Posts Made By: Mike Gibson

Not a good idea to use rechargeables...even with fresh alkalines the performance is marginal, especially when below freezing. Sooner or later you will chuck the 'D' cell battery pack and buy a 12VDC auto jump-start battery and wonder why you didn't do it long ago. It can also start your car!

Herb / Richard - wise advice for sure. I know what I should do, even if the air carrier already limits insured value to $5,000 US maximum. VAT and import duty really jacks up the price for a buyer, even for "used" equipment.

I like my C9.25 a whole lot, and consider it a poor man's substitute for the wonderful Takahashi TSC-225 (no longer produced). It is a very consistent performer, but visually the smaller AP155 refractor has better contrast and on most nights is better for planets in my Midwest USA seeing. But I always bring the C9.25 just in case conditions are favorable (seeing & cooldown), and of course it is brighter for DSOs.

Like Ed Ting said, the C9.25 is the SCT for folks who hate SCTs.