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[-=CROMAN=-]

It is such an undertaking to get my EQ mount outdoors, unpacked, polar aligned and powered up. While the accuracy of my mount and its capabilities for carrying video and camera equipment is awesome, I am beginning to miss the simplicity of a dob.

The ability to plop down a base and attach an OTA is sadly missed. I can no longer roll out my scope for a quick look. This is not good.

My whole purpose for moving into the world of EQ mounts was strictly for astrophotography. But more times than not I am just wanting to look through an eyepiece under my own power not AC current.

I foresee a truss Dob in my future

That's my rant for this morning.... Have a great day

[erikruud]

How about this one?

www.cruxis.com/scope/scope1070.htm

He says he can move it and set it up by himself.

[-=CROMAN=-]

That's insane! I'll settle on a 14"

[erikruud]

I just realized this one is bigger.
www.cruxis.com/scope/scope1100.htm

[erikruud]

How about a 12" Truss Tube Dob?
www.opticsplanet.net/sky-watcher-12in-dobsonian-telescope-s11740.html

[-=CROMAN=-]

I had looked at those but I would like the intelliscope feature from Orion. This way I would not have to install the degree circles like I had on my 10" Zhumell. It's a bit lazy but the intelliscope has some pretty good ratings.

I posted a for trade ad on astromart today. Maybe I can get lucky

[erikruud]

So, what are you offering in trade?

[-=CROMAN=-]

The mount is mint so no discount on that. Think about it this way. If you were to buy the mount new it would cost 1500. The pelican case adds another $150. The camera plus reducer, tmount, cables power supply another $190. The C8 albeit not in the best shape can easily still fetch $300 plus a couple of new screws if you so see fit. Technically its like buying the mount and camera system and getting a C8 for free.

1) Atlas EQ-G with everything that came in the box.
2) Samsung SCB-2000 camera
3) GSO .5 focal reducer
4) T-mount for camera
5) 1985 Celestron C8 with bobs knobs and flocking
6) BNC to RCA cable for Samsung
7) Pelican case for Atlas Mount Head
8) C8 Dew Shield
9) Baader UV/IR cut filter
10) Brass solar filter shown in picture

If in the end I cant get the scope I want for this setup Im none the worse. Its still a very cool setup with a killer mount for AP. Ill just invest in a marine battery to power it all and learn to live with the setup time.

[RobbW]

Hee hee! Rich, this sounds eerily similar to my rants from last year about how long and how much effort it takes to set up my scope. I started looking at getting a secondary scope for grab-n-go purposes. That's what led me to building my scope buggy. I no longer have too many gripes about the setup of my scope when I want to go out for a short/quick observing session.

After I get my scope assembled on my buggy, it usually takes me a little while for the initial setup, e.g. balancing and alignment. The first night out after assembly is usually spent dialing everything in. That part still kind of sucks. However, the good thing is that after that is all done, every night after that, I can just roll my scope and buggy out to my observing site and be up and running within 15-20 minutes. WAAAAAYYYYY better than the 1+ hour it used to take me. As long as I leave everything assembled on the buggy, I can just wheel it right back into my garage at the end of the night and be ready to go the next night!

I can certainly understand your frustration. Even with the ease of my scope buggy setup, I still sometimes long for a truly grab-n-go system.

[erikruud]

Make sure you get a true deep cycle battery. Marine batteries are usually not true deep cycle. Either way you will want a buggy just to transport it, they can be very heavy. I have a 125 Amp Hour battery on my camper and I don't like to carry it very far.

I don't see the Byer's Drive in that list.

[-=CROMAN=-]

The byers drive was with the wedge and tripod

[erikruud]

Did I miss something? I thought you still had all three of those.

[-=CROMAN=-]

no. not any longer. the tripod broke completely so i dumped it. A guy on the net made me an offer for the byers and wedge that i could not refuse.

[erikruud]

I did not know that.

Good luck on your trade then.

I would offer you the Ares 5, but it only has the manual setting circles. ;D

[headdunce]

May 15, 2012 11:05:42 GMT -6 -=CROMAN=- said:

Ill just invest in a marine battery to power it all

I've got a motorcycle battery that I replaced last week. The old one seems to still work, I just didn't trust it anymore (didn't want to get stranded) The new one is the same as the old and was $140, it's a small sealed battery with gel in it or something weird like that so it won't leak. You can have the old one if you'd like, I don't have a use for it. I know I wouldn't want to haul around my boat battery, or worse yet my RV battery, and the scope

I've been too busy lately to play with my truss dob, but I'm really looking forward to taking it camping 3 hours north Memorial weekend ;D

[-=CROMAN=-]

Jim.... wow.. yeah that would be very cool!

[atomant]

A good reason for having more than one scope setup.

One for serious stuff i.e astrophotography.
One for grab-n-go after a long day's work.
One for outreach.

Measure twice before cutting.

Good luck and have fun finding your "holy grail" of setups.

Note: Not great time to sell. Also Orion has sale on AP stuff.

[-=CROMAN=-]

I miss the aperture! The search continues.

[headdunce]

It's yours then, let me know when you're around. I'm over by Cumberland and Lawrence, I can bring it to a star party or whatever although I'm not around Chicago much on the weekends now that my camper is open. If it works for you, great, if not toss it in a bon fire