Affordable Eq. platform for Dobs

[stephenmcnelley]

DOBSONIAN TRACKING PLATFORMS
We are hard at work developing a Dobsonian Platform for Tracking. The Platform will enable the user to keep an object centered for around 45mins. This is particularly useful for long stares at planetary and Moon details, and of course, any other object. Although the Platform is not intended for astrophotography, there will be an improvement over other methods of taking images using a Dobsonian telescope (Astrophotography with a Dobsonian article - October 2005). We estimate the pricing to be around $400 to $500 for an 200mm or 250mm Dobsonian.Let us know if you are interested and what sort of Dobsonian you have, and the size.

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Found this at telescopes and astronomy, well this is new to me at least, sounds very affordable. Anyone know more about them?

[iceman]

No, been waiting to find out more. Saw that in the latest newsletter too.

Fahim (netwolf) may have more information, because I know he's been on a crusade, a quest, to find some cheap EQ platforms :)

[ving]

sounds great. i have oft wondered why platforms are so damn expensive.

mike just get the eq6, you know you want to! :P

[skies2clear]

Sounds like a good deal. Will you be offering anything for larger scopes in the future?

[stephenmcnelley]

Hi skies,
Sorry mate that add came from the telescopes and astronomy website i just cut and pasted it on the post, i dont make or supply the platforms:doh:

weblink - http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/astronomy129.htm

[netwolf]

Yes well I have approached a few people to provide such a platform that is affordable. Given the popularity of the dob, this is a must have upgrade. But it needs to be affordable. Matt from T&A has been very responsive to this and I am pleased to see that his and his local Astronomy club members efforts are paying off. All I have done is to ask various people if they could come up with an affordable design and market it, the credit goes fully to Matt and his colleagues who responded.

Regards

[stephenmcnelley]

So they are out there and being used then?

[netwolf]

Last I herd they have a prototype and are testing motors etc.

[stephenmcnelley]

Thanks netwolf, hats off to everyone behind the new platform project, a good locally made Dob table would be fantastic and needed by many of us.
Fingers are crossed.:)