"C14 is a Small Scope" (The Movie)

Since I own a 10" Newt and am enjoying it, and own a 5" apo and love that too, I don't want people to think this video is saying that the C14 is the *only* or *best* choice. However, over the years I've read a lot of people posting that they think the C14 is too big to be portable, and I just thought I would make a demo video.

This was the hardest setup I've ever done due to the extremely high heat, and it wasn't that bad. It was 95 degrees and very humid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBawz69qo_A

regards
Greg N

Looks like a good scope for a good strong back.
As time takes its' toll the meaning of "small scope"
changes. It is all relative to the persons physical ability.
Give it a few more years and as every farmer soon learns,
the spirit may be willing but the reality is no one
keeps swinging grain sacks or scopes like he was a younger man.

Gteg Nowell: I enjoyed watching your film and commend you for the effort you put into it to make your point for our community of amateur stargazers.
But I remain unconvinced: Celestron indicates that the C-14 OTA weighs 45 lbs. which a reasonably healthy adult male, not yet in his dotage, may be able to manipulate with some effort, as your film proved, but not all of us fit within that category. And once you have transported the OTA to your observing site you wouldn't expect to find one or more mounts awaiting you, as in your film; you must bring your mount with you. It won't also fit in your sedan's passenger seat on which you placed the OTA. And some significant effort will be required to set it up, before you even get to the OTA. The Celestron CGE Pro computerized mount weighs 154 lbs., and some such weight would be expected of any German equatorial mount capable of handling a 45 lb. OTA and related equipment (including counterweights).
I'll stick with more modestly sized telescopes. Good luck and clear skies to you.

Great stuff!!

Here is an even eassier (for me) method which only requires lifting
the scope to about waist level:

(1) Get a table and place it right next to the mount. I use
a Rollatable. Some attention may be needed to the height of
the table -- I slide some long 2" PVC pipe (about 36" long)
over the table legs to get a few extra inches of table height.

(2) Place C14 on its side on the table.

(3) Tip up C14 so it is facing front end down, and resting
on the front end.

(4) Make the Dec axis horizontal.

(5) Move the C14 over to the mount and attach to the saddle.
I use a Cassady tip-in saddle.

(6) Add counter weights one at a time to the Dec. axis
until the C14 is lifted off the table. You are letting the
mount + counter weights do the heavy lifting.

(7) Move table away. You are done.

This has worked very well for me. It feels well controlled
and no back straining.

Hi Greg,

Great video!

I am a bit of a C14 rebel, and use an alt-az mount.

Although it's a bit crude, it is very portable. I use rings for the C14 which reduces the scare factor of mounting the scope.

I have also tried rings on an AP900 and although it needs a lot more counterweight, it pretty easy to mount ht e scope that way also.

See www.planetatm.com scroll down a bit for the C14 mount.

Hey Arnold,,,,I mean Greg,
I enjoyed your video, very entertaining and informative. Thank's for sharing it with us.
I would love to have the equipment you have. But I could show how easy it is to roll my dob into the driveway then gently pull it over into the grass. My table even has wheel's, but I gotta carry my LXD 75 the entire 30 feet....Lol!

Clear Skies,
Darrell

Great video Gregg. I use a C8 mounted on a CG5, but your video encourages me to look into a C11. Thanks for the effort.