Good/bad experiences with mounts for travel?

Harmonic Mount
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Jeffrey Kieft avatar
Jeffrey Kieft avatar

I’ve been thinking about putting together a rig for travel, as even my smallest current setup is not transportable by commercial air.

I can readily sort through camera, optics, etc. options but would like to hear what others have used for travel mounts - good and bad experiences. Harmonic drive/strain wave mounts are likely to give the most bang per pound and are fairly compact (I own a larger WarpAstron one now), but do any of you have experience with specific ones that you have used for travel?

Thanks,

Jeff

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SonnyE avatar
SonnyE avatar

My present (and likely last mount) was bought for both traveling and home stationary use.

But it sure wouldn’t be something I try and airport transport.

Have you ever thought about one of these new Harmonic mounts? They sound pretty light and compact.

Or maybe a See Star type of a rig?

Honestly, even before I got old and frail, I didn’t find it worthwhile to drag my assemblage around. But I was using an RV, not airplanes. 😆

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Tom Carrico avatar
Tom Carrico avatar

I have taken my AM5 all over the country and use it for star parties. Small and capable and for my setup, very nice to not also haul around counterweights. If your setup is not too large, you can get away with the AM3N or other manufacturers equivalent.

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Jeffrey Kieft avatar
Jeffrey Kieft avatar

Thanks both. Definitely will go with a harmonic. I have a WarpAstron WD-20 which I really like, so a WD-17 would be an obvious choice. But don’t want to miss other possible contenders.

I’ll be at NEAF in a week so can check out all suggestions in person.

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Kartik Atre avatar
Kartik Atre avatar

Jeffrey Kieft · Apr 5, 2026 at 08:56 PM

Thanks both. Definitely will go with a harmonic. I have a WarpAstron WD-20 which I really like, so a WD-17 would be an obvious choice. But don’t want to miss other possible contenders.

I’ll be at NEAF in a week so can check out all suggestions in person.

Why not the existing WD-20? It isn’t that much heavier than WD-17. Unless, of course, you have it permanently mounted

Hans P. Strifeldt avatar
Hans P. Strifeldt avatar

What weight limits are we looking at? I use my TeSeek 11 strainwave mount for travel, for which it is wonderfully compact, however its payload capacity is only 5 kg.

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Jeffrey Kieft avatar
Jeffrey Kieft avatar

Kartik Atre · Apr 6, 2026 at 12:33 AM

Jeffrey Kieft · Apr 5, 2026 at 08:56 PM

Thanks both. Definitely will go with a harmonic. I have a WarpAstron WD-20 which I really like, so a WD-17 would be an obvious choice. But don’t want to miss other possible contenders.

I’ll be at NEAF in a week so can check out all suggestions in person.

Why not the existing WD-20? It isn’t that much heavier than WD-17. Unless, of course, you have it permanently mounted

Technically, it’s not permanently mounted but practically I’ve never taken it off its tripod. I could, but would rather keep that all assembled at home. Also, it would be nice for the travel rig to be stand-alone so I can use it at home as a second wider field system.

But yeah, the WD-20 could come off and travel if needed…not a bad suggestion.

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Jeffrey Kieft avatar
Jeffrey Kieft avatar

Hans P. Strifeldt · Apr 6, 2026 at 07:19 AM

What weight limits are we looking at? I use my TeSeek 11 strainwave mount for travel, for which it is wonderfully compact, however its payload capacity is only 5 kg.

Jeffrey Kieft avatar
Jeffrey Kieft avatar

Jeffrey Kieft · Apr 6, 2026 at 02:53 PM

Hans P. Strifeldt · Apr 6, 2026 at 07:19 AM

What weight limits are we looking at? I use my TeSeek 11 strainwave mount for travel, for which it is wonderfully compact, however its payload capacity is only 5 kg.

Good question - I have not settled on the other components, but would imagine something like an Askar FRA400 (2.65 kg), plus cooled camera and other accessories. I like to keep my rigs well under published capacity so 5 kg seems a bit too low. The TeSeek 11 seems like a cool compact mount though.

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Hans P. Strifeldt avatar
Hans P. Strifeldt avatar

Jeffrey Kieft · Apr 6, 2026 at 03:16 PM

Jeffrey Kieft · Apr 6, 2026 at 02:53 PM

Hans P. Strifeldt · Apr 6, 2026 at 07:19 AM

What weight limits are we looking at? I use my TeSeek 11 strainwave mount for travel, for which it is wonderfully compact, however its payload capacity is only 5 kg.

Good question - I have not settled on the other components, but would imagine something like an Askar FRA400 (2.65 kg), plus cooled camera and other accessories. I like to keep my rigs well under published capacity so 5 kg seems a bit too low. The TeSeek 11 seems like a cool compact mount though.

Got it. I do run my TeSeek 11 at capacity with no issues whatsoever, however I fully appreciate that people have different approaches to this. Good luck in the search for the right mount for your purpose.

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Michael Stolz avatar
Michael Stolz avatar

I am using a UMI17 Lite harmonic drive with an Askar 65phq, a MeLe 3q mini PC for controlling and an android tablet for accessing N.I.N.A on the MeLe. I have a carbon fiber tripod (with sturdy 40mm legs) and use the polar wedge that came with the UMI17 Lite. All of this has travelled per plane at least four times.

Most important to me is the power supply. I used to use normal power banks from which I got 12V 3A max power per 12V USB - PD cables with additional 12V voltage stabilizers. That worked very well mostly …. until it didn’t once in a while. USB-PD is a bit finicky and it may just decide the power drawn is too little and it shuts down!

Now I am using a SmallRig VB99 V-mount battery which I access per D-Tap (no finicky electronics that may or may not think it shuts down supply, but unregulated voltage starting at 15V) routed through my 12V voltage regulators. Very stable!

It all depends on your needs! For me 416mm focal length is “deep sky” enough and I also use the exact same setup when I do “wide angle” mosaics with my 105mm lens on my Canon DSLR (instead of the Askar telescope). In all cases, I can (and mostly do) autoguide with a little 120mm guide scope.

The system is not “mobile” enough to be carried on the back on long hikes, though.

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