Re: [Utah-astronomy] TeleTrack GoTo mount - use report -
Chuck wrote:
So far I am happy with my purchase. Remember that I bought this mount initially just to mount my PST, to emulate Kurt's terrific PST tracking setup. The night-time use is a bonus.
http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=mounts_and_tripods/~pc... All the credit goes to Bill Cowles. The TeleTrek low-end mount ($300) is a second-generation and consumer-refined version of the older GT114 mount that I use. Like the GT114, the TeleTrek's weight limit is 9lbs - so no adding a heavy DSLR to your light APO scope. I assume main gears inside, like the later GT114s, are metal, not plastic. Refinements in the Teletrek mount include: (1) An integral bubble mount; (2) Comes with the right-angle bracket; (3) Has an auxillary port in the base; (4) No autoguiding port or software support for autoguiding. Since the TeleTrek uses the same controller at the GT114, it may suffer with a minor software bug that I found in the GT114. When you slew the GT114 in altitude across the 90 degree mark (to let's say 120 degrees), the software appears to suffer a divide by zero error and the mount starts flopping around. Customer comments on the Orion website note that it is a low tripod mount. The eyepiece is at a level where you have to use an observing chair. One commentor describes that to get the eyepiece to a more comfortable "adult height" that he - "To fix this I bought an adapter to convert the 3/8th inch thread to a 20-1/4" thread that I bought from EBAY. I then put it on my paragon tripod." Clear Skies - Kurt P.S. - Quiescent sun at 11am through the PST-Ha and PST-K.
On Sun, Jun 21, 2009 at 1:27 PM, Canopus56 <canopus56@yahoo.com> wrote:
Since the TeleTrek uses the same controller at the GT114, it may suffer with a minor software bug that I found in the GT114. When you slew the GT114 in altitude across the 90 degree mark (to let's say 120 degrees), the software appears to suffer a divide by zero error and the mount starts flopping around.
I haven't experienced this at all, and I've deliberately had the mount slew to objects from horizon-to-horizon, so apparently the latest versions don't have the bug.
Customer comments on the Orion website note that it is a low tripod mount. The eyepiece is at a level where you have to use an observing chair. One commentor describes that to get the eyepiece to a more comfortable "adult height" that he - "To fix this I bought an adapter to convert the 3/8th inch thread to a 20-1/4" thread that I bought from EBAY. I then put it on my paragon tripod."
Again, the version I bought uses a tripod that has extendable legs, so the review may be of an earlier version. I have used it standing up and sitting. See the photo on the link Kurt posted. With the center post full extended, the altitude axis is about 64" off the ground. Standing, I don't generally extend the center post at all but do extend the legs themselves. I'm 5'-10" tall. It is not the most robust tripod around, but so-far I haven't found it sub-par in the stability department. There may be issues when using high magnifications, but I doubt this setup will be used much for high-power viewing.
participants (2)
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Canopus56 -
Chuck Hards