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Another chapter is unfolding with this scope. I bought Raki's AP1600GTO to mount the Honders as the PMX as good and smooth as it is was at or bit past its capacity. Following the principle of overmounting your scope I thought it was appropriate. I could have gotten another PME but wanted to try AP as anything AP I have had has always performed the best of anything.
Also a lot of RHA owners use AP1600's I found out.
I am in the process of modifying my pier (almost finished) to hold it and also to upgrade the bolts to larger sizes so its really rigid. I may end up going permanent pier rather than this fairly solid but portable pier I have from Mountain Instruments.
The AP1600 can handle 100kgs of load. It also field upgradable to super accurate encoders which gives less than .2 arc sec tracking and eliminate PE.
I may end up getting those at some point in the future when the Aussie dollar recovers (what - say 2020???).
I drove to Melbourne and Lakes Entrance to deliver my trusty PMX to Erik and pick up the AP1600 from Raki. Over 3000kms later it is at home.
So it will be 2 separate systems, the CDK on a PME and the RHA on an AP1600 both able to run at the same time with 2 different computers so I can get maximum imaging time done and probably do several combined images. PL16803 on the CDK and something smaller on the RHA perhaps an 8300 camera. That gives a similar FOV to each other and matches the pixel to focal lengths well.
By the way if anyone wants to buy an AP RHA there is one up for auction on Astromart. I think this is the 2nd one I have seen for sale since AP started making them 3 or 4 years ago, so its rare.
Also Rolands personal AP175 refractor. You can bet that is a beauty.
Greg
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