Tele Vue Tele Pod Mount

The TeleVue telepod is a very simple upswing type of Alt-Azimuth mount. I have found it to be an excellent light weight mount that is adaptable to a wide range of small scopes. It is perfectly suited to the small TeleVue refractors like the Ranger, Pronto, TV-76, and TV-85. It can be supported by a well constructed photo tripod or the traditional telescope tripods. The better the tripod, the better the stability of the mount. The one shown above is mounted on a set of oak leg made by a good friend of mine, Mr. Richard Riggs. 

TeleVue Encoders and NGC-MAX Computer

I recently added a set of encoders to the TeleVue to try the mount as a "grab and push to" scope. I already had the NGC-MAX that I have been using with my G-11, so I though it might be fun to try it with the little Tele Pod. After figuring out the setup to match the MAX, I ran it through its paces. It did a pretty good job of putting the objects I was seeking into the field of view with the TV-76 and the 19 Pan. Since I was working under a pretty bright moon, I was not able to confirm several of the fainter objects, but the star patterns in the area seemed to match up pretty well. Going from M42 to M104 put the three pointer stars right at the edge of the field of view. I am looking forward to trying it under a darker sky.

UPDATE 3 Apr 05

I have received several inquiries as to how difficult it is to install the encoders on the Tele Pod mount. I have only installed encoders on two mounts, but can say that the installation of the TeleVue encoders was VERY easy. The encoder kit is very well designed and the instructions for installation were detailed and easy to follow. The trickiest part of the installation (to me) was removing the glued on TeleVue cap for installation of the Alt decoder without damaging it. I wanted to ensure that I would be able to replace the cap if I wanted to remove the encoders at a later date. I was able to use an exacto knife to loosed the edges of the badge to a point that I could get under it and lift it up without bending it. Also...the cover for the Alt decoder was a tight fit between the stalks of the Tele Pod. It took a bit to work it down to align the mounting screws on each end. All other aspects of the installation went without a glitch. Even including the time spent removing the TeleVue badge, the whole process took less than 30 minutes. 

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