AP Mach 1

[LewisM]

I think now I have the FSQ106, it's time to get a REALLY good mount.

Does any retailer supply the AP Mach 1 here? Or do I have to order through AP (wait time???) or Telekop-Express in Germany?

Yes, jumping straight to the AP, and I don't need any other suggestions :) I want lifetime investments now - done my dash with swapping and trading and upgrading and.....

I want portability still, because I live in town with now crappy field of view. I do NOT want a pier mounted permanent setup.

[DavidTrap]

Order it through AP. Shipping will cost you about $5-600. Remember to add 10% GST to what ever the total bill is after you've converted the price to AUD.

DT

[LewisM]

Are you happy with yours David? What order time did you have with AP? (T-E say a 2-3 week wait, which seems odd for ANYTHING AP, unless they have some in stock)

[DavidTrap]

Very happy with it.

It all depends on what they have in stock and where they are in production runs. They produce mounts in batches - at the moment they may well be making 1100 or 1600s, so the Mach 1s, might be on a wait list.

Requires patience grasshopper, especially if you want one of their scopes!

DT

[DJT]

Hi Lewis

Am currently waitlisted (have been for 12 months) for the AP MachGTO

Get on the list and keep an eye out for 2nd hand units (unless TE actually has stock in which case...)

[LewisM]

TE's price is... SCARY! Converts to $10,840 AUD in today's exchange, compared to AP's $6350 USD. BIG DIFFERENCE!!!!

I put myself on the wait list. We shall see how long this one takes :) Time to start the saving (and selling again). Knowing my luck, it'll be available before I have all the dosh together.

[Camelopardalis]

Does TE's price not include German VAT @19%? US prices generally don't. Still a good differential though.

[Kunama]

I suppose if it gets real close, I could make an offer for the FSQ :P

[LewisM]

Now that would defeat the purpose... :)

[DavidTrap]

Have you allowed for tripod, mounting brackets, counterweights? They're not included with the base price quoted from AP.

You'd be like a kid at Christmas who's parents had forgotten the batteries…

DT

[Logieberra]

You've said, 'I want lifetime investments now...'.

Is the 1100GTO a possibility? Carries heaps. Still ultra portable. Just saying :)

[garymck]

Wondering why you need the AP mount for such a short focal length? A GPD2 should be well able to track accurately enough for anything that scope could do....

Gary

[LewisM]

Gary,

I wish... I love my GPD2... tracks FLAWLESSLY, with nary a peep perceptible during guiding - watching the tracking graph is pointless - absolutely flat line +/- bugger all.

BUT...

An FSQ BARE OTA weighs 7kg. Add a guidescope, finder, reducer, adapters, CCD, filter wheel, rings, bars... and voila, you are at almost 12kg, 2 kg over the GPD2's quoted 10kg (which SHOULD be conservative Japanese photographic weight limit, but you never know - American sites claim more weight, Japanese and Australian sites list it at 10).

I have a Sphinx (12kg limit) I may just try. It has had the NexW upgrade, so no odd dec behaviour caused by the Starbook :)

And I have an NEQ6... the "just in case' mount, bought in fear of seeing the GPD2 bearings grind and melt under the weight of an FSQ setup :)

I am lightening the load as much as I can to TRY to get it on the GPD2. The FSQ is on a no rice diet for a month :) :) :)

[wavelandscott]

I thought OPT was running a special on AP gear at NEAF...might be worth a look...

[LewisM]

OPT's current online price matches AP's online price.
Hmmmm, OK, AFTER removing the German 19% tax, T-E is cheaper (a bit in fact), but shipping is MORE...

Decisions, decisions...

Dave, haven't thought about the mounting options in great depth yet - might like to try a Losmandy tripod for it (sarcilege, I know!), or just do the entire AP thing :) Maybe even one of the new British made field tripods (name eludes me - always advertised in Astronomy Now and Sky at Night)

[Larryp]

I would go for the A-P portable pier-most solid thing I've ever used!
In fact many years ago, a mate set up to manufacture copies of my one, which he marketed under the name "BDCC"-brick dunny construction company:lol:

[Logieberra]

FYI, Peter Ward at ATS is the AP authorised dealer here in Australia. Contact him to see what's possible :)

[stanlite]

OPT has a up to 20% sale atm however the price is only changed after purchase as suppliers don't want them advertised (due to agreements with other stores ???) only til the 20th of April though

here is the link

http://www.optcorp.com/no-sales-tax-neaf-double-discounts

[LewisM]

Well, I have been made an offer I cannot refuse.

I am purchasing a complete Takahashi NJP setup.

Happy camper here!