ÿWPCW Z[]øˆÝ¨ŒdNòïÃÅ,s¹ù±ªJï0èÇÞ2ù˜‹MŽœ?»Q%ˆø¬Xܯ ÊÖ¿´uÚ%j—anêÕ“®’k¤®‹Hœ‘»•¡.õcèoð#õŸC´­¡W ¸yc¨2+Á²Áö'U(ð;eoæå¶ežÁ¯10&;¾WfæºžŠ˜jkÝ? KŠÁ«‡ë}îO’ƒ_´$™k¹˜Ul¡¾fá4ÓXìªbå¹€—Æb%‹Nzõ—+coþ d:)†TbŠjHßæòÂ…wìz^Í?¢ßÅ1VÎF\—·”¼Š7Ül˜ZÀÈŠº–×FwÚ?'‡¶2(÷8v9 ‹ëüÕ| bgÐÅ \±$žÁ½h@ÓŽ¹ nzµÒÃ’Ó´îIÐÑq!&×G[ÒÇ}ÿŒp'Jå±ûF%øfÁÚ[4¬—ƒ B»è½LÞ(ã³*£œ}y=:ˈ>9Šë-ÀãÝz’wS‘Ä…ˆ1¤ Clkþ«*¶òi{˜ UnŽê'X@Ù*Árˆ`Ä8sbP¡2 I¿„'MµåÞöVdVCùSJÎbû’4v’d|*©q*¡IðáE5f )ÍÈCÉ÷‘™Ñš“ë'D#!ÄUNå %3 0(9:a 0N›^ éw@õ45IX mZæq˜HP DeskJet 820C Series v8.50(,,,,0(0(ÖÃ9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡mailto:(dnovo@ix.netcom.com)(ÍO$——ÔÿÔòòóóÔÿÔž¯(ä GHEIJKLEM[NO[PGvV(¢Ø+003|xPÿU‹ÿÀÀÀ TakahashiTeegul FCTAstroteflonsidemounts OTAQuikPointOrthoTychoorthoscopic epsÝ ƒ!ÝÝ  ÝÔ_Ôà@nnìàò òHOME€BUILT€ALT„AZ€MOUNT€FOR€AP€ñJñAND€OTHER€ñJñREFRACTORñMñó óñMññLññKñSñKññLññNñSñNññOñó óñOññOññMñó óñMññOñˆÐ ° ÐÌà@îîìàò òBy€David€A.€NovoselskyˆÐ ˆØ Ðà@ÞÞ ìà(Ô4‚Ý "ÔÝ‚ÍOÝÔÿÔòòÝ  ÝÔ5  Ôdnovo@ix.netcom.com)Ô68ÔÝ‚ÍOLƒÝóóÔÿÔÝ  ÝÔ7Ý úzԈРtÄ ÐÌó óà  àI€am€a€bug€on€simple,€easy„to„set„up€mounts€for€visual€work€with€refractors.€€I€considerÐ L œ ÐEQ€mounts€as€necessary€evils€for€visual€work.€€I€had€bought€a€Takahashi€Teegul€but€found€it€notÏsuitable€for€high€power€use€with€my€FS€102€and€marginal€with€my€FCT€76.€€The€Vixen€Custom€DÏAlt„Az€was€better.€€I€assumed€that€the€limit€for€any€such€mount€would€be€a€4".€€I€was€wrong.Ìà  àI€purchased€an€Astro„Physics€130mm€f/6€refractor€this€weekend.€€I€was€searching€for€aÏhigh„end€refractor€with€the€maximum€aperture€combined€with€minimum€size€for€ease€of€use.€€TheÏgentleman€I€purchased€it€from€(Rob€Moore)€had€seen€Rob€Huntððs€wooden€Alt„Az€mount€for€aÏ155€f/7AP€depicted€on€Robððs€site.€€Moore€then€built€a€scaled€down€version€for€his€smaller,Ïshorter,€and€lighter€130€f/6.€€I€was€(frankly)€not€that€thrilled€by€the€concept€when€he€mentioned€itÏto€me,€but€since€he€wanted€to€sell€it€as€a€package,€it€was€the€classic€Hobsonððs€choice€ð!ð€no€mount,Ïno€scope.Ìà  àI€tried€it€out€last€night,€and€my€hat€is€off€to€Rob€Moore.€€It€may€look€strange€(see€theÏpicture)€but€it€works€great€for€quick,€fast€set€up€visual€work.€€The€stock€AP€tube€rings€are€cradledÏin€the€teflon€sidemounts,€and€open€to€let€you€put€the€OTA€into€it€when€still€inside.€€The€standardÏAP€wood€tripod€is€used,€with€a€circular€wood€platform€that€detaches€and€goes€on€the€top.€€TheÏlarge€base€is€held€on€with€a€long€bolt€through€the€center,€using€a€teflon€washer€for€smoothÏrotation.€€The€compartment€in€the€front€is€for€a€battery€for€a€dew€heater€or,€for€balance€last€night,ÏI€simply€used€a€counterweight.€€Ìà  àIt€takes€just€a€second€to€set€up€the€tripod,€and€another€minute€to€put€the€mount€on€top.€€IÏwent€in€and€put€the€OTA€into€the€holder€(note€the€QuikPoint€mounted€on€the€left€side)€andÏwalked€out€to€drop€it€in.€€Ìà  àThe€only€tricky€part€is€getting€the€scope€far€enough€back€to€balance,€but€that€is€a€tenÏsecond€deal€accomplished€by€just€sliding€it€back€to€the€balance€point.€€Once€it€is€balanced,€it€willÏmove€up€and€down€all€the€way€up€to€the€zenith€(see€photo)€with€ease€and€stays€put€once€you€areÏthere.€€It€is€steady€as€can€be.Ìà  àHow€steady€is€the€mount?€€Unlike€my€much„disliked€Teegul,€I€was€able€to€use€the€2.8ÏTakahashi€Hi„Ortho€last€night€in€the€Takahashi€Quintuplet€Turret€(see€the€companion€review€atÏthis€sight.)€€The€mount€for€this€5"€allowed€me€to€get€a€good€steady€view€of€Plato€and€Tycho€withÏno€shake€or€shimmy€at€all,€except€a€quick€shake€that€dampened€at€once€after€I€refocused.€€€€TheÏwhole€mount,€with€the€weight€of€the€5",€the€turret,€and€five€orthoscopic€eps€was€nice€and€steadyÏand€a€pleasure€to€use.Ìà  àAgain,€my€compliments€to€Rob€Moore.€€This€type€of€a€mount€should€be€great€for€virtuallyÏany€refractor€and,€if€you€have€the€carpentry€skills€or€Ô_ÔñPñkñPñnowÔ_Ô€a€good€carpenter,€not€much€of€anÏexpense€to€build.€€Astonishing€utility€and€usefñFññEñrulñEññFññGñulness.€€Never€judge€a€ñGññHññGñgñGññHññIñbook€by€its€cover€indeed!ñIñ