 |
Meade
#884 Deluxe Field Tripod:
The official Specification:
Meade #884 Deluxe field tripod is fully adjustable from
25" (64cm) to 43"(108cm) for seated or standing
observations.
Equatorial
head for accurate polar alignment during astronomical
observations; litlts to 90 degree for terrestrial observation.
Graduated
scale for elevation-angle adjustment.
|
 |
Meade
#884 delue field tripod comes with a carrying
bag. The spreader/eyepieces hold store at the pocket at
the larger end of the bag. |
 |
The
Meade #884 deluxe field tripod has two
attached bolts. You will not have to look for the bolts
because the two bolts will not come off. The
bolts are held in place each by a spring. You push
the bolts up and turn to tight with the telescope. |
 |
The
two spring loaded screw protruding out of the top will
allow the telescope to place flat on the top of the telescope. You
can then attach the telescope to the Meade #884
deluxe field tripod very easily. |
 |
The
Altitude scale on the Meade #884 deluxe field tripod
is anything but precision. This only allow very
rough, non-precision adjustment of the altitude setting.
You have to hold on to the telescope and move the altitude
rod up and down to change altitude. You then tighten it
with the lock on the side. |
 |
This
is the altitude lock lever on the Meade #884 deluxe field
tripod. If the telescope is in the Polar position
and you loosen this lock lever without holding on to your
telescope, you telescope will slam down with nothing to
stop or slow it donw. |
 |
The
leg opposing the altitude adjustment is the North leg
of the Meade #884 deluxe field tripod. Make
sure you place the telescope with the correct orientation
before you attach the two bolts: North leg point to north,
the computer control panel to the west. |
 |
Telescope
attached in the Alt/Az home position on the Meade #884
deluxe field tripod. |
 |
Meade
#884 Deluxe Field Tripod: Polar Home Position
Point the North leg to the north, telescope computer control
panel to the west and raise the latitude adjustment rod
to the Latitude of you location and you are now in the
Polar home position. The catch is that there is no micro
adjustment for anything in this tripod. With no
azimuth adjustment, it is close to impossible to make
precision Polar alignment. |
 |
ETX-125EC
with the #884 tripod in the Polar home position. |
 |
This
is the leg spreader/eyepieces holder of the Meade #884
deluxe new tripod. |
 |
The
leg spreader/eyepieces holder is make of thick aluminum
and is held in place with 2 washers, a spring and the
big turn nut. I have no idea why you would
need the spring. It take quite some efforts to push
the spring up to screw in the big triangular turn bolt. |
 |
The
two washer and spring must be removed every time you want
to collapse the tripod. It is not really need to
keep the tripod legs to spread or keep the tripod sturdy.
The tripod is very sturdy without the spreader Unless
you want to use the eyepiece holder, the spreader is not
needed. The washers and spring are just more part
so you can drop them in the dark and never to be found. |
 |
The
Meade #884 deluxe new tripod legs can be extended and
held in place with a big turn bolt. |
 |
The
Meade #884 deluxe field tripod is very sturdy even when
all the legs are fully expended. The hard
plastic (ABS) leg tips are round. |
My
review
The Meade #884 deluxe field tripod is perfect for those
who only use the telescope in Alt/Az position. You
would need to place a bubble level on top of the tripod
to level the tripod. There is no where that you
can install a bubble level permanently even if you want
to There is no bubble level on this tripod . You
must level the tripod top first before attaching the telescope
to the tripod. There is no reason to even try to use this
tripod in the Polar position. The latitude adjustment
is a joke. The only reason to use the telescope
in the polar position is that it is more precise.
Since there is no precise adjustment of any kind in this
tripod, it would defeat the purpose to trying to be precise
in using the tripod in the polar position. The leg spreader/eyepieces
holder is not needed. The little parts such as the washers
and spring are easy to get lost in the dark. This is a
very strudy tipod. |
Modification
Kit
A micro altitude adjustment kit is available. This kit
allow precision smooth altitude adjustment and leveling
of the tripod top platform. |
