{"product_id":"sky-watcher-wave-150i-pro-strain-wave-mount-kit-with-carbon-fiber-tripod-and-extension-tube","title":"Sky-Watcher Wave 150i Pro Strain Wave Mount Kit with Carbon Fiber Tripod and Extension Tube","description":"\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct Overview\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is the carbon fiber configuration of the Wave 150i Pro kit: the Wave 150i GoTo strain wave head together with the carbon fiber tripod and the carbon fiber pier extension tube. The complete kit ships at 22.8 lb, of which the mount head itself accounts for 12.8 lb (5.8 kg), and it carries 33 pounds (15 kg) of payload with no counterweight anywhere in the system.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrain wave gearing is what makes that ratio possible. The drive delivers high torque from a compact housing, so the mass that a conventional German equatorial spends on counterweights and a heavy head is simply absent. What remains is a mount that holds a serious imaging train and still travels. The optical tube is not included.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a good match if you image from more than one site — a dark-sky location an hour out, a driveway, a star party field — and you have been carrying a counterweighted German equatorial to do it. The carbon fiber kit is the lighter of the two Wave 150i tripod configurations, and the difference is felt on every trip from the car.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt also suits imagers running an automated session. Through-mount cabling, a powered hub in the saddle, and native compatibility with ASIAir, Eagle and StellarMate mean the mount is designed to be driven by software rather than watched. If your existing setup is a long triplet or a heavy astrograph, the 33 lb payload carries it, and the optional stainless-steel counterweight kit raises that to 55 lb (25 kg) when the tube outgrows the base rating.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKey Features \u0026amp; Design\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStrain wave drive technology:\u003c\/strong\u003e high torque from a compact gearbox, delivering smooth precise tracking without bulky counterweights, and it is the reason a 12.8 lb head handles 33 lb of payload.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e33-pound (15 kg) payload capacity:\u003c\/strong\u003e with no counterweight fitted. The optional stainless-steel counterweight kit takes it to 55 pounds (25 kg).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBuilt-in cable management:\u003c\/strong\u003e through-mount cabling with a powered hub built into the saddle carrying an autoguiding port, a Dec USB port and two Dec outputs. The RA hub sits at the back of the mount and never moves, so cables do not track with the tube and do not snag.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOTA balancing on both axes:\u003c\/strong\u003e the Wave 150i can be balanced on RA and Dec, which is unusual among strain wave mounts and directly affects how the drive behaves under an off-centre load.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFast slewing at 7.5 degrees per second:\u003c\/strong\u003e quick enough for satellite and space station work using the downloadable Satellite Tracker application for Windows PC on Sky-Watcher's International Support site.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEQ and AZ modes with RA and Dec home positions:\u003c\/strong\u003e the same head works equatorially for imaging and in altazimuth for visual sessions, and the home position functions give a repeatable starting point.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSingle D\/V hybrid saddle:\u003c\/strong\u003e accepts both Vixen and Losmandy dovetails without changing hardware.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e0° to 90° latitude range:\u003c\/strong\u003e usable from the equator to the pole, with a red LED backlit latitude scale and bubble level for setup after dark.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWi-Fi and Bluetooth:\u003c\/strong\u003e wireless control from a phone or tablet through the SynScan app, alongside the SynScan hand controller.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRA power-off braking:\u003c\/strong\u003e the RA axis brakes when power is removed rather than swinging free.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eASIAir compatible with the USB-B cable included:\u003c\/strong\u003e the cable that connects the mount to an ASIAir ships in the box.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCarbon fiber tripod and pier extension included:\u003c\/strong\u003e the lighter of the two tripod options Sky-Watcher offers for this kit.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOptical \/ Mechanical Design\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA conventional German equatorial balances the telescope against a counterweight on the opposite side of the RA axis, and the counterweights alone often approach the weight of the optical tube. Strain wave gearing removes that requirement. The reduction ratio and torque available from the drive let the Wave 150i hold 33 lb entirely on one side of the axis, which is why the kit as a whole ships at 22.8 lb rather than the 45 lb a comparably rated equatorial and its weights would total.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 150i is the larger of the two Wave heads and it is the one that carries the design features that matter for long imaging runs. OTA balancing on both RA and Dec is available here and not on the smaller head — balancing an off-centre imaging train reduces the load the drive has to hold statically, which is the difference between a mount that is working and one that is coasting. The cable architecture follows the same logic: the powered saddle hub means the guide camera, the Dec cabling and the USB feed all terminate at the moving end of the mount instead of running the length of the tube, while the RA hub stays fixed at the back where nothing rotates past it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe carbon fiber tripod and extension tube complete the mechanical chain. Carbon fiber is the lighter material of the two options and the extension tube raises the mount head, which matters when a long tube on a German equatorial swings toward the legs near the meridian.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRecommended Uses\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTravel and remote-site deep-sky imaging:\u003c\/strong\u003e a 22.8 lb complete kit with a 33 lb payload is a genuinely portable imaging platform.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLong-exposure astrophotography with heavy refractors and astrographs:\u003c\/strong\u003e the payload rating covers glass-heavy triplets and large-aperture imaging tubes.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAutomated and remote-controlled sessions:\u003c\/strong\u003e ASIAir, Eagle and StellarMate control gives plate solving and unattended imaging runs.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSatellite and ISS tracking:\u003c\/strong\u003e 7.5 degrees per second with the Windows Satellite Tracker application.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAltazimuth visual observing:\u003c\/strong\u003e AZ mode with a home position makes the same mount a straightforward visual platform.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompatibility and Accessory Notes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe single D\/V hybrid saddle takes Vixen and Losmandy dovetails as it stands, which covers essentially every optical tube Sky-Watcher, Celestron, William Optics and Takahashi ship with a rail.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eControl has three routes: the SynScan hand controller, the SynScan app over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, or a third-party platform such as ASIAir, Eagle or StellarMate. The ASIAir connection uses the USB-B cable supplied with the kit. Sky-Watcher publishes Wave firmware updates on their firmware and software page.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePower is 12V 2A and is not included. A regulated 12V supply or a lithium power pack of that rating runs the mount.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe stainless-steel counterweight kit, the pier adapter, and the steel tripod configuration are separate options in the Wave accessory range. If you are weighing this carbon fiber kit against the steel tripod version, or working out whether your tube needs the counterweight kit to sit inside the rating, send us the optical tube, camera and accessories you plan to run and we will work through the loaded weight with you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGood to Know Before You Order\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThis is the carbon fiber tripod configuration.\u003c\/strong\u003e The kit includes the carbon fiber tripod and the carbon fiber extension tube. The steel tripod version is a separate SKU with its own weight and price.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe optical tube is not included.\u003c\/strong\u003e The kit supplies the mount head, tripod and extension tube only.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e12V 2A power is not included.\u003c\/strong\u003e The mount needs a supply of that rating to run.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e33 lb is the payload without a counterweight.\u003c\/strong\u003e Reaching 55 lb (25 kg) requires the optional stainless-steel counterweight kit, sold separately.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e12.8 lb is the mount head alone.\u003c\/strong\u003e The 22.8 lb figure is the complete kit as it ships, tripod and extension tube included.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe Satellite Tracker application is Windows PC only.\u003c\/strong\u003e It is downloaded from Sky-Watcher's International Support website.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it difficult to set up?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe kit arrives as three pieces that go together in order: tripod, extension tube, mount head. There are no counterweights to thread onto a shaft and no shaft to install. The red LED latitude scale and bubble level are readable in the dark, and the 0° to 90° latitude range means the head is set once for your site. From there the SynScan app or an ASIAir takes over the alignment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is the difference between this kit and the steel tripod version?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tripod and extension. This kit ships with the carbon fiber tripod and carbon fiber extension tube; the other ships with a 2-inch steel leg heavy-duty EQ6 tripod and an extension tube for the EQ6 tripod. The mount head is the same Wave 150i in both. This carbon fiber kit ships at 22.8 lb complete.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it need counterweights?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot for the 33 lb (15 kg) rating — that figure is published with no counterweight fitted. The optional stainless-steel counterweight kit exists to extend the rating to 55 lb (25 kg).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill it work with an ASIAir?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, and the USB-B cable for that connection is included. Eagle and StellarMate are also supported, as are the SynScan hand controller and the SynScan app.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat dovetails does the saddle accept?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe single D\/V hybrid saddle takes both Vixen and Losmandy dovetails.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan it track satellites?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe slew rate is 7.5 degrees per second, and Sky-Watcher publishes a Satellite Tracker application for Windows PC on their International Support website for exactly that.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBottom Line\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA 33 lb payload on a 22.8 lb complete kit, with carbon fiber legs, an extension tube, through-mount cabling and native ASIAir support. This is the Wave 150i configured for imagers who move their gear, and it carries a full imaging train without a single counterweight.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sky-Watcher","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53896752562287,"sku":"S40015","price":4160.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0686\/0049\/6239\/files\/S30905Wave150_EQwPier_LeftFront.jpg?v=1785253479","url":"https:\/\/ontariotelescope.com\/products\/sky-watcher-wave-150i-pro-strain-wave-mount-kit-with-carbon-fiber-tripod-and-extension-tube","provider":"Ontario Telescope and Accessories","version":"1.0","type":"link"}