iOptron CEM 120

[marktownley]

That is a great looking setup Rainer.

[rsfoto]

Hi,

A few weeks ago I posted somewhere that I would be getting two new equatorial mounts. Well, yesterday they landed in my hous late afternoon.

Some images of my old G11 and the new CEM 120EC2 side by side and setup with some scopes I had collecting dust. The golden counterweights are Made in Mexico by a friend. The one standing beside the mount on the tripod and he is about 5' 5" tall and so you can judge what a massive mount these are.

Now I am sitting in the living room and learning how they work. So far a review is not possible as I am not in a position to do any imaging. Perhaps if I get it somehow aligned I could do some simple Sun imaging, but no promises.

IMG_2983_C1_CN.jpg (204.53 KiB) Viewed 2621 times

IMG_2984_C1_CN.jpg (423.11 KiB) Viewed 2621 times

IMG_2981_C1_CN.jpg (213.24 KiB) Viewed 2621 times

[Montana]

Wow! you have some amazing blossom trees

Alexandra

[marktownley]

A great looking rig!

[rsfoto]

Wow! you have some amazing blossom trees

Alexandra

Hi Alexandra,

Yes those are the so called Jacaranda trees.

We have a lot of those in Mexico City but hey are not native from Mexico. I read somewhere the history how they came from Japan to Mexico

Yesterday it was raining, I had the Sun in front and it was a real great view

IMG_3001_C1.jpg (3.57 MiB) Viewed 2545 times

IMG_3000_C1.jpg (4.1 MiB) Viewed 2545 times

[rsfoto]

A great looking rig!

Hi Mark,

Thank you ans yes those mounts are real sturdy. I have been putting them through the paces and learning how to use them. The menu of the Hand box is quite intuitive and has lots of functions but also some important missing points.

The Serial Numbers of that specific model CEM 120EC2 are #GB20001 and #GB20002. YES, the very first two officially send out mounts

Well those telescopes were collecting dust and had them here. The total weight of the counterweights is about17 kg

It was a good decision to get those for replacing my custom modified Losmandy G11. the payload for the G11 was too much to keep making decent DSO imaging

regards Rainer

[Montana]

Wow!! those flowers are divine, I have never seen anything like it
Alexandra

[GeorgeIonas]

Hi Rainer,

Is there any advantage in going from the CEM120EC to the CEM120EC2? How important are the encoders on the Dec axis?

I'm ready to order one in the next few days so I would appreciate your input.

George

[rsfoto]

Hi Rainer,

Is there any advantage in going from the CEM120EC to the CEM120EC2? How important are the encoders on the Dec axis?

I'm ready to order one in the next few days so I would appreciate your input.

George

Hi George,

OH sorry not having seen your message.

RA encoder are working great and DEC encoder is in development and in near future will be usefull.

I said to myself if I have and they work in future it is good and if not I have a good mount for carrying heavy stuff so nothing is lost. I was at NEAF 2018 and spoke to the technicians and they are working hard to get the DEC encoder working.

10micron also uses DEC encoders. I have to take a look there and see what they say about having them.

What I know is that the main board of the EC2 has a temperature sensor as well a barometric sensor. So the iOptron people do have something in mind.

Again sorry for answering so late.

Rainer

[GeorgeIonas]

Hi Rainer,

I went with the CEM120EC not the EC2 model in the end.

I have a feeling that the EC2 models will be useful in correcting for atmospheric refraction?

George

[rsfoto]

Hi Rainer,

I went with the CEM120EC not the EC2 model in the end.

I have a feeling that the EC2 models will be useful in correcting for atmospheric refraction?

George

Hi George,

Congrats. I see you are in New Zealand and so far I know this the second CEM 120 in New Zealand :-)

I guess so. I said to myself. If DEC encoder work it is good and if iOptron is still are working on them it is also good.

It is proven the RA encoders do work as expected and iOptron is working on the DEC axis encoders.

I met a Guy in Suffern NY at NEAF 2018 who started with an EC and a few weeks later he picked up his EC2 at NEAF 2018.

regards Rainer