Jim7728
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Reged: 04/10/05
Loc: Stoop Landing Observatory, NYC
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Orion TeleTrack GoTo ?
#2865735 - 01/14/09 10:58 PM
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Currently on sale.
Orion TeleTrack GoTo Altazimuth
Might be a fun mount for my TV-60 and 76. The 15lb weight rating seems a bit optimistic, but it can be mounted on any tripod with a 3/8" threaded post. I don't think the TV-60 will give it any trouble, but the TV-76 can weigh over 10lbs depending on accessories. I'll have it mounted on a Oberwerk wooden tripod or Bogan 3026 as the tripod that comes with it looks a bit lightweight in build.
Anybody using this new goto offering and do you think it can handle a TV-76?
Thanks in advance! 
Bueller? ...Bueller?
Edited by Jim7728 (01/15/09 07:22 AM)
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Luigi
Postmaster
Reged: 07/03/07
Loc: MA
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Re: Orion TeleTrack GoTo ?
[Re: Jim7728]
#2866214 - 01/15/09 08:50 AM Attachment (65 downloads)
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I got a Celestron 60SLT for $270, kept the mount and tossed the 60mm refractor. I believe these are superior to the Teletrack. Here'a pic of the SLT mount with my Lunt solar scope.
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Doug76
Long Achro Junkie
Reged: 12/05/07
Loc: Refractor Heaven
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Re: Orion TeleTrack GoTo ?
[Re: Luigi]
#2866346 - 01/15/09 10:20 AM
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Actually it's about the same as the TeleTrack, but the curved form makes your Celestron mount better to use.
The TeleTrack will easily carry the 60mm, but as you think, not the 76mm. The 15lb rating is overblown. I had a 12" long AT66ED which, with accessories, weighed about 5lbs, and mine carried it fine. Tried to put a C5 variant (Omni XLT127) on it, at 8lbs with accessories, and it complained.
Maybe they beefed it up some when they converted it to GOTO, but somehow I doubt it.
And lastly, the supplied tripod is terrible. Very light and weak.
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m2434
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/01/09
Loc: on the road
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Re: Orion TeleTrack GoTo ?
[Re: Doug76]
#2866367 - 01/15/09 10:32 AM
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The teletrack is limited to objects 60deg above the horizon. That seems somewhat useless IMO...
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Arctic_Eddie
Post Laureate
Reged: 12/30/07
Loc: St. Petersburg, FL
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Re: Orion TeleTrack GoTo ?
[Re: m2434]
#2866388 - 01/15/09 10:39 AM
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The mount is ok for light scopes, <6 lbs, but the tripod is really wiggly in azimuth. I replaced mine with a Berger surveyors tripod and now it's really nice. I have only the original mount so can't comment on the goto part. The tracking seems adequate though. I have a Celestron C90 spotting scope mounted.
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Doug76
Long Achro Junkie
Reged: 12/05/07
Loc: Refractor Heaven
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Re: Orion TeleTrack GoTo ?
[Re: m2434]
#2866405 - 01/15/09 10:49 AM
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Quote:
The teletrack is limited to objects 60deg above the horizon. That seems somewhat useless IMO...
That was for tracking, and that was the old non-GOTO version.
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Doug76
Long Achro Junkie
Reged: 12/05/07
Loc: Refractor Heaven
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Re: Orion TeleTrack GoTo ?
[Re: Doug76]
#2866428 - 01/15/09 11:02 AM
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Ok, I just looked over the PDF manual for this new TeleTrack.
Weight limit is 9lbs. And it is still limited to -15deg to +60deg for tracking, although you can use it manually by push button above 60deg. Think I'd have to recommend the SLT mount over this one after all.
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m2434
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/01/09
Loc: on the road
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Re: Orion TeleTrack GoTo ?
[Re: Doug76]
#2866449 - 01/15/09 11:15 AM
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hmm. in the manual it says "Altitude slew limits: +60° to -15° (default)".
it is not clear why it is a default or by how much if any it could be changed.
I remember I looked into the none go-to version and tech support warned that it could not go over 60deg. As far as I can tell, mechanically it doesn't look redesigned.
Are you saying that you have used this past 60deg without issue?
Also, as to the 15lb weight limit:
In the manual it says
"The TeleTrack AZ-G Altazimuth GoTo Mount is designed for small telescopes, spotting scopes and cameras. The weight of the instrument supported by the mount should not exceed 9 lbs. The mount will also
work best with short tube optical systems no longer than 15" (380mm)."
Then in the description in the link provided by the OP, it says:
"The affordable TeleTrack AZ-G is an ultra-portable GoTo mount designed for telescopes weighing less than 10 lbs."
Then in the product specs it says:
Weight rating: 15lbs
LOL again maybe I'm missing something here?
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m2434
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/01/09
Loc: on the road
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Re: Orion TeleTrack GoTo ?
[Re: m2434]
#2866450 - 01/15/09 11:16 AM
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oops, sorry, I was writing my post while you where posting...
Edited by m2434 (01/15/09 11:16 AM)
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Arctic_Eddie
Post Laureate
Reged: 12/30/07
Loc: St. Petersburg, FL
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Re: Orion TeleTrack GoTo ?
[Re: m2434]
#2866670 - 01/15/09 12:56 PM
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My TT1 will manual slew via the HC up to 90 deg and beyond. The auto tracking stops at 60 deg.
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Starlighter
Post Laureate
Reged: 08/03/07
Loc: Sunny California
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Re: Orion TeleTrack GoTo ?
[Re: m2434]
#2866970 - 01/15/09 03:21 PM
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Just looking at the photo of it in the Orion catalogue, it doesn't appear to have enough bottom clearance to go past 60 degrees. I agree that it makes it pretty much useless.
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Jim7728
Postmaster
Reged: 04/10/05
Loc: Stoop Landing Observatory, NYC
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Re: Orion TeleTrack GoTo ?
[Re: Starlighter]
#2867275 - 01/15/09 05:34 PM
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Thanks all! 
I think I'll pass on this offering as I cannot justify buying a mount suitable for only one of my scopes. 
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Michael Miles
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/11/05
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Re: Orion TeleTrack GoTo ?
[Re: Starlighter]
#2867330 - 01/15/09 05:59 PM
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Quote:
Just looking at the photo of it in the Orion catalogue, it doesn't appear to have enough bottom clearance to go past 60 degrees. I agree that it makes it pretty much useless.
The unit will point higher than 60 degrees, but I don't know if it will track. All you have to do is turn the dovetail mount upside down ( a counterweight would help too). I've got a link with all the things I did to make the original (non-goto) unit more usable here:
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/1763566/page/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1/vc/1
The 50mm finder with a digital slr is a nice combo with this mount. I also rigged a RA circle and use Astromist on my pocket PC to do push-to's.
All alt-az mounts have a hole near zenith due to near-infinite drive rates in azimuth, and I'm not sure how big the Celestron hole is.
Have fun,
Michael
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Doug76
Long Achro Junkie
Reged: 12/05/07
Loc: Refractor Heaven
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Re: Orion TeleTrack GoTo ?
[Re: Arctic_Eddie]
#2867774 - 01/15/09 09:18 PM
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Quote:
My TT1 will manual slew via the HC up to 90 deg and beyond. The auto tracking stops at 60 deg.
Exactly what mine did.
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Doug76
Long Achro Junkie
Reged: 12/05/07
Loc: Refractor Heaven
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Re: Orion TeleTrack GoTo ?
[Re: Starlighter]
#2867781 - 01/15/09 09:20 PM
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Quote:
Just looking at the photo of it in the Orion catalogue, it doesn't appear to have enough bottom clearance to go past 60 degrees. I agree that it makes it pretty much useless.
Nope, my AT66ED would clear it okay, if you used the L-bracket, and I suspect a 90mm Mak would too. Not much of anything else, though.
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Luigi
Postmaster
Reged: 07/03/07
Loc: MA
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Re: Orion TeleTrack GoTo ?
[Re: Doug76]
#2868336 - 01/16/09 08:08 AM
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>>>Maybe they beefed it (SLT) up some when they converted it to GOTO, but somehow I doubt it. And lastly, the supplied tripod is terrible. Very light and weak.<<<
The mount itself if very solid and track very well with my 6+ lb Lunt solar scope. The arm and az hub are cast aluminum, use roler thrust bearings, and the main alt and az gears are 3" dia aluminum. I agree the tripod is the weak link. Set short, it works well enought but extended to full length it is too wobbly. Either way, I believe it to be superior to the Teletrack or Cube.
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Michael Miles
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/11/05
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Re: Orion TeleTrack GoTo ?
[Re: Luigi]
#2868469 - 01/16/09 09:58 AM
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Hi Luigi:
I checked, and the Celestron has a dovetail mount, so it sounds like a better option (save the 60mm as a guidescope). Do you know if this mount can be used in equatorial mode? It looks like the drive unit fits into some sort of socket in the tripod, but there is a tightening screw in the center of the tripod. Do you know if the screw is a standard size (usually 3/8", or 10mm)? Do you think the mount could be used on another tripod with the proper attaching screw?
Michael
Edited by Michael Miles (01/16/09 10:25 AM)
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Luigi
Postmaster
Reged: 07/03/07
Loc: MA
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Re: Orion TeleTrack GoTo ?
[Re: Michael Miles]
#2868940 - 01/16/09 12:49 PM Attachment (42 downloads)
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Yep, it takes a standard vixen style dovetail. The az body fits into the top of the tripod head and is held in with a screw. I imagine that with some ingenuity you could rig up a wedge to run it polar mode. The only reason I can think of for using it in polar alignment would be for long exposure AP, but this isn't really a mount suited to this use, except perhaps for standard camera photos. (equivalent to a 35-80mm lens on a 35mm camera). For short exposure solar system photos polar alignmnet isn't necessary.
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Michael Miles
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/11/05
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Re: Orion TeleTrack GoTo ?
[Re: Luigi]
#2874843 - 01/19/09 10:07 AM
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Quote:
... I imagine that with some ingenuity you could rig up a wedge to run it polar mode..., but this isn't really a mount suited to this use...
After thinking about it, I agree with you for a variety of reasons. The combination of balance, clearance, and moment arm loading the ALT bearing would probably not make it suitable for polar setup. I was hoping to make it by the telescope store this weekend to look at one, but didn't have the time. Maybe next weekend...
Michael
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Michael Miles
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/11/05
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Re: Orion TeleTrack GoTo ?
[Re: Luigi]
#2991049 - 03/18/09 04:34 PM
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Quote:
I got a Celestron 60SLT for $270, kept the mount and tossed the 60mm refractor. I believe these are superior to the Teletrack. ...
OK, I bought one, but it will be this weekend before I can try it out due to my film project.
We'll see how it does,
Michael
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