New R&P focuser

After a few weeks of using the 'scope I noticed the focuser was not behaving itself. It kept sticking as I turned the coarse focusing knob. At times I had to ease the travel of the focuser by hand. This state of affairs become frustrating. Research on the web revealed my experience of the DDG Crawford focuser on the GT-81 was not unique. Setting and resetting the tension by adjusting the hex screw 'B' on the base did not resolve the problem.

My WO GT-81 is a great refractor - superb optics but the focuser was letting it down and ruining my observing pleasure.
Other owners who experienced the same problem had swapped the focuser for a better make, such as FeatherTouch. However I heard William Optics had released the GTF-81 refractor which featured a rack & pinion focuser replacing the Crawford. Other WO scopes in their range now have R&P focusers.
I sent off for one from WO and have now replaced the DDG with it.

The coarse and fine focuser is performing well so I am delighted I swapped. There are holes on the R&P focuser casing as per the DDG where the WO RDF base shoe can be attached so I have no problems using the finder.

All in all I am delighted with my 'upgrade'. Has any other GT-81 owners taken this path?

Picking up the new 'scope

Last week I picked up the 'scope from the shop in the Canaries.

the mount comes in the second shipping box

The retailer unpacks and checks the tripod.

The Sky-Watcher HEQ5 PRO comes in two boxes; the first has the 5kg tripod and two 5kg counter-weights and the second contains the 10kg mount, accessory tray, cables, bolts etc.

The WO GT 81 in its own rigid back-pack

The 3kg William Optics GT 81 'scope comes in its own attractive 2kg rigid back-pack for easy transportation.

The new mount/tripod

And here is the mount I've ordered

http://www.skywatcher.com/swtinc/product.php?id=76&class1=3&class2=304
It's a pretty solid (heavy) mount, the tripod is 5.6 kg, so I shall leave the mount in Canaries bringing back to the UK just the WO GT 81 tube.

The WO GT 81

This is the 'scope I've bought

http://www.williamoptics.com/telescopes/gt81_features.php
In the Canaries I will use this for astrophotography of deep sky objects and in the UK for general visual observation

The beginning

This blog will describe my experiences with my telescope in the Canaries and in London.
As a child I was interested in the sciences and in astronomy and now I have the opportunity to indulge myself. I spend the Summer in the Canaries where the stars are better seen than in the light polluted skies of Central London. So now I have ordered in the Canaries a telescope! It is a William Optics GT 81 FD for me to observe (and record) deep space objects (clusters and nebulae etc). The OTA will be mounted on a HEQ5 PRO GOTO . I hope to collect my order in August.
As the mount/tripod is heavy I will bring only the OTA back to London for use on a more portable ALT-AZ mount. Not yet decided which one to buy;that decision can wait.