A new place to observe.

[xelasnave]

A friend told a lady how I help folk without accepting money and she helped me with a gift of a nice caravan. It took a bit to get it in practical terms...removing the annex and preparing it for tabletop truck transportation and of course putting it all back together but its nearly done.
The site came to me via a guy who purchased some water from our dam so he fixed the road and put in a turning circle which makes a great van site...so for only the cost of transport I now have my van. Next another cube to set up my gear permanent. I am very happy and grateful. I have exceptional luck and I believe its because I help folk and kind to all creatures...I dont know how or why that works or if it works but I like to think of things that way.
Alex

[bojan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tvSvjpcBuo

[xelasnave]

You need something to hold cynicism at bay☺.
The Bojan Widefield Mount had a run last night☺ I bought a cheap 50mm lens and could not alter the f setting but last night worked out how to get it to f1.8 ...no polar align so I had to keep it short but managed two widefields each of about forty minutes total with 15 second subs...deepskystacker says it will be three hours registering the first batch☺..about 30 darks...nearly drowned in the dew.
Anyways off to set up my new home☺.
Alex

[xelasnave]

More trivia. ..
Last night putting everything away at 1am (only cause the fog was just too much) I dropped my Nikon..only on the grass so I figured it would not hurt☺ anyways after downloading this morning I found I could not bring up the setting display ..horrors..everything else would show but not the dials I love so much..I had given up and figured something was busted and putting it away contenting myself that I could manage without it and that seemed the only problem...but then I noticed the little bracket or frame around the viewfinder was knocked out of place..put it right and my scteen appeared...so lucky that the camera survived a fall...the only fall on over a decade but I put it down to the fact my hands (feet and everything really) was near frozen and I had lost feeling.
Alex

[xelasnave]

Damn it..I only now noticed that I shot everything in jpg.
Good luck cant beat stupidity☺
Alex

[bojan]

Alex, mate, my apologies if my post was offensive in any way, I did'n mean to be cynical. I thought it will just be an audio "illustration" of what you wrote.

[xelasnave]

I dont take things the wrong way. I avoid being offended or even taking things personally. I think the best always...ok sometimes I slip but usually wake up to that fact within an hour or so☺
I was thinking of my mechanism for coping with the world only☺.
Alex

[Outcast]

Its not good luck my friend, its good karma & one earns that...

Glad its all working out for you, albeit slowly

[xelasnave]

Been down at the site and I cant see CSP clearly but I think I can get a gap in the trees..I will kill a couple maybe cut down a few if I have to...actually I will probably get someone to do that ..I cant run and sometimes you need to move fast when cutting down trees☺
I took some photos to give you an idea of the nice location.
It has three batteries and they look brand new but I cant find them on the net ..BOSS made in Korea...no reference to amp hours as such..the only number is 70 so maybe 70 amp hours each.. alcium batteries it says...plus 12 volts in each so if 70 amps that 210 amp hours..I have not heard of calcium batteries but I suspect they may have a high discharge...but at 25% that 50 amp hours to play with...and I still have my 120 amp hour with the astro set up...the solar panel I think may be 120 watt..there is a gas stove and gas fridge but I dont know if they work...but even in Sydney I use one of those $20 ones ..I can cook anything with one of those..plus I have a good 12 vlt fridge which goes to minus 18... the dam has little jetty and I have a little boat I think I will put in for fun.
She left a new micro wave and a new mattress which is great cause transporting big stuff is a pain...bit hard to get up the steps but I may put in a little ramp...found probably the best spot to put the scopes..going to set up two units eq6 and heq5 an 80mm and the eight inch and the BWM☺...Still not using asiair cause I cant get the goto to behave as I want...But it will come good..I have decided just to image with the lappy and not waste time mucking around...
Alex

[xelasnave]

The van would not upload???
Try again☺
Alex

[xelasnave]

I will try later..maybe too much traffic at the moment.
Alex

[Startrek]

The new Obs site sounds great Alex with everything you need at arms length
Just need some clear nights hey
We will be waiting patiently for your images
Enjoy and good luck !
Martin

[xelasnave]

Maybe this time??? Photo herewith???
Alex

[Outcast]

:thumbsup:

Maybe you could do a roll back roof on the van Alex... then you wouldn't have to go anywhere... roll back the roof, get the rig going.. have a cuppa, curl up on the bed & get some shuteye....

:D

[xelasnave]

Hi Calton
That was my original idea ... convert the double bed area into the observatory...but you need a dome and a rather tall pier...the CSP is the problem and after enjoying the benefits of polemaster I wont go back to not seeing the SCP... I am going to have a large fire pit about eight foot diameter with a bench or hammock. .. the coals wont give off much light and should clear the dew plus I can barbeque a whole steer☺.
Still cant find out about the batteries..I sure would like to know their capacity and max discharge.
Probably wont get tv or net so I will have more time.
Its coming together but I have not moved in as I am set up at the house and dont feel like pulling it down take it there and pull down afyer a couple of days...I will take the BWM down and find a spot to see the CSP thru the trees in the general area where I plan permanent set up.
I am thinking a cube type set up but 8 x 4 foot which is big enough for my two mounts plus its is easy to build...the one in Sydney can come up later to house the RASA 8 later☺ mmm need another mount as well.
Anyways finally if its clear I want to get plenty of data to keep me busy during cloudy spells.
Alex

[Sunfish]

You might be on to something Alex.
Tiny house observatories with wheels.
Just add jack down legs with screw piles and you are fixed on to the earth like a limpet.

[xelasnave]

Yes Ray I have designed a few tiny houses .....one that has a pop top with bay windows but yet to include an observatory...maybe today☺.
And of course the clouds roll in yet again to hamper my progress or perhaps to slow me down and give my legs a rest.
Alex

[xelasnave]

Can you find it?
Alex

[xelasnave]

Well been cleaning and sorting stuff out..the mattress must be new just unwrapped so I will use it mainly getting a new one means having it delivered..anyways bought a thick pure wool cover thing and I think it will be fine. The pillows were new still as they came from the shop. Stove looks ok after a clean up as does the fridge but I will use one of those $20 camper ones...which is all I use in Sydney..and I have a better fridge so the van fridge can just be like a pantry. Finished the fire pit today..a ring of rocks is all but really adds to the site...leveled the dirt floor in the annex and will cover it with something so it will provide a useful area, and ..... have almost cut all the frame timber for the new observatory ... it is like the cube only double to take the heq5 and the eq6 and will have a roll of roof (at this stage) 8 x4 ..actually 8x8 to provide a frame for a roll off roof to run on.. the enclosed area will only be 8x4feet approx or 2.4 x 1.2 mtrs☺ allow a little extra for an overhang on the roof... I am using 2x4 inch hardwood for the frame cause its in a pile ( left by previous owner) and free but man is it hard..been using a hand saw but tomorrow going to bring in the genny and a big circular saw ..should have it all cut in an hour ..I will be drilling and bolting or drilling and nailing..nail gun wont cut it...but hopefully will get most of it done before I return to Sydney.Not sure about cladding but its a toss up between iron and fibrous cement but I have a large supply of thin ply for internal walls so I will be able to use pink bats to insulate...found a place which only requires me to cut down three trees to get CSP so I can manage that without getting anyone in...
Bought a camper toilet and containers for water and a good bucket to draw water from the dam.
So I have been busy but its taking longer than I expected...Still have to get materials for the matching mounts...pvc pipe star pickets for strength and filled with cement...they wont go to bedrock but I will franky pile each of them so I doubt they will move..anyways I have polemaster☺
Hopefully I keep moving forward and its up and working within a month...maybe two☺.
Alex

[Ausrock]

Based on the curved corner windows I suspect that it's an old Viscount van.........they were the "bee's knees" in their day, take care of it.

:thumbsup:

[Outcast]

Hey Alex,

Good to hear it is all panning out for you, great news... just remember, you don't have to get it all done in a day... take your time, take it easy & be kind to your body, otherwise, you may get it all done but, not be in a fit state to enjoy it...

Please keep us posted on your progress... it's sounding like it's coming together well & short of a full on purpose built observatory on top of a dry ridge in the middle of a temperate area, it's beginning to sound like amateur astronomy nirvana...

Cheers

[xelasnave]

Thanks Calton...I had a rest a cup of tea and something to eat and back at it☺ I have worked out an unreal way to build the frame around the cladding and lining...but I rang the hardware in Tabby and they have no cladding so I probably will spend the afternoon being nice to someone so they drive me to Bunnings tomorrow...so onto the roof and see what I will need for it and pick it up tomorrow hopefully. All good as to pacing myself I never do more work than three other men☺...
Alex