Telescope Reviews: Mount for Tak TSA 120

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Equipment Discussions >> Mounts

Pages: 1

starboy1954
member

Reged: 11/26/10

Loc: Aurora, Il

Mount for Tak TSA 120 new

#4380652 - 02/12/11 09:58 AM

Well I'm pretty sure I will be getting the Takahashi 120 this spring. And now I have to consider a mount. I'm toward a CG-5 or a GM-8. The OTA weighs 12.6 lbs. So I believe either mount should carry it fine, right? I plan to do purely visual. So the point is this: do I want the CG-5 with GOTO or the GM-8 without GOTO?

I really do like finding stuff on my own and am not a fan gizmos and tech intensive stuff. I have the impression a non-goto GM-8 might have more of a simple elegance which attracts me. But I have seen neither mount in person (and so I write this post).

On the other hand, with my really light polluted skies and my 56 y/o eyes, finding things ain't as simple as it used to be. I guess with a 4.7" refractor I probably won't be doing serious deep sky stuff anyway.

I do have a C8 and wonder if either mount will carry that for visual.

Anyway I am seeking opinions from those of you who have wrestled with this.

Can't wait for spring,
Bob

Post Extras:

LLEEGE
True Blue

Reged: 03/03/05

Loc: Cloud-chester,NY

Re: Mount for Tak TSA 120 new

[Re: starboy1954]
#4380709 - 02/12/11 10:27 AM

There is an EM10 USD on the mart right now. You just missed (as did I) an EM10 Temma in the shop and swap here.

Post Extras:

skybsd
Post Laureate

Reged: 02/01/08

Re: Mount for Tak TSA 120 new

[Re: starboy1954]
#4381007 - 02/12/11 12:31 PM

Hello Bob,
What mounts do you have experience with?

Regards,

skybsd

Post Extras:

johnnyha
Postmaster

Reged: 11/12/06

Loc: Sherman Oaks, CA

Re: Mount for Tak TSA 120 new

[Re: skybsd]
#4381289 - 02/12/11 02:42 PM

Bob I had a chance to play with a TV102 set up on a non-GOTO GM8 and it was great, made me wish for a Losmandy. The slip-clutch system of the GM8 makes it a real pleasure to use, you can push it around wherever you want and it holds and continues tracking when you let go - no knobs to loosen and tighten. Combined with the TSA120 that is an absolutely ideal visual setup IMHO.

Post Extras:

Waxing Gibbous
professor emeritus

Reged: 11/19/10

Loc: Victoria, Australia

Re: Mount for Tak TSA 120 new

[Re: johnnyha]
#4382809 - 02/13/11 08:31 AM

I had a TSA 120 and while normally mounted on a TRex alt/az it spent some nights on a few different GEMs.

Set-up was pretty much the same: OTA + rings&plate + finder + turret w/5eps + 72mm WO w/22 Nagler riding piggy-back.
The Losmandy G8, Synta HEQ5 and EQ6 all carried it with no problems. The EQ6 was the most stable and also the most accurate as far as GOTO and tracking. The Losmandy & HEQ5 showed a tiny wobble near to flip, and seemed to strain a little, but I didn't detect any lack of progress and I could have balanced it better.
So if $$ aren't the main issue: the Losmandy is certainly the "sexiest".

Post Extras:

starboy1954
member

Reged: 11/26/10

Loc: Aurora, Il

Re: Mount for Tak TSA 120 new

[Re: skybsd]
#4382890 - 02/13/11 09:19 AM

Quote:

Hello Bob,
What mounts do you have experience with?

Really only with the mount that came with my Unitron back in the '70's and the one that came with my C8 (fork mount) back in the 90's

Post Extras:

skybsd
Post Laureate

Reged: 02/01/08

Re: Mount for Tak TSA 120 new

[Re: starboy1954]
#4382945 - 02/13/11 09:59 AM

Hi Bob,
Good to hear from you..,

Quote:

Quote:

Hello Bob,
What mounts do you have experience with?

Really only with the mount that came with my Unitron back in the '70's and the one that came with my C8 (fork mount) back in the 90's

Thanks for that.., helps quite a lot to understand where you're coming from.

Personally (I'm visual-only and have to fight light pollution also), I'd always opt for the simplest GoTo (in your case, the Losmandy GM8-Gemini) option for my main observing location at home, really.

An alternative would be the non-GoTo GM8 - which comes with a 30lb payload capacity, versatile tracking, all in a nicely packaged and precision finish. There is a comparable Celestron CG5 with dual drives, but its discontinued, unfortunately.

If you believe that you would not need tracking (I like tracking myself), then I'd suggest one of the better alt-az systems out there like Discmounts DM-6, Universal Astronomics UniStar Deluxe, and Kokusai Kohki T-Rex mounts - all of which are DSC-compatible for Push-To.

Hope that helps some..,

Regards,

skybsd

Post Extras:

starboy1954
member

Reged: 11/26/10

Loc: Aurora, Il

Re: Mount for Tak TSA 120 new

[Re: skybsd]
#4383145 - 02/13/11 11:24 AM

Thanks for the responses, caballeros.

Post Extras:

M44
sage

Reged: 03/24/07

Loc: SoCal.

Re: Mount for Tak TSA 120 new

[Re: starboy1954]
#4384291 - 02/13/11 07:51 PM

I have a TSA 120 and it is mounted on Mach1, way over mounted. I have been looking for a more portable set-up, I considered used mounts like AP 400, Takahashi EM-10 or new Losmandy G8.

I almost bought G8 but finally decided to get Super half-hitch for portable setup. Getting a second GEM doesn't make sense to me. Mach1 stays for a future AP scope.

If I were you, I would get Losmandy G8, which is as heavier as DM-6 or T-Rex Alt-Az mounts.

I believe G8 is a minimum for TSA 120, once my TSA 120 is setup with dew shield retracted and focuser racked-out, it is fairly long and weighs around 20 lbs with my heaviest eyepiece, a pentax 30 XW, Tak diagonal, CAA, Socal rings and 11" Dovetail slider.

PM me if you want more details.

Post Extras:

Paul G
Post Laureate

Reged: 05/08/03

Loc: Freedonia

Re: Mount for Tak TSA 120 new

[Re: M44]
#4384303 - 02/13/11 07:56 PM

Quote:

I have a TSA 120 and it is mounted on Mach1, way over mounted. I have been looking for a more portable set-up, I considered used mounts like AP 400, Takahashi EM-10 or new Losmandy G8.

I almost bought G8 but finally decided to get Super half-hitch for portable setup. Getting a second GEM doesn't make sense to me. Mach1 stays for a future AP scope.

If I were you, I would get Losmandy G8, which is as heavier as DM-6 or T-Rex Alt-Az mounts.

I believe G8 is a minimum for TSA 120, once my TSA 120 is setup with dew shield retracted and focuser racked-out, it is fairly long and weighs around 20 lbs with my heaviest eyepiece, a pentax 30 XW, Tak diagonal, CAA, Socal rings and 11" Dovetail slider.

PM me if you want more details.

A used AP 400 GTO would be perfect. One occasionally pops up as they're replaced by Mach 1's.

Post Extras:

M44
sage

Reged: 03/24/07

Loc: SoCal.

Re: Mount for Tak TSA 120 [Re: Paul G]
#4393905 - 02/17/11 11:23 PM

Yes. AP 400 is perfect. My Mach 1 is a trouble, it makes me spend more money on bigger refractors (i.e., an AP 160 or a TEC 160)

Sometimes I feel its better to be over-mounted than under-mounted, to escape from the trap of higher capacity.

Post Extras:

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