EQ Dob?!

[ving]

now for the long awaited perfectly balanced equatorially mounted dobsonian pics you have all been waiting for.... :prey2:
I got the weights today :)
4 x 2.5kg weights from rebel sports did the job great :D
next stop webcam....
enjoy! ;)
i even mowed the grass :P

(many thanks to chris (33south) for making this possible :))

[Astroman]

looks great david, how do you find the tracking?

[davidpretorius]

hey two dave are tracking with dobs!!!


yayayyayayayayyay

[[1ponders]]

Very very impressive ving. Great looking mount.

[ballaratdragons]

Vingo,

Now you can do some weightlifting on cloudy nights!

They look good. The whole outfit looks good!!!

[netwolf]

Congrats Ving. First the chair now the mount. u are moving up and up.

Everyones gone tracking..

Thats it i need an EQ mount.. anyone got one that they are not using.. suitable for tracking with a 10" newt that is a dob at the moment..

[asimov]

Nice one Ving!

[acropolite]

Congratulations are in order Cap'n Ving, I see you be cummin over to the dark side.

[FNQ_View]

Ving,
Pardon my ignorance, but what size OTA is that? I ask because this is what I was thinking of doing - the perfect mix - GEM at home, Dob when away from home. Though I must admit, I was thinking of a pier in the backyard to mount to. You've done great job with it.

Mick

[iceman]

He's got an 8" newt OTA, Mick.

Looks great David, how's it track? Getting used to polar alignment, or are you just doing it rough for visual right now?

Look forward to helping you get through the early days of imaging! :)

[asimov]

And which webcam are you going to get, hmmmm?

[davidpretorius]

don't listen to those eq platform boys ving, stick to listening to the true tracking brigade!!!

[ving]

polar alignment is a bit rough but ok for visual atm... i havent had much of a chance to got out and do any viewing tho. I am guessing that i wont have much time for viewing till next year (not that far away). I only just got it balanced yesterday arvo so I havent tried tracking yet.

as for which webcam, i dont know yet. I have a really cheap one which has done really crisp moon shots but it wont do for anything else me thinks... maybe get a good one for my b/day in march :)

[ving]

oh yeah, it has a RA drive only but it should track for a bit... when i get there :)

[33South]

:lol:

No probs, I hated seeing it neglected in the garage, nice picture, looks like a real telescope now.

The ol' Coronas went down treat on that really hot day, I remember it reasonably well - my birthday.:drink:

Cheers

[ving]

its funny, cheryl said it look like a realy telescope now too... :P

[ballaratdragons]

Mine only has RA drive. That's all you will need unless you want to get very precise imaging.

[matt]

Yeah .... funny how lifting the OTA out of a wooden Dob box will make it look like a real telescope!!!!!!!!!!:lol: :lol: :lol:

Funny how all the Dob Brigade can't wait to get their scope on an EQ mount:P

(now to sit back and watch the bile flow) LOL

[ving]

I am keeping my dob rocker for when my scope travels :P
so there!

[asimov]

Hey Matt...is that your nice way of saying "dobs SUCK!!"

Don't be subtle, were all friends here....or we were. :lol:

[davidpretorius]

i am keeping my motorized dob rocker and whilst the polar bears are aligning, i will be swinging mine around! and the scope too!

so there.

[matt]

All good friends Asi.........:)

I just love it when you put bait on your hook and you know you're gonna land a big fat wrigglin' Dobber:lol: :lol: :lol:

It makes the whole day worthwhile (lol)

It's almost cruel, coz you know the poor little fellas can't help themselves.

Almost cruel.

[atalas]

Looking good David !

[beren]

:) Looks great David , you even have the slo/mo dec adjustment arm . I had the same EQ mount , except for the dodgy tube straps I liked mine . Theres a Meade starfinder yahoo group that has some info on mods to improve the OTA connection points. I was surprised with the tracking on mine too :) shame Meade didnt put on any leveling bolts on the support legs , you could get some nuts welded on the end of the supports.... help with the polar aligning ;)

[ving]

got a link to the starfinder group??? :)

[beren]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Meade_Starfinder/

PS; keep one eye on Astromart you might find a bargain with the Magellan1 and 2 digital setting circles that came out for the starfinder series

[ving]

thnx mate :D

[matt]

Yeah ... but Geoff...

You should see the contortions!!!!!:lol:

I think my neighbours think I'm some kind of Yoga svengali:scared:

They think I'm operating some kind of Doomsday machine.

It's all good mate. It's all GOOD:P :P :P

[matt]

By the way...

I reckon Vingo's ignoring me??? See how he's being very professional and helpful?

Most unlike him:lol: ;)

Come on Ving. You know you want to chew on that hook ... hehehehehehe:wink2:

[ving]

you sir are offering the wrong bait! :P

[fringe_dweller]

pick me! pick me! I'll take the bait, I'll take it!!!!!
:rundog: :fishing: well Asi I know you havent even used/owned/seen a dob in real life - but your forgiven at least you have newt ;) so there.
Non-astronomers are unanimous! a dob doesnt look like a telescope :P
I have used both many times - and i go for the good old functional werking class dob everytime - you chardonay sipping eq/alt-az/wedge owners - well ...I hope youtrip in your armani deck shoes fall off your yacht! :D
Good onya Ving - best of both worlds, smart dude!

[ving]

:lol:@kearn

thanks Mr :)

[asimov]

Ah yes! But I used to work a dob before it was even called a dob! (over grown alt-azimuth) wish I had a piccy of it.

I don't even need to be wearing armani deck shoes to fall offa my yacht!

Thanxx for biting....err...I mean replying! :P

See how easy it is to get a strike Matt?? Need a damn good tracer for this 'hoff' breed though! He can throw the hook at any time!:prey2:

[asimov]

"tubes 1 thru 50! prepare to fire! Target: fringe_dweller.DOB owner...locking on target....target aquired....FIRE!!!"

[matt]

heheheheheheheheheh:wink2:

(matt laughing as he heads off to the backyard to take another look at venus through his RA and Dec driven EQ, where the image has hardly moved in half an hour even though he's using a 6mm EP).

"heheheheheh ... Dobbers!"

[asimov]

Forgot to tell you...I fired 51! Now that your tied up to that reef, you know what that means!

[asimov]

:prey2: :lol: :) Cheers mate! :drink: