Vixen Porta II

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LDW47 Canada
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Vixen Porta II

#1

Post by LDW47 »


I just bought a used Porta II mount for my 18lb, 130mm, f6.5 refractor, it is a pretty solid mount contrary to what the experts have told me, no shakiness whatsoever based on a limited testing at this point ! I have the feeling their comments comes from them extending their scopes capabilities beyond the upper ep power limits like many try to do ! What are others experiences provided they are within the scopes specifications for max usable power ?
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kt4hx United States of America
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Re: Vixen Porta II

#2

Post by kt4hx »


I had Porta II about 10 years ago and had an ST120 mounted on it. I found the head nice, but it was more about the lightweight aluminum legs. As long as I did not extend them too much things were pretty good. But if I went more than halfway, vibrations took a little while to settle down. I wound up adding some weight to the threaded rod below the head and never extended the legs more than halfway, and frequently less. It served its purpose, but when I went I sold the ST120 replacing it with an AR127, things got a little more problematic because of the added length and weight of the OTA. I then sold the Vixen and went to the ES TII mount.

When I had the Porta II, I did really like the head and the slow motion controls, but with the larger scope (AR127) vibrations were more problematic. I know some folks replaced the aluminum legs with a wooden tripod and reported a noticeable improvement. Just my .02 experience with it. :)
Alan

Scopes: Astro Sky 17.5 f/4.5 Dob || Apertura AD12 f/5 Dob || Zhumell Z10 f/4.9 Dob ||
ES AR127 f/6.5 || ES ED80 f/6 || Apertura 6" f/5 Newtonian
Mounts: ES Twilight-II and Twilight-I
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Re: Vixen Porta II

#3

Post by pakarinen »


That's the jewel in the lotus - given a good, solid tripod, which head is more stable under the same load?

I'm very tempted to buy a P2 head, but I'm not convinced it would be noticeably better than my TW1 with my ST120 on it.
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I drink tea, I read books, I look at stars when I'm not cursing clouds. It's what I do.
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AT50, AT72EDII, ST80, ST102; Scopetech Zero, AZ-GTi, AZ Pronto; Innorel RT90C, Oberwerk 5000; Orion Giantview 15x70s, Vortex 8x42s, Navy surplus 7x50s, Nikon 10x50s
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LDW47 Canada
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Re: Vixen Porta II

#4

Post by LDW47 »


They must have improved the aluminum legs because they are solid performers especially compared to the AZ4’s and VersaGo’s, the chances of other than a very slight amount of flexing is nil ! My TW1 is also very solid but I find the legs, the height too short by about 5-6”, for what I pd and how it performs it is a great mount ! And as well I want no part of an EQ mount, I have owned them and I just don’t like them period ! ’To each his own’ as my dear old grandmother used to say as she was setting up her scope, lol ! Clear Skies !
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Re: Vixen Porta II

#5

Post by Ruud »


I have a Porta II. I would not recommend it for loads over 3 kg.

The legs improve if you tighten everything as stiff as you can. But as a whole it's just not good enough for my 5 kg Genesis.

Better would be a Sky-Watcher HDAZ, much better a SkyTee.
7x50 Helios Apollo 8x42 Bresser Everest 73mm f/5.9 WO APO 4" f/5 TeleVue Genesis 6" f/10 Celestron 6SE 0.63x reducer 1.8, 2, 2.5 and 3x Barlows eyepieces from 4.5 to 34mm
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Bigzmey United States of America
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Re: Vixen Porta II

#6

Post by Bigzmey »


Undesired effects of overloading the mount are vibrations and loss of fine control. It becomes evident in particularity at high powers.

You touch the focuser and a star or planet is doing a fire poi in your EP. The more imbalanced or overloaded the scope the longer it takes to settle down. This makes focusing, tracking and resolving fine details quite difficult.

If you mount is overloaded you have to overtighten the mount clutches to prevent the scope from slipping under the weight. As a result fine movement (slow motion, or moving by hand) becomes jerky and it becomes hard to center and track the target.

Finally, depending on the mount design and quality of parts, overloading the mount may create excessive wear and tear. Parts may break down prematurely.

So, overload at your own risk.
Scopes: Stellarvue: SV102ED; Celestron: 9.25" EdgeHD, 8" SCT, 150ST, Onyx 80ED; iOptron: Hankmeister 6" Mak; SW: 7" Mak; Meade: 80ST.
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Re: Vixen Porta II

#7

Post by LDW47 »


Bigzmey wrote: Mon Feb 17, 2020 9:06 pm Undesired effects of overloading the mount are vibrations and loss of fine control. It becomes evident in particularity at high powers.

You touch the focuser and a star or planet is doing a fire poi in your EP. The more imbalanced or overloaded the scope the longer it takes to settle down. This makes focusing, tracking and resolving fine details quite difficult.

If you mount is overloaded you have to overtighten the mount clutches to prevent the scope from slipping under the weight. As a result fine movement (slow motion, or moving by hand) becomes jerky and it becomes hard to center and track the target.

Finally, depending on the mount design and quality of parts, overloading the mount may create excessive wear and tear. Parts may break down prematurely.

So, overload at your own risk.
I must have got a good one because mine works excellent, nothing like the descriptions on here, just lucky I guess ! As to premature wear I think I will be dead and gone before those tuff metal gears feel the effects of an 18lb load, lol ! Clear Skies !
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Re: Vixen Porta II

#8

Post by LDW47 »


At higher powers it does get a little more touchy but many expert astronomers insist on taking their scopes way, way beyond the recommended top end power for that particular scope into the interstellar space where everything in the views starts to break up, to deteriorate ! Its not just because of the mount, thats why I operate at reasonable powers, I can’t stand poor views that those astronomical powers bring ! Clear Skies !
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Re: Vixen Porta II

#9

Post by notFritzArgelander »


LDW47 wrote: Mon Feb 17, 2020 10:01 pm At higher powers it does get a little more touchy but many expert astronomers insist on taking their scopes way, way beyond the recommended top end power for that particular scope into the interstellar space where everything in the views starts to break up, to deteriorate ! Its not just because of the mount, thats why I operate at reasonable powers, I can’t stand poor views that those astronomical powers bring ! Clear Skies !
I love my Porta II. I regularly use it for my Orion 80ST, VMC110L, and SV ED80A. (5, 5.5 and 6.4lbs respectively). I have also used happily with my Intes MK66 with caries extra hardware (long Losmandy dovetail and a Baader Vario 10x60 finder) for a total of 18.4 lbs.

I have never been limited in magnification by shakes or jiggles. I also do not extend the tripod legs since I prefer to sit while observing.

IMO it's an excellent mount and I would not push it past 20lbs. The MK66 was fine but close to the limit.
Scopes: Refs: Orion ST80, SV 80EDA f7, TS 102ED f11 Newts: AWB 130mm, f5, Z12 f5; Cats: VMC110L, Intes MK66,VMC200L f9.75 EPs: KK Fujiyama Orthoscopics, 2x Vixen NPLs (40-6mm) and BCOs, Baader Mark IV zooms, TV Panoptics, Delos, Plossl 32-8mm. Mixed brand Masuyama/Astroplans Binoculars: Nikon Aculon 10x50, Celestron 15x70, Baader Maxbright. Mounts: Star Seeker IV, Vixen Porta II, Celestron CG5
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Re: Vixen Porta II

#10

Post by LDW47 »


notFritzArgelander wrote: Tue Feb 18, 2020 6:29 am
LDW47 wrote: Mon Feb 17, 2020 10:01 pm At higher powers it does get a little more touchy but many expert astronomers insist on taking their scopes way, way beyond the recommended top end power for that particular scope into the interstellar space where everything in the views starts to break up, to deteriorate ! Its not just because of the mount, thats why I operate at reasonable powers, I can’t stand poor views that those astronomical powers bring ! Clear Skies !
I love my Porta II. I regularly use it for my Orion 80ST, VMC110L, and SV ED80A. (5, 5.5 and 6.4lbs respectively). I have also used happily with my Intes MK66 with caries extra hardware (long Losmandy dovetail and a Baader Vario 10x60 finder) for a total of 18.4 lbs.

I have never been limited in magnification by shakes or jiggles. I also do not extend the tripod legs since I prefer to sit while observing.

IMO it's an excellent mount and I would not push it past 20lbs. The MK66 was fine but close to the limit.
At a 20lb load it is at the top of its capabilities but it sure isn’t as bad as many describe it ! Provided it is done with some reasonable semblance of sanity, of judgement when pushing way beyond the limits of its capabilities ! Many times observers push and push the limits and then cry the blues when it stops functioning the way it was designed, you see it with many things these days ! Clear Skies !
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Re: Vixen Porta II

#11

Post by Ylem »


I mount my C6 SCT on my Porta Mount 2 during the summer months. Gives great Milky Way views :)

But I have noticed that at the end of the season I have to tighten the mount up a bit.
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Vixen Porta Mount ll
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Re: Vixen Porta II

#12

Post by Ylem »


On the Mr Star Guy site it says the PMll is good for 5kg, (11lbs)

After 10 years with one, I can tell you this;
It's all about balance, and adjusting those clutch tensions.

Sadly I am convinced my C6 has worn out something on mine.

Yes it's only 10lbs, but it's 7.25" in diameter!!
That puts the centre of gravity out a bit.

I also once had a 102 f11 frac on it that stressed it in the other direction.

I love the mount, so I will take it apart and refurbish it. However it won't see anything bigger than my ST80 and 127 Mak for the rest of it's life.
Clear Skies,
-Jeff :telescopewink:


Member; ASTRA-NJ



Orion 80ED
Celestron C5, 6SE, Celestar 8
Vixen Porta Mount ll
Coronado PST
A big box of Plossls
Little box of filters
:D



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