Equatorial Tracking Platform

[DGM]

Hello everyone,
I was hoping that someone out there might know if there are any equatorial tracking platforms for Dobsonians for sale in Australia? You can buy them in the States but they're expensive and not worth the shipping expense. I could make my own if I could get the bits and pieces necessary to allow the scope to track. Making the platform for the right latitude is the easy bit but I'd like it to track if I can get the right stuff.

Anyway, I thought I'd ask on the forum before trying at the shops and/or suppliers. Thanks.

[iceman (Mike)]

Hi DGM.

I sold my Equatorial platform only 3 weeks ago I had mine for about 18 months, and ordered it direct from www.roundtableplatforms.com in the US. It cost about AU$700 to get it made and shipped here. I'm not sure what the prices are now. spacezebra got one from the same place more recently for her 12" LB, she may have more up-to-date pricing.

Brian Reed does do a fantastic job on them, and they work very well. I used mine for both visual use and solar system astrophotography.

Bintel used to sell the Johnsonian tracking platforms, but they were over $1000 and i'm not sure if they still sell them. I seem to remember someone telling me they no longer sell them.

Matt Lovell from telescopes-astronomy in South Australia was thinking about sourcing a local engineer to make them for Australians but i'm not sure if that ever got legs.

I'd still go for roundtableplatforms - the shipping will be expensive but they're a great piece of gear and well worth it if you don't want an GEM.

btw to IceInSpace!

[rmcpb (Rob)]

Welcome to IIS DGM

I have Mike's "old" platform and its brilliant. If you want tracking for less than an hour on an object then a platform is the way to go and worth every cent spent. A platform has several plusses over the GEM for a dob owner:

• The scope is simply put on top of the platform when used, no mods necessary.
• The eyepiece is in a convenient position at all times.
• The scope can be simply used as a dob at a moments notice.
• Objects stay in the FOV for hands off observing and really does add an extra 2" of aperture. Last week I had a 5.5mm eyepiece in the scope and went inside for something. When I came out again Saturn was still right in the middle of the FOV. With that accuracy you can really study an object at leisure.

I know it seems expensive to import one of these platforms BUT if you compare the overall cost to a GEM with drives for your scope it will probably be cheaper and MUCH EASIER to use.

You may gather I like this one and coming from someone who made one before, which worked well, this one is brilliant and worth the cost.

Cheers
Rob.

[DGM]

Hi,
Thanks Iceman and also Rob.
I went to the US website and the platform you mentioned now costs AU$701. So prices haven't changed.
I asked Matt from Telescope-Astronomy yesterday and he just sent me some images of both a wooden and a metal proto-type, they don't have motors for them yet but he tells me they will soon. I have no prices as yet but the metal one looks good.

All the best, Ken.

PS - I love the IIS site :0)

[netwolf]

DGM, Yes Matt has come up with a prototype without motors. It is to the best of my knowledge the only Australian solution to date. I spoke with Matt a great deal last year about the merits of creating a solution like this. To his credit he listened and has come up with a prototype.

I would urge the dob users who are considering a tracking solution to drop him an email of interest. The problem is no one is likely to develop or invest in this solution unless there is genuine interest from the community.

Regards

[DGM]

Thanks Netwolf,
I didn't realize this was a motorless prototype, I got the idea that Matt (Telescopes and Astronomy) was waiting for motors to arrive. Either way they look good!
I can quote a price now, although this is just tentative as it's early days yet. Matt said they will cost somewhere around the AU$480 to $500 range for Dobs up to about 10" which is the lowest price I've come across yet. The added advantage is that there won't be the usual large shipping fees from abroad and anything extra that customs might add!
Kind Regards,
Ken.

[netwolf]

Ken,

I did not mean to suggest it was a motor less design, rather that motors had not been added yet. Last I spoke with Matt, they were waiting on motors etc.

Regards