTi and SkyHunter (and maybe the harmonic mounts) are the only mounts that are in the right weight/size range for me. An EQ5 is not coming on Holiday to La Palma... But the more I look, the more I see there is no portable mount with tracking with a good reputation. Seriously considering just getting the Mount Zero for the Mars season.

For photography I might indeed get an EQ-3. It's not like I am aiming for 5-minute subs.

Can a Zero really take 7 kgs load?

[ONIKKINEN]

Portable, acceptable short exposure unguided performance, affordable, decent payload. Let me know when you find one, ill be getting one too!

But in all seriousness, this mount does not exist yet. But maybe if the new harmonic mount drives take over the traditional german equatorial mount designs we will get cheaper options after a few years of cost reductions (hopefully) due to markets of scale.

If the affordable part gets dropped out then there are a lot of options. But all cost an arm and a leg... Take this new Avalon mount for example: https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p15180_Avalon-EVO-zero-GoTo-Mount.html

Pretty much exactly fits the bill of portability, performance and convenience of both AZ and EQ use, but you could buy 10 new AZ-GTIs for the price...

[badhex]

So, having read about a lot of your woes I totally understand why this might not be your first choice, but have you considered either getting your AZ-GTi serviced (if there is a dealer who can do it) or following some of the guides and essentially giving it a bit of a fettle (or both)?

A lot of the basic tweaks to fix or improve known/ common issues are reasonably straightforward from what I've seen, and best of all will not cost you much apart from perhaps a few supplies. After all, if your AZ-GTi is indeed giving up the ghost you have little to lose except a bit of time.

Might be worth a go? 

[badhex]

2 hours ago, Ags said:

Can a Zero really take 7 kgs load?

Er, perhaps what I said before about refurbing your AZ-GTi is irrelevant as I just realised you mentioned a possible new scope and 7kg load - unless I'm confused and mean you're already putting 7kg on your AZ-GTi? 

Either way, I have my TS102 F7 ED on the zero which is something like 5.5+kg. It's probably the perfect weight for the mount, but I personally wouldn't want to put too much more on it unless it's a short tube, in which case it might be better. 

Edited August 11, 2022 by badhex

[Ags]

I don't think I would go bigger than my C6 to be honest. But I was surprised the stated max load was 7 kg.

[Ags]

I do kind of like this... No electronics!

If I can get that to work for me, I could get the Zero and the Omegon MiniTrack Quattro. 

[tompato]

I love the look of the little Minitrack Quattro, looks really nicely machined. Looks nice to do wide field with when you're out and about without worrying about power.

[CharlieL]

On yesterday's What's Up webcast from Skywatcher USA, Kevin hinted that a new mount between the AZ-GTI and the HEQ5 (or AZ-EQ5) may be on the horizon.  Even more strongly hinted that we'll soon be hearing about a mount falling between the EQ6-R Pro and the EQ8-R Pro, which seems overdue to me.  I don't know anything else about either of these, but here's a link to the webcast in case you're interested: 

 

[Elp]

I got a gem28 as an upgrade so I could potentially use something like a C8 or C9.25. The amount of times I've used it though? Twice. My azgtis get far more scope time as they work so well (for me), last night I was getting around 0.7" RMS guiding, it ranges from 0.5-1.5 normally. Portable, light, easy to setup, the mount does exist. Maybe once mine pack up I'll be at a loss as what to get next, or stick with the gem even though it's more of a pain (just the amount to carry out and back in again as I assemble and disassemble every time).

[CharlieL]

That's great to hear - I don't use my AZ-GTI very often, but when I do, it always (or almost always) performs well including in terms of autoguiding.  And it works flawlessly with the ASIAir, which is important to me.  I ordered a Star Adventurer GTI, but not to replace the AZ-GTI  - I'm just hoping that it performs as well as the AZ-GTI and then I'll have a great pair of travel mounts.     

[AstroNebulee]

41 minutes ago, CharlieL said:

ordered a Star Adventurer GTI, but not to replace the AZ-GTI  - I'm just hoping that it performs as well as the AZ-GTI and then I'll have a great pair of travel mounts.     

I've been waiting to hear about anyone's user experiences with the new SA gti, purely to see its performance and going on this thread on cloudy nights (not seen any user reviews here yet) it needs a bit of tweaking and fettling like the az gti does to perform well. Paying the extra above the az gti and extras needed, swings and roundabouts I think but I'd stick with the az gti (not biased 😉) unless skywatcher can iron out the issues before they get to ah hmm qc 😬.  But saying that there are some clunky az gti too so who knows which is better. I'm definitely sticking with my beautiful az gti I've put to much time into her 😊. 

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/808906-star-adventurer-gti/page-7

Lee 

Edited August 13, 2022 by AstroNebulee
addition

[Ags]

I think I will try the SA GTi, although to be honest I really only need the tracking and polar scope. I would never under any circumstances use goto, too stressful!

[Dave1]

I'd be very interested in seeing how you get on with the SA GTi?

[Elp]

On 11/08/2022 at 22:05, Ags said:

I do kind of like this... No electronics!

If I can get that to work for me, I could get the Zero and the Omegon MiniTrack Quattro. 

It is kind of good, i've got the LX version and used it to do 14mm widefield with 2 minute subs, not even polar aligned very well. You'll have to figure a way to stop it turning within the eq wedge, technically polar alignment should also be extremely easy if using an uncooled zwo camera and screwing the camera via it's 1/4 inch centre hole directly onto the RA axis bolt. It also has a timed limit (its based on a cooking clock) so be wary of waking up any neighbours by it's ringing once it's fully unwound!

[david_taurus83]

That CN thread makes for depressing reading. Seems like the new SA GTi is pretty much the AZ GTi internals in a purpose made EQ platform and twice the price. If its using the same reduction gearbox on the motor with the 3 nylon planetary gears then that's very disappointing as it's the main source of backlash in the AZ GTi. Still waiting to see how folk on here are faring with theirs.