Illuminated Crosshairs - THE FINISHED GUIDESCOPE!

[ballaratdragons]

So Far So Good!

The problem: can't see the crosshairs against the dark sky.

The Solution: After hints, suggestions and help from Laurie and AsiJohn I have wacked together an illuminated set-up for the crosshairs made of my daughters hair I put in my Guidescope!
I got a RedLed light out of a busted computer in the shed but it blew coz I chucked 12v across it. It glowed nice for about 4 seconds then faded out!!!! Back to the shed for another RedLed (luckily the computer had 3). OK, got the voltage worked out. 2 x AA batteries.

Mounted the Red Led inside the dew shield like Asi suggested.

Now for something to hold the batteries? A 2 x AA battery holder was found in a toy outboard motor from a busted toy boat in the shed and instantly confiscated for the sake of astronomy. ;)

Now I needed a switch and a Potentiometer :confuse3:

Ah Hah! Back to the shed to the old Busted pooter monitor!!! BINGO! One power switch and the Pot from the brightness control. :)

Soldered it all together and it works a treat. :nerd:

All I have to do know it wait until it is very dark outside and test it on Orion Neb and a few stars. :prey:

I shall let you know how it works as soon as it is pitch black outside.

Below is a pic of the wired effort before I make a small box to put it all into (I want to see if it works first) The RedLed is turned on!!!! :)

[h0ughy]

Ah Mr Dragons you are a credit to Steptoe and Son with your resourcefulness. Your a very clever man Mate! Well done

[asimov]

Yup! Should do the trick Ken...Well done.

[ballaratdragons]

Ta Guys! Come on Darkness!!!!

Geez I'm glad I have a shed. Just don't let me near a junk pile, I'll probably bring most of it home :lol:

I forgot to include a pic of my Guidescope that Bert made. Here it is sanded back waiting to be painted, but wired up for the illumination test tonight!!!!
It is an 84mm short f/length refractor with a prism diagonal.

[asimov]

Hope your going to paint it white!! It's a refractor!!;)

[ballaratdragons]

Nope. Silver with a Black dewshield!

Gotta make everything match in case the telescope Police arrive :lol:

Oooo, nearly dark enough to test the illuminated set-up :)

[ballaratdragons]

Wooo-Hoooo!

It Works! It Works! It Works!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I started with the RedLed turned to medium and centred a star. Yep, can see the star and the Crosshairs! Coool!!!. Over to Orion Neb: Yep I can see it too! Even Cooler!!!!!

Turned the RedLed right down and I can still see the crosshairs easy yet there is hardly any red glow noticable. WOW! I then turned it up to full:
Very bright red view and pronounced crosshairs but I can still see Orion neb!!! Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Laurie & John! I'm a happy Man :cool:

[asimov]

Welcome to the red-light club!!

[Robert_T]

onya Ken, great to see you came up trumps :thumbsup:

[lost_in_space]

Excellent innovation, well done!
Do not on any account dispose of ANYTHING in your shed:bashcomp: If it fills up, buy a bigger shed. Remember the golden rule, junk accumulates to fill the space available, but as soon as you throw something out, you need it!

[33South]

Great stuff Ken 'McGyver' BallaratDragons.
All you need now is to add an on/off pulse timer :scared:

[ving]

woohoo! on ya ken :D

[h0ughy]

Congrats Ken, I haven't even got illuminated crosshairs. Now run i think the bad guys are after you McGyver

[ballaratdragons]

Hey Chris,
Question 1. Who's McGyver?

Question 2. What's an on/off pulse timer and how do I make one? I might have the right stuff in the shed! :lol:

[33South]

Macgyver a TV character from the mid 80s famous for two thing his mullet hair and a he is able to make use of any mundane materials around him to create unorthodox solutions to any problem he faces. Played Richard Dean Anderson of SG1 (TV) fame.

http://www.rusted-crush.com/macgyver/lessons.html

A pulse timer basically turns the LED on and off at varying intervals say on 2secs off 3secs. This gives you best of both worlds with faint fuzzies. How to make one, no idea - ask McGyver


Chris.

[ballaratdragons]

Oh, that McGuyver! Never seen it Chris, but I've heard of it. Sounds like a man I'd like to know LOL! I like him in SG1, so McGuyver was probably good too!

I won't need a pulse timer. The place I mounted the RedLed makes it work in a strange way. If I move my eye just the tiniest bit, the red dissapears but the sky stays!!! Move my eye back and the Red light is there again! That's why they call me 'Flukey Luke!'.
Don't ask me how I did it coz I don't know!!! But it's very handy. :lol:

[asimov]

Mine does the same Ken. To get full illumination from all angles glue a 1 inch piece of alfoil on the inside of the dew shield directly opposite your red light.

[ballaratdragons]

Thanks John, that will work but I want it left the way it is. I have been practicing 'turning it on & off' by moving my eye.

It doesn't affect the view in any way. I have full control whether I want it on or off just by eye movement! Kind of cool!! :lol:

[asimov]

Yes, I use mine like you do too, but one night my batteries went flat, with only the slightest red glow...no shops open so I did the alfoil trick & it doubled the brightness & I continued imaging! Still have'nt replaced the batteries!

[ballaratdragons]

LOL!

Here is a pic of the finished control box. I used a part of the casing from an old printer (yep, from the shed) and the switch from the monitor fit the switch hole from the printer exactly, which means it has 'ON' & 'OFF' written on it!!! (Flukey Luke again)

I can either screw it to something or glue a magnet under it and just magnet it to the OTA!

Gee my shed is a Gold Mine :lol:

[asimov]

Geez mate! you better take a trip over & see whats in my shed...I aint throw anything away for 30 years...AND I inherited all my dads junk too!

[ballaratdragons]

hehehe! Where do you think I'm going while you are in USA! Your Shed!!!! :wink2: :lol:

[Dennis]

Ken

You are the original Mr. Fixit. Or is that Gadget Man? Or is than Bush Mechanic? Anyhow, you are a resourceful and entertaining genius whichever you be.

Cheers

Dennis

[ballaratdragons]

Thanks Dennis LOL! I love to tinker and make things work. It is very satisfying. I think I picked it up from my Dad.

Ahhh, the good old days when almost everybody used initiative to make things from what they had. No 'disposable' items back then!

[asimov]

I'll leave it unlocked then. Take what you want!

[RAJAH235]

Ken, fwiw. If you want a simple flasher/pulser unit, then use an LM3909, 8 pin LED driver/flasher chip. ~$3.00.
See attached circuit. Should work O.K. It will flash continuously but you can vary the brightness.
If needed, you might try changing the value, (more/less microfarads but not by much), of the capacitor to vary the flash rate.
HTH a bit. :D L.

[Astroman]

Well done Ken, looks good.

[acropolite]

If you can find any of the Lm3909, let me know. National have stopped making them and I have been unable to get any. A big plus with the 3909 is that configured as a simple flasher cct you can expect a LED to run continuously for around 12 months on a single 1.5 volt D cell. :nerd:

[RAJAH235]

Why not try the 555 timer chip? ~90 cents. Just don't forget the current limiting resistor for the LED. :D L.
ps. Hope you can make out the details.

[ballaratdragons]

Thanks Laurie but I'm no electronics wizz. I'll stick with what I've got. It works well and I'm happy :)

[RAJAH235]

Here's a simple flasher/timer circuit. Using the stated components it varies between 1 sec on/1 sec off to 1 sec on/4 sec off, approx. :D L.

[ballaratdragons]

I have completely finished my Guide/Auxillary scope! It is ready to mount on my 12" scope when it goes onto the EQ mount.

And NO AsiJohn, it's not white. It is the exact colour of my GS 12". I took the finderscope to the paint shop and colour matched it. For anyone with a silver GS scope who wants to touch up the paint, the paint name and code in those little touch up cans is: PJ6250 - Kashmir Pearl.

Here is the finished scope! Compare it to the unfinished item. I'm a happy man!!

[beren]

:thumbsup: top work

[RAJAH235]

Very chic, Ken. :P: Wouldn't touch it with a 10 ft pole tho. Looks a little bit iffy to me! :poke: :D L.

[ballaratdragons]

Iffy? IFFY?? IT IS WORLD CLASS!!!!

The scope was made by Bert originally. I made a few simple mods and it works a treat!
And the paint job is superb :lol:

[33South]

Very nice Ken, Im impressed with the fnish.

[ballaratdragons]

Thanks Chris.

Hear that Laurie!!!! Iffy indeed!

[janoskiss]

Very nice, Ken! Where are you going to put the switch-box. I'd go with sticky backed velcro tape for mounting where you want, but allow easy removal of the finder.
:thumbsup:

[ballaratdragons]

I'm going to glue a magnet to the bottom of it Steve. Then I can move it anywhere on the OTA.

Magnets are handy with steel OTA's.

[h0ughy]

A well deserved result for all the hard work you have put into it Ken. Great result

[ballaratdragons]

Ta Houghy.

Should look nice perched on top of the colour co-ordinated 12"er.
The whole mount is coming up nice, I finished all the painting today and tomorrow is assembly day and if I get it finished in time (without rushing, I want to do it right) the mount may see some sky tracking tomorrow night with my boys 8" on it!!! The 12" isn't ready yet (tube rings for the 12" being sorted out as we speak).

Am I getting excited?

YOU BET!!!!

[ballaratdragons]

I am so pleased with the result I had to post another pic!

Here is Mama Guidescope with Baby Finderscope waiting to be united with Papa 12" Scope.

A matching Family :lol:

[h0ughy]

looks nice ken, your a 3 scoper now!

[ballaratdragons]

Don't they call that a 'Tri-scoper'? :lol:

[h0ughy]

Tri harder Ken

[RAJAH235]

Now you'll be able to use your 'third' eye, Ken. :P: :D L.
ps. Got 'Skype' working yet? I am now on broadband, so if you want to try again....
When you gunna get Firefox, huh? Gees I'm a pain ain't I?

[ballaratdragons]

My Skype didn't stop working Laurie, just the headset broke. I can still type on skype.

I've still got Firefox in the pooter, but I don't like it.

You? A pain? Naahhh! ummm Yep! :lol:

[janoskiss]

Magnet, of course. Brilliant!

... yes there are better browsers out there than Firefox but IE is not one of them.

[Orion]

I've been following your progress Ken....Very Well Done!

[shaneaust]

Hey:

Was looking at this topic - how did you figure out the correct voltage for the LED? Am trying to do the same thing but not sure how many batteries I need to power mine - it's also off an old PC...

Thanks!

[erick]

Red LEDs - in the range 1.8-2.8 volts would do. Two rechargeable AAs or AAAs would be good being about 2.4 volts in series. Ordinary batteries are more like 3.0 volts in series - suggest you try a series resister with your LED - try 100 ohm.

I'm running a red LED off 1.7 volts. It just glows but that's all I want - it's to show me, in the dark, if I have the tracker switched on:- http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=26320&d=1177740460

If you are playing with white or blue LEDs, they need a higher voltage to operate - more like 3-4 volts as I recall. Look up the Jaycar site (www.jaycar.com.au) (http://www.jaycar.com.au%29), find LEDS - they have specs for most LEDS - look for the Vmax or Vtyp values to give you an idea. In my experience LEDS are pretty robust (unless you push 12 Volts onto a red LED!)

[erick]

Ken and others

I have all the parts and waiting for the time to build it. I'm wondering whether it works well if you just generally light up the area beyond the finderscope objective, or would it work better if I aligned four LEDs with the ends of the cross hairs? I can do both.

Thanks
Eric

[ballaratdragons]

Eric, I have just the one red LED to the side and it lights everything up nicely.

P.S. Strange seeing this old thread fired up again!

[taminga16]

Ken, the cloud may have driven people into their sheds to tidy up and stocktake their junk, I mean good stuff. Greg.
P.S. my pile is a great thought stimulator.

[RAJAH235]

FWIW. (shaneaust)... Most normal LEDs run on 20 mA with a resistor to limit the current to that value, (with respect to the Voltage). They run fairly bright on this so, I recommend increasing the value of the series dropping resistor to run a little dimmer.
(I've made a few Telrad mods & with the 'power on' LED indicators, I ended up using a 100K resistor to get the brightness down).
If you really need to, you can run 'em off 240 Volt supply but you need the correct circuit to do so.
If you want to run an LED off 3 Volts, use a 100/150 Ohm resistor.
If you want to ditto.............. " 6 " , ..... " " 270/560 " " .
If you want to ditto............. " 12 " , ..... " " 680/1500 " " .
These will be reasonably bright as well, so you can 'UP' the resistor values if needed.
See link for more info..
http://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/components/led.htm
HTH.
:D L.

[erick]

OK, job done and tested. I went for overkill - four red LEDs fitted into the dewshield of my Finderscope, each in line with the end of the crosshairs (which are in the eyepiece end)

Batteries, on/off switch and pot (and resistors) are fitted into a small black box screwed to the mount for the finderscope and wires run to the dew shield which can be removed to put the end cap on, then the dew shield reversed and placed over the Finderscope objective lens for storage or transport. (I have to remove the Finderscope from the dovetail to transport my 8" in the car boot.)

Initial testing at home worried me - I couldn't see any illumination! So I made up an annulus of aluminium (a pain with a jig saw as the only tool!) and jammed that into the dewshield, up close to the LEDs, in an attempt to reflect more light towards the objective.

Finally got two dark sky nights of testing. It's working well. A nice red glow set against the sky - I had to turn the brightness back from maximum. Crosshairs nicely set off against the brighter sky objects. I could find the balance where I could see the crosshairs against the illumination, but the sky wasn't too washed out.

It helps that my cross hairs are now the size of treetrunks! See:-
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=20812
I can hide Jupiter behind a crosshair :lol:

Eric :)

[Shaun]

I was only thinking the other night i need this because can't see the crosshairs.

[ballaratdragons]

And it works terrific Eric.

On Friday night when you showed me I could see the crosshairs and the stars. Just like you are supposed to. Well done. :thumbsup:

[erick]

Move to the big city - they are easy to see then! :D

I'll try to post some photos and details of what I did. Might be a while before I can organise that.

But Dennis Greves' article ( http://www.iceinspace.com.au/index.php?id=63,389,0,0,1,0 ) and Mike Salway's ( http://www.iceinspace.com.au/index.php?id=63,150,0,0,1,0 ) will get you started. :)

[Louwai]

Speaking of Friday night Ken. Check this out. There's just a hint of ice on Scotts tube.

[ballaratdragons]

Hi Brian, you must have missed the pics I put in of the ice! and the Hair Dryer Phantoms :lol:

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=21195

[Louwai]

Yes Ken, I didn't see it hiding away over there. I obviously need to get around this site more.
One thing I'm please about. I didn't make it into any of the pics. No one gets to see the lovely fury thing I was wearing on my head. Not unlike Eric's really.

B

[ballaratdragons]

ahhh, but here you are :rofl:

[erick]

Those furry little animals did not die in vain, Bryan and I benefited. :D

(Mods - perhaps move these last few posts into Ken's Snake valley thread? Thanks)