Anyone heard of PMX shipments yet?

[PRejto (Peter)]

I'm wondering how much you guys have been charged for shipping? I just got a bill from SB for $1,250 for shipping (which includes the MX, extra counter weight, shaft extension, and external power cable). I remember reading a post on the SB forum about cost to Australia and I thought it was about 50% of this amount. Could be wishful thinking on my part! At least I'm finally getting somewhere with this! I might cancel the counter weight if it's driving the shipping cost so much...

[frolinmod]

That sounds about right if they're shipping via UPS or FedEx. I once priced shipping a Paramount GT-1100S (precursor to the Paramount ME) from California to Australia and that's about what it came out to at the time with two counterweights (same ones as used on the MX) included. That was in Australian currency, which at the time I think was worth a bit less than it is now. Mind you, the 1100S is heavier than either the MX or ME. It was over 70lbs just for the mount proper. When a box goes over 70lbs, they charge extra. You can go online and get shipping estimates from both UPS and FedEx just by entering box sizes and weights. My experience is that their estimates are always accurate to within a dollar or so. I think the trick is not to use UPS or FedEX, but instead another less expensive shipper. I ended up selling the mount to a guy in Arizona. Cost of shipping to there was negligible by comparison. Boy did that guy get a good deal too!

[rat156]

Originally Posted by PRejto

I'm wondering how much you guys have been charged for shipping? I just got a bill from SB for $1,250 for shipping (which includes the MX, extra counter weight, shaft extension, and external power cable). I remember reading a post on the SB forum about cost to Australia and I thought it was about 50% of this amount. Could be wishful thinking on my part! At least I'm finally getting somewhere with this! I might cancel the counter weight if it's driving the shipping cost so much...

Hi Peter,

I paid US$597.36 for shipping via Allstates, very good shipper as well.

Then about $450 Aussie to get it through customs and about $850 for GST.

Make sure the customs clearance is in the $1200 your paying to SB.

Cheers
Stuart

[PRejto (Peter)]

Originally Posted by rat156

Hi Peter,


Make sure the customs clearance is in the $1200 your paying to SB.

Cheers
Stuart

Stuart, would you please clarify this last statement? Are you talking about the $450 you paid? Are you saying the $450 should be included in the $1250 quote I got from SB? Confused. Also, I was under the impression that one had to pay GST on the entire amount including shipping, so how did you manage to only pay $850? (10% of $8,500) Many thanks!!

[gregbradley]

$450 for customs clearance sounds like a lot. Why so much?

Did you use Allstates for that or someone else?

Greg.

Originally Posted by rat156

Hi Peter,

I paid US$597.36 for shipping via Allstates, very good shipper as well.

Then about $450 Aussie to get it through customs and about $850 for GST.

Make sure the customs clearance is in the $1200 your paying to SB.

Cheers
Stuart

[rat156]

The breakdown of charges from the customs clearance agent was...
Import terminal fee $65
Airline terminal fee $45
Air cargo automation fee $20
Airline documentation fee $50
Customs clearance $90
Cartage $75
Cartage fuel surcharge $9.75

These all are GST applicable, GST $35.48

Import GST $835.64
Customs electronic fee $55.20

Neither of these two attract GST

Total $1281.07

I paid the freight charges from US to Aus on another invoice.

Cheers
Stuart

[PRejto (Peter)]

Stuart, Thanks for all the details. I admit to being pretty ignorant about this sort of import. so.....

When you contracted Allstates to ship the mount did they also charge you for other costs you detailed re customs, or did you hire someone else (who?) to do the actual importing? Or does all of that happen when the mount shows up at custom. In other words, does Australian customs generate those charges? I'd really appreciate it if you would clarify this just a bit more for me!!!!
Thanks!!!!!

[rat156]

Hi Peter,

I shipped through OPT. They organised Allstates to do the shipping. Then the Allstates representative in Aus contcated me to get the customs clearance payment and authority (to act on my behalf).

So I paid OPT for the scope, then OPT for the shipping (they would have forwarded this onto Allstates, then Allstates (in Aus) for the customs clearance and GST etc. as detailed above.

Hope this helps.

Cheers
Stuart

[cventer]

Wooohooo just been notified my PMX will arrive in country by Friday.

Yeah baby. I can wait, but learning curve is going to be huuuuuuuge!

[gregbradley]

Good one Chris.

The ME was actually quite user friendly so apart from learning t-point which took a bit, the mount is very easy to use. MX appears to be almost identical just a bit smaller.

By the way I was most impressed with the ME last night. I am able to image 10 minutes with a 165mm lens unguided and get round stars. Fantastic performance.

Greg.

[frolinmod]

Greg, only 165mm focal length? That's not very surprising. I think the ME can do way better than that.

[Mighty_oz (Marcus)]

Originally Posted by frolinmod

Greg, only 165mm focal length? That's not very surprising. I think the ME can do way better than that.

Put protrack on and u can get upto 20 min unguided with 100inches of focal length gear according to their site, so 10 min with 165mm is ... well ... u know ... kind of ordinary i shall now

[gregbradley]

Really?

I should try that.

I did turn Protrack on for some of the exposures. I had a few that were no good but it is probably cable drag or imbalance so I turned it off.

300mm F4 also looked good at 5 minutes. I may have done a 10 minute on that as well.

I wonder how big a T-point model you would need to do 100 inch focal length 20 minute exposures?

Greg.

Originally Posted by Mighty_oz

Put protrack on and u can get upto 20 min unguided with 100inches of focal length gear according to their site, so 10 min with 165mm is ... well ... u know ... kind of ordinary i shall now

Originally Posted by frolinmod

Greg, only 165mm focal length? That's not very surprising. I think the ME can do way better than that.

[Paul Haese]

Maybe 300-1000 points Greg, so I have read. There are a couple of threads on SB about the number of points.

[cfranks (Charles)]

Originally Posted by Paul Haese

Maybe 300-1000 points Greg, so I have read. There are a couple of threads on SB about the number of points.

First time with the MX last night and 90% was me trying to get talking to TheSkyX and T-Point. I only got about 10 points! so 300 - 1000 fills me with dread. My problem of course, not the mount, I don't know 300 stars.
With my G11 and MaximDL/Maxpoint, after an initial 4 - 6 star alignment, I could select an automated run and the mount would slew all over the sky, taking images and plate solving, building the pointing model as it went. Is there a way that T-Point could do the same thing?

Charles

[frolinmod]

Yes, the Tpoint Add On for TheSkyX can do automated calibration runs where it slews all over the place taking pictures and plate solving them. You only need to map six or so points manually (with some on each side of the meridian) before pointing gets good enough for plate solves to start working reliably so that you can do the rest with an automated calibration run. When I set my mount up, I first do six to twelve points manually (with some stars on each side of the meridian), then do a few short 25-30 point automated runs, tweaking polar alignment between each short run, then do my long automated run of 180 or more points once I have polar alignment good enough. Then I turn ProTrack on. Five minutes unguided at f/11 and 3911mm focal length (EdgeHD 14) with perfectly round stars is routine. Ten minutes unguided at the same focal length is achievable, but takes more time tweaking polar alignment. Certainly worth doing for a long term set up (in the backyard), but not usually worth the time at a remote site.

[cfranks (Charles)]

Thanks Ernie, if the wind drops, I will try it tonight. My setup is backyard on a 'naked' pier so I have to remove the OTA (DSI RC10C 1854 fl) at the end of each night plus the MX if there is going to be poor weather. The MX is able to be accurately relocated so I shouldn't need to do a heavy Polar Alignment each time.

Charles

[cventer]

I would imaging if you take mount off and ota off the mount your T-point model would be invalidated. Especially related to the accuracy you need for unguided imaging. Anyone who has done this comment ?

[frolinmod]

Originally Posted by cfranks

Thanks Ernie, if the wind drops, I will try it tonight. My setup is backyard on a 'naked' pier so I have to remove the OTA (DSI RC10C 1854 fl) at the end of each night plus the MX if there is going to be poor weather. The MX is able to be accurately relocated so I shouldn't need to do a heavy Polar Alignment each time.

Rough alignment will hold with OTA and mount setup and teardown, but I wouldn't count on it holding well enough for astrophotography without at least a little tweaking each time you set up. Removing your OTA will certainly invalidate your Tpoint model every time. At the very least you're going to be wasting time doing an automated recalibration run at the start of each observing session.

Instead, I'd recommend purchasing a Telegizmos 365 cover for your mount and OTA and leaving them in place, removing them only during poor weather. Remove and pack up only the camera each night before covering the OTA end(s), inserting a plastic plug into the focuser and putting on the T365 cover. Then you won't have to do anything special most nights other then turn on the power, home and go. That's what I do.

[gregbradley]

Originally Posted by Paul Haese

Maybe 300-1000 points Greg, so I have read. There are a couple of threads on SB about the number of points.

Thanks Paul.

I turned on Protrack last night. I think it helped.

If you got Protrack working really well you could potentially do away with autoguiding.

Greg.