JAFE
sage
Reged: 07/04/07
Posts: 274
Loc: Yavin IV rebel base,
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I want to purchase an altazimuth mount for my Tak 78 refractor and for the last year I hear a lot of good opinions about the VixenŽs Porta Mount. But now I just got to see the new Astro-Tech Voyager Altazimuth Mount on Astronomics.  Both looks the same and this are the main differences:
AT vrs Vixen
* Price $299 vrs $399
* Weight 13.75# vrs 12.5#
* Height 33.5"-47.75" vrs 36"-56"
* Weight capacity 20#? vrs 11#
* AT comes with one flexible control cable
* AT is in stock and Vixen is not.
* AT is chinesse? and Vixen is Japanesse.
I know that is to early to pretend that anyone could advice about this new mount but I ask if somebody knows about it.
Thanks and clear skies. 
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Jorge
Takahashi FS78SV
Meade 10" Starfinder Dob
Meade ETX 90
Vixen GP w/SS 2.0 /Vixen Porta Mount
Meade 10x50 Binos
Televue Binoviewer.
27Panoptic,22T4Nagler,17T4Nagler,7T6Nagler,8-24Hyperion Zoom,3-6Nagler Zoom,2x 2"Powermate, 2.5xPowermate.
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stulevine.com
super member
Reged: 01/14/08
Posts: 186
Loc: PA, USA
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Ordered one on Saturday and hope it will be here by Friday the latest. I will post some pictures and let you know how it works out. I bought this for my AT66ED and went for this over the Vixen Porta Mount because it has nicer features, greater weight capacity (for the next BIG APO), and included accessories like 8.25" flexible control cable that can be substituted for the short azimuth control knob (for the Porta, you'd have to spend another $50 for two of these). I read other less compelling things about the Porta mount in numerous user reviews.
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Tucson, AZ 85739
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JAFE
sage
Reged: 07/04/07
Posts: 274
Loc: Yavin IV rebel base,
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Thanks stulevine. IŽll keep waiting for your pics and your overall opinion. Congrats on your new mount. Depends on your news maybe I will purchase one of this to convert my FS 78 to a grab-n-go package.
Clear skies.
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Jorge
Takahashi FS78SV
Meade 10" Starfinder Dob
Meade ETX 90
Vixen GP w/SS 2.0 /Vixen Porta Mount
Meade 10x50 Binos
Televue Binoviewer.
27Panoptic,22T4Nagler,17T4Nagler,7T6Nagler,8-24Hyperion Zoom,3-6Nagler Zoom,2x 2"Powermate, 2.5xPowermate.
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Tom Trusock
Reged: 02/26/02
Posts: 29971
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Are they in stock and shipping already?
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Hyperbole - undoubtedly the best thing ever.
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oldsalt
Astro Philosopher
Reged: 02/12/05
Posts: 8673
Loc: Pa - between starparties
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According to the website they are T.
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There are no winners in war, only bigger losers.
Jim
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JAFE
sage
Reged: 07/04/07
Posts: 274
Loc: Yavin IV rebel base,
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Yes Tom, I have one on my shopping cart saved for a later purchase
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Jorge
Takahashi FS78SV
Meade 10" Starfinder Dob
Meade ETX 90
Vixen GP w/SS 2.0 /Vixen Porta Mount
Meade 10x50 Binos
Televue Binoviewer.
27Panoptic,22T4Nagler,17T4Nagler,7T6Nagler,8-24Hyperion Zoom,3-6Nagler Zoom,2x 2"Powermate, 2.5xPowermate.
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stulevine.com
super member
Reged: 01/14/08
Posts: 186
Loc: PA, USA
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Quote:
Are they in stock and shipping already?
Tom,
They became available "In Stock" on Saturday on the astronomics.com web site so I quickly put in my order for one. It was shipped out yesterday (late). The tracking# has it in my hands by Thursday. Can't wait!
Stuart
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Steve Fisher
"Curmudgeon in Training"
Reged: 08/12/06
Posts: 1733
Loc: Utah
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Stuart:
I'll be waiting for your first thoughts as well. Can't wait to hear.
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Steve
8" f/12 D&G Achromat Refractor Delivered 08/27/09
6" D&G f/12 Achromat Refractor
66mm f/6.1 William Optics Petzval
6" f/8 Celestron Starhopper
----------------------
"Never try to teach a pig to sing, It wastes your time and it annoys the pig". (Robert Heinlein)
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DennisF
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/03/06
Posts: 1184
Loc: Northern IL
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I do hope I'm wrong because I'm interested in this mount as well as many others. But evidence leads me to believe this mount may have a potentially serious problem.
TONGKW in post #2136755 mentions he is happy with the mount with one exception. When the arm is positioned at a 45 degree angle and the scope is pointed at zenith, the mount has a tendency to tip over backwards unless a leg is positioned behind the scope.
ASTROLABE related in post #2169094 that he has checked the mount out at a store and was pleased with it except for 2 things-one of which is that the tripod legs are too short for comfortable seated viewing while at zenith. Short legs=more stability.
Finally, looking over the description for the optional eyepiece tray, it's made of iron, not aluminum or even steel. Not something you normally find on a tripod/mount. Especially one that was designed to be light using aluminum legs.
It will be interesting to see what the hands-on reviewers have to say about this possible problem with larger/heavier scopes.
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Astronomics
Vendor if you must, AKA The Mighty Kong.
Reged: 06/07/04
Posts: 3072
Loc: Right Here
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The iron tray isn't to bad, it comes in at 1 pound 3 oz. I was concerned about the weight, but the iron allowed the tray to be made at a reasonable cost.
We haven't had any issues with tipping at all. We had a 6" refractor on it and it worked just fine.
I am 6'3" and found the tripod to work fine. Is it a tad short, yes. However it didn't bother me for a night of observing.
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Michael Bieler
Father and Husband
Owner
www.astronomics.com
www.astronomytechnologies.com
www.cloudynights.com
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DennisF
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/03/06
Posts: 1184
Loc: Northern IL
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Well that's encouraging. Do you recall the refractor's length and weight?
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10" XTi
C6 SE
C8 SE
C8 (late 90's?)
SV80ED
SV102ED
SV M1
Original AYO EzTouch mount
LM Teegul
Gone-ETX 125, C80, ED80SF, PortaMount
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DNTash
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/02/07
Posts: 762
Loc: India
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Kong -- can one buy the head without the tripod?
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AT 72
TMB 92
Orion 120ST
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Astronomics
Vendor if you must, AKA The Mighty Kong.
Reged: 06/07/04
Posts: 3072
Loc: Right Here
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6" f/5.9 20 pounds.
Not yet.
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Michael Bieler
Father and Husband
Owner
www.astronomics.com
www.astronomytechnologies.com
www.cloudynights.com
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donnie3
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 12/15/04
Posts: 1243
Loc: bartlesville oklahoma
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just received my mount today. got it put together. i find it to be a very good looking mount! the legs were a lot thicker then i thought, looking at the photo of it on the web. i have only two issues, the height is set down not stand up and the altitude movement is too stiff even with the tension adjusted all the way out, thinking about calling astronomics tech service and see if this can be fixed. there is a factory tension adjustment that the instructions say not the loosen or adjust. other then those 2 things i think its a keeper. i have my c5 mounted on it but it can carry a lot heavier scope then this. don
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donnie3
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 12/15/04
Posts: 1243
Loc: bartlesville oklahoma
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another photo.
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DennisF
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/03/06
Posts: 1184
Loc: Northern IL
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What's the range of motion on the arm? From vertical to ??? Also wondering if the arm is infinately adjustable between its range or does it have detents? (Like a click-stop on a TV zoom?)
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10" XTi
C6 SE
C8 SE
C8 (late 90's?)
SV80ED
SV102ED
SV M1
Original AYO EzTouch mount
LM Teegul
Gone-ETX 125, C80, ED80SF, PortaMount
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Starkler
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 11/04/05
Posts: 782
Loc: Australia, Melbourne
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Donnie could you please measure the height from ground level to the centre of the alt hub at max tripod height?
Thanks 
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Geoff
15" SDM truss dob | Vixen r130sf | GSO 10" dob
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Steve Fisher
"Curmudgeon in Training"
Reged: 08/12/06
Posts: 1733
Loc: Utah
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I have to admit, it's looking pretty tempting.
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Steve
8" f/12 D&G Achromat Refractor Delivered 08/27/09
6" D&G f/12 Achromat Refractor
66mm f/6.1 William Optics Petzval
6" f/8 Celestron Starhopper
----------------------
"Never try to teach a pig to sing, It wastes your time and it annoys the pig". (Robert Heinlein)
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TONGKW
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/16/07
Posts: 571
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The arm of this mount can only be positioned at 45 degrees on either side of the vertical. But I would only use this mount with the arm in the vertical position (the picture shown below is with a C8 OTA).
I also find the height of the tripod that come with this mount (the TG2 version from Taiwan) a bit low and I have since made an adapter for using it with a Gitzo 1415 tripod.
K W TONG
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C8 + CG-5GT, TSA102 + HEQ5 PRO, MK67 + Kenko NES, WO ZS 80FD + Mizar K mount, NexStar 6SE, C5, Maxvision ED80, Mini Borg 50, PST
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donnie3
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 12/15/04
Posts: 1243
Loc: bartlesville oklahoma
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starkler, it measures 50"
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