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Old 23-12-2011, 09:29 PM
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gregbradley
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Sydney
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Hi-quality mounts that would handle a TOA130 and any reasonable upgrade from there (in case you want a bigger scope later) are:

Software Bisque PMX or PME.
AP 900 or 1200
G11 especially with the worm upgrades etc.
Tak EM400
ASA

There are other good mounts that are cheaper but they would be in the league of the above.

AP900 and PMX are largish but portable. Tak mounts don't have all the software and computer based gear that can fine tune the performance of the mount like Software Bisque or AP do but they are also natively very very accurate and their argument is their mounts don't need it.

If budget can allow it I'd go Software Bisque PMX. Its portable, it has every bell and whistle known to mankind and looks good! hehe.

You couldn't go wrong with AP or Tak either. G11 may need upgrading to be in the same league but there are lots who love em.

Yes you will need either an autoguiding camera or a self guiding camera.
SBIG are the only ones with self guiding cameras. A very handy feature although not so useful when using Ha filters.

Offaxis guiders are all the rage as they work so well once you set them up.

There are several guide cameras around from about AUD$350 (Orion or QHY5) to about US$650 (Starlight Express Lodestar or SBIG STi).
Also Starfish from Fishcamp Engineering (US$695) cooled version (US$995. SBIG ST402ME is cooled and USB 2, a bit heavy but probably the most sensitive (US$1495). You want something not too heavy, sensitive, able to do autodarks, bin 2x2, and lightweight and USB2 with fast downloads. Ideally it is cooled or very very low noise.

Greg.



a? If so what about support in Australia? I have heard of AP but none of the others. I am in unknown territory and need advice.

The dealer said I can use the software that comes with the mount or use "Sky".

Kind regards,

Paul.[/QUOTE]
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