Optimum setup time

[Ivor]

Like many others I don't have a permanent setup in the garden and the earliest I can get home in the evening is 19:00 but it's often later so it's important to reduce the setup time on those all too rare evenings. I have a few ideas but I'm interesting in hearing others ideas.

Current process

My normal process involves lugging the kit from the garage at the north of my house round to the back garden in 4 trips of about 30 metre each way. I have three 10 cm diameter concrete circles in the grass (which now need replacing) where I place the tripod legs which have been kept at the correct height to keep the telescope level (my garden isn't flat). I have very little space to put the mount, the back garden is only 15m deep and I'm already up against the fence so I can see Polaris over the house roof.

The order of the physical setup may vary slightly at this point depending on whether Polaris is visible.

•   Manually align the mount to Polaris.
•   Connect telescope, camera and weights and balance mount.
•   Connect cables and computer.
•   Connect power.
•   Go through the initialisation on mount controller (date, time, location) and select pc direct mode setting.
•   Run EQMOD connect to mount.
•   Run Cartes du Ceil connect to mount.
•   Run AstroArt 5 connect to imaging camera and configure to right temperature
•   Slew to star near target and align using camera and EQMOD, sync in CdC.
•   Move to target realign and sync in CdC.
•   Power up PHD and connect to guiding camera, pick a star and go through the guiding setup process.
•   Focus imaging camera.
•   Take a couple of test shots.
•   Copy my AA5 imaging script into AA5 and run.
•   Away I go.

Possible solutions

•   Pier and mount permanently setup – My wife doesn't want a pier in our shallow garden however, she recently declared she wanted a pond and I won't build it unless I get a pier; this might get revisited at a later date
•   Put all the kit on a trolley thereby reducing the trips between the garage and the garden – Currently the only way out to the back garden from the garage is via a big step and a narrow door; this will be viable once the new garage door is fitted in December.

Any other ideas?

[Carole]

Can't think of anything other than what you suggest yourself, except for maybe using a camping observatory (like I have for astro camp) not as a permanent feature but at least to give you a few nights in a row if the forecast looks good.  However you might not feel it is secure if there is no-one in the house.  

Some people have a roll off observatory, as opposed to a roll of roof Observatory, but this doesn't sound like it is an option for you.  

I really feel for those who have to set up every time.  

Carole

[Mike]

Why not get some wheeley bars and store it all somewhere nearby it can be wheeled out?

http://jimsmobile.com/buy_wheeley_bars.htm

[The Thing]

I do all that, garage at front of house has the gear and it all has to go through the length of the house to the tiny garden. I've got it down to 20 mins to get up and running. Practice.

[Ivor]

Can't think of anything other than what you suggest yourself, except for maybe using a camping observatory (like I have for astro camp) not as a permanent feature but at least to give you a few nights in a row if the forecast looks good.  However you might not feel it is secure if there is no-one in the house.  

Some people have a roll off observatory, as opposed to a roll of roof Observatory, but this doesn't sound like it is an option for you.

If the weather looks good for a couple of nights I'll cover the setup with a tarp, but I'm house insurance only goes to £1500 per item in the garden and I'm worried about things getting damp.

I'd considered the roll off observatory before but my sweet point for the mount is opposite the back door and with slope there would have to be some landscaping to get approved.

Why not get some wheeley bars and store it all somewhere nearby it can be wheeled out?

http://jimsmobile.com/buy_wheeley_bars.htm

There is a children's playhouse near to the spot, I'd need to move this somewhere before installing alternative telescope housing. There is an added complication to this, do to the close proximity of the mount spot in the garden to the back of the house I have to have the tripod legs fully extended to see over the house roof at Polaris. With my refractor on as well I'd guess the shed door height would need be at least 9ft (including trolley) I'm not sure what the standard door size is a 4 x 6 shed with a double door.

I do all that, garage at front of house has the gear and it all has to go through the length of the house to the tiny garden. I've got it down to 20 mins to get up and running. Practice.

What do you use to mark the location for the tripod?