My first tracker was a cheap one too. HugoBarnes is right, the Star Adventurer is a huge step up for nailing that polar alignment. It's the only way to get those clean long exposures.

They still seem like a hassle when you need to get a card out quickly. That sticky rubber can wear out and lose its grip over time. It's just another thing that can go wrong when you're trying to pay for something.

Yeah, the "waiter never came back to correct it" part is the best... I saw a whole thread once about people's best accidental free upgrades.

Tell me about it, I once trusted a blanket rating and ended up babying a slab for a week like it was my firstborn! @harperschmidt is totally right about the ground holding the cold. I've seen frost still in the dirt at noon on a sunny 45-degree day. That meat thermometer trick is solid. Now I check the earth temp in three spots, like I'm checking a roast, because one shady corner can wreck your whole schedule. It's a humble way to learn you can't outsmart physics with a fancy blanket.

But what if he just didn't want to pay for shipping?