New mount or same mount new scope???

[batema]

Hi,

With my wifes approval (well sort of), actually I bet to talk to her, I am going to buy a new piece of equipment.

My current imaging system is a EQ6 Pro woth Williams Optics Flt 110 with a W/O 70mm guide scope. I use a QHY9 mono with filter wheel. It is a great set up and I am very happy with it. I am also looking at the idea of a GSO 10 RC as it would allow me to image fainter objects with greater magnification.

My dilemma is the weight of this scope and guide scope on EQ6 Pro. So would it be more advisable to go the PARAMOUNT MX/ASTROPHYSICS 900 Goto and then weight till I can afford GSO. I do not have an observatory so I would also have to get a transportable pier but then I would have a mount for my future purchases.

Any thoughts???

Mark

[TrevorW]

New mount

Losmandy G11-G2 with Maxxon Motors and OPWB

[gbeal]

I have the 8" GSO R/C, and on an NEQ6. It would do what it does for me, give me a 1600mm focal length, reduced to about 1100mm if required.
Why the 10"?
There is/was one in the classifieds, too cheap even.
Gary

[batema]

I suppose Gary it was just the concept of getting into a larger scope and being able have that extra focal length allowing me to go further into objects. That was all.

[TheDecepticon]

I don't see a G11 as an upgrade from an EQ6 that is working well. I have also posted in the equipment forum asking basically the same question.

Do not pass go, do not collect $200.00, go straight to the AP or Paramount.

[TrevorW]

I'll beg to differ on that one as I have owned both and it's a big step to go from a $1500 mount to a $10000 one.

:thumbsup:

[RickS]

I really appreciate how my AP900 mount just works perfectly without tweaking, unlike most other components of my imaging rig. My vote is for the AP900 or PMX. Have a look at the Rob Miller tripods as an alternative to a portable pier:
http://www.astromart.com/classifieds/details.asp?classified_id=717189

Cheers,
Rick.

[TheDecepticon]

That is your choice, not a problem.:D

I just would not go that way with what I know now.:)

[[1ponders]]

Hear hear. I don't know what to do with myself once the imaging run is started. The AP900 just works! Nothing to do ..... except deal with operator errors. :doh:

[Poita]

I've finally used both mounts and just don't see much improvement at all going from a well setup EQ6Pro to a G11, especially if auto guiding. Slightly better PE, but really no benefit it the amount of load it can take for reliable photography.

An AP900 would be a true step up, and handle the weight with no hassles. A PMX would as well, but from all accounts can be a little more tricky. Maybe get one of those two mounts and grab a cheap 2nd hand SCT for the meantime to get long focal length and better aperture.
Then when the time comes, sell the SCT and pick up an RC.
A 8" SCT is so cheap 2nd hand (<$500), and you'll get 80% or more of your money back when you resell it, and gain experience in long FL photography.

[TrevorW]

Peter have you owned both ??

[gregbradley]

I'd go PMX.

I have both PME and PMX mounts and have now spent a bit of time with the PMX. Its a beauty.

I looked at AP900 versus PMX and I decided that the real contest was more PMX and AP1200. AP1200 has a bit more weight capacity, is more expensive, does not come with any software and requires extra software to get the best out of it (not sure if it comes with Pempro but it would need it).

PMX is relatively light weight, ultra modern and totally up to date, can do a rapid quick polar align (AP900 and 1200 probably can do that too),
comes with a lot of software that is worth close to $1000, is very sophisticated and can work very simply or can actually do robotic remote
control like PME can. Oh and it has a really well written and comprehensive manual which is easy to read and apply and is consise and complete. Compare that with a Tak manual (its 2 pages and has one datum in it of use!!).

I would not call it tricky really. But say compared to a Tak NJP yes I suppose it is as it is 2/3rds hardware and 1/3rd software really. But it can be made to be super accurate, low PE, incredible go-to accuracy.

I have never used an AP mount but have an AP scope. Anything Roland Christen produces would be fantastic. He is a perfectionist and has incredibly high standards.

But PMX is very modern and has all the bells and whistles and can go easily from a quick portable setup to sophisticated really accurate permanent setup.

Either would be a dream mount but PMX is better bang for your buck - do the maths on the costs and you'll see the PMX is better value.

PMX has the home feature which is invaluable. That means when homed it goes to a known position so it knows where it is. That means you can have it all aligned and ready to go, then rebalance and shift things around then rehome and it will go-to perfectly straight away. That feature alone is worth getting a PME or PMX it is extremely useful.

It has a very nice joystick unit which is wonderful to use for framing your image. I got round stars every time with relatively little setup (mine is not fully tweaked yet). It works all the time. It is perhaps a tad fussier as it has an onboard USB hub (which you don't have to use but is handy for plugging in filter wheel and guider). If say a power lead pulls out of the filter wheel from that supply point and you are using the USB hub then ihe mount will lose connection also. You then need to reconnect and once or twice that meant rebooting the computer as USB hub problems tend to stick and only repowering seems to reset them.

I'd not hesitate in recommending the PMX. It is rated up to a 14 inch Cassegrain in capacity. That's a lot of future upgrades. I think a 14 inch Cassegrain would be too much for an AP900. AP900 is similar to Tak NJP and that would max around 12 inch. Owners of the mount may know better there. I am sure though Roland Christen would recommend an AP1200 for a 14 inch Cassegrain.

The PMX has a few cool features as well. It is very quiet, very fast slews that are totally accurate, it has a little red light that lights up the Polar Alignment controls so you can see them to adjust them, it has a pleasant little whistle sound when it powers up and a very quiet little musical sound in the background when operating (not like the fax machine chatter of a PME).

The 3 way switch for engaging the gears is also a nice feature.

You get The Sky X pro, T-Point addon, camera add-ons to run with CCDsoft, CCDsoft full version, and PE software. That's a lot of software and is worth around $1000.

I'd give mine a 9 out of 10 with a 1 point deduction for a poorly set spring setting for the gears that I need to adjust yet. Otherwise if the scope is badly misbalanced the gears will slip and the scope will swing around ( 1 clock on the head so far and a near miss on another time).

Still there is a simple adjustment I can do myself which I will do before next using it. I was sent a PDF with detailed instructions on how to do the adjustment. Its not the end of the world.

Greg.

[batema]

Thank you all for the feedback.

[TrevorW]

Ok here is a graph of the PE from a stock new G11 straight out of the box unguided (as informed)

http://www.pbase.com/loc46south/image/84933695

I don't think an EQ6 would match this

[gregbradley]

That's very low PE Trevor.

Greg.

[TrevorW]

Greg I'm taking his word for it obviously he didn't change the descriptor i n the screen dump but I think Losmandys latest batch of G11's have corrected a lot of previous issues and we are looking at here probably -+5 arc sec PE realistically

I'd still opt for the Maxxon motors and probably if you wanted to improve on this PE add the OPWB

I'm just advocating that if you don't have $10000 to spend on an AP or PM mount then a G11 is a realistic alternative and a step up from an EQ6

Having owned both I can attest to the fact that setting up the G11 each night (no permanent setup) polar aligning etc is a lot easier than it was with the EQ6 and my star images are tighter now than they were with the EQ6

Cheers

[Poita]

My EQ6 gets around +-6 after I gave it a seeing to. The PE is somewhat irrelevant really with auto guiding anyway, and I find the G11 takes me longer to setup. Brendan gets his EQ6 setup way faster than I do.
There just isn't much between a late model EQ6 and a G11, especially if you are willing to work the EQ6 a bit.

For a GSO 10" RC realistically I would want a better mount pretty soon than either of them IMO.

If he doesn't have the money for a PMX, then the point is moot really.
In that case I'd get the new scope and refurb his existing mount *if* it needs it.
If the mount doesn't work out, then see if you can try a G11 before buying one - if the EQ6 doesn't cope I'm not convinced the G11 will either.

No question the G11 has a better fit and finish, and these days with the improved block are better out of the box than they used to be.