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View Full Version here: : Telrad... first light.


elusiver
06-09-2005, 12:23 AM
Well.. got the telrad out for the first time tonight, as well as my quickcam 3000 for the first time. 1st point. Don't get 2 new toys at the same time.. because u've gotto split u'r obs time between the 2. The telrad made me want to hop around. the quickcam made me want to stay on a target to try to figure out how all this imaging stuff works :P But back to the telrad. in a word, RAD! :P yes.. i haven't heard or said that word since the 80's. :P


As a noob who lives under light polluted skies a thing that takes some getting used to is the way things look different in u'r normal finderscope. You'll target something you can see naked eye, look in the finderscope then not only is it upside down and back to front but there's other stars there that you couldn't see before. Also, there's also a niggling thought if you have the finderscope actually ligned up to the star you wanted to look at in the first place. Which is why i wanted a reticle finder :D It's incredibly easy to use, aligning it was as simple as it is with a finderscope. I aligned the finderscope and my scope first, then aligned the telrad to the finder. Simple. Finding things was so much easier with the telrad, but, as I live under light polluted skies, it was only helpful in finding targets that were relitively close to visible stars, having said that, most of the 'good stuff' is in or near the milky way anyhow, and there are plenty of visible stars there. I could target an area that i wanted to look at, then look in my finderscope for the fuzzy, then there it'd be in my eyepiece :D

The only 'con' to the telrad is dew. It dews up in a flash! and I'm now scouring the net for telrad dew solutions.

all in all.. a top purchase.. something i'd definately recommend.

el :)

asimov
06-09-2005, 01:06 AM
Good 1 EL!:thumbsup: on the telrad...C'mon!!!:P We want ASTRO-FOTO'S!! & lots of em'!!:poke: What's 'RAD' mean??...........just joking!!:P :D

RAJAH235
06-09-2005, 01:44 AM
ELLEX, ask Slice for some pics of *his* modded Telrad. An easy solution to dew, is simply to have a heater installed. :P :shrug: :D L.

rmcpb
06-09-2005, 09:05 AM
El,

I find a bit of black cardboard velcroed to each side of the Telrad and looped over the top works well. Not pretty but it works a bit like a dew shield for a scope. Must upgrade mine to a bit of plastic sheet sooner or later but the cardboard is easy to replace as the dew wrecks it over time.

Cheers

slice of heaven
06-09-2005, 09:46 AM
I dont have a digital camera, or a scanner, but I'll vouch for the heater mod :thumbsup:
The Telrad was the first item to suffer from dew, now it's the last. It's frustrating ,to say the least, having the window coated with dew. I've tried a lot of mods in 10 years but the heater option is the only one that works 100%. Plus there's nothing to restrict your view as do the shields.

elusiver
06-09-2005, 10:25 AM
anychance of getting some more details on the heater slice? like what it's made of and how u attached it?

el :)

wavelandscott
06-09-2005, 10:38 AM
Glad you like the Telrad...

I ended up taking my finder scope off as I did not use it after I got the Telrad...

In terms of dew solutions there are many that will "do"...there are dew shields (and shield plus) from Telrad available that work...no electricity needed but maybe a bit expensive for what they are...

For a long time I used an old neoprene "stubby holder" with a split down the side...worked like a champ!

I eventually got a Telrad dew shield plus as I wanted to see if the additional mirror on it would make it "right angle"...it sort of works for this purpose...it does help prevent dew....

Cheers!

Cheers!

chunkylad
06-09-2005, 11:44 AM
Good on ya El!!!

I love my little Rigel. Combined with a right angled finderscpe, it takes all the heartache out of starhopping in my light polluted backyard.

Don't have a cam yet myself - no laptop to run it with. Looking forward to some picces from you though.

Cheers

slice of heaven
06-09-2005, 12:11 PM
The mod was rather easy El. I packaged it and mailed it to Laurie (Rajah235) and 7 days later it came back done :)

RAJAH235
07-09-2005, 12:00 AM
Slice, you could've elaborated a little bit...... It's not JUST a dew heater. It's a............& a............with................., as well! :P Sorry guys, you'll have to wait till Slice gets a digital camera......I forgot to take pics. of his as well. :D L.

slice of heaven
07-09-2005, 08:07 AM
Yes , its a deluxe mod.
Laurie fitted a dewheater and a variable rate pulse for the led. The pulsing of the rings is just as valuable a mod as the heater. The flashing of the rings leaves you with a clear screen and the quick flash of the rings leaves an imprint for targetting. It all fits nicely inside the Telrad (Must be the reason the Telrads are so big) but a small external power source is needed. I use a 12v cordless battery pack to run the Telrad, fan and a couple of leds and the battery pack copes easily.
I'll take some pics on film and have them scanned and try posting them when I get the chance.