Nice start Greg. I noticed you have another thread about using a compass for setting-up, did you get the polar scope too?
While it is not the best polar scope in the world(far from it) it is definitely way more accurate than using a compass for alignment. Worth the extra cash methinks.
Marc,
I have the full Astrotrac
Travel System which includes the Tracker, portable pier, wedge, polar scope, head and counterweights - to convert to a GEM.
The whole kit packs up into a bag approx 180mm(7") diameter and 800mm(32") long. I don't have a set of scales here, but at a guess, all packed, weight would be just over 10kg.
The Bag has a shoulder strap, and when I have carried it this way the weight has never bothered me.
Once you know the drill, set-up time is only a few mins. Polar aligning a few mins more, 10 - 15 mins if you are like me and try to get it as spot-on as possible thru the polar scope
My first night I spent half an hour or an hour or something at the polar scope, got it sweet enough to take a 15min shot with a 105mm lens with no trailing with no guiding, was pretty happy with that.
Not long after that, I bumped the pier and had to start all over again! Since then I have used a garbage bag filled with 10L of water in the pier to add 10kg ballast which worked a treat, she was rock-steady.
I will soon be carrying three 5kg sand bags that drop down into the pier to add ballast. Much more convenient than water.
