I'm digging a hole

[pvelez]

After much deliberation, I've started on a more permanent set-up.

Bintel supplied me a pier last Friday - a beautiful thing in steely grey.

Our builder was diverted from building a bike shed to dig a hole at the weekend. The sparky comes tomorrow to fit some conduit and then we pour the slab tomorrow afternoon.

All going well, it will be all operational by next weekend - watch the rain Sydneysiders!

Its not an obs - just a fixed pier with power and ethernet connection. I'll sit the EQ6 on top and keep it covered with tarps etc. I reckon I can cut set-up time in half. I've also managed to get Real VNC working with the lappy so after connecting everything and checking alignment, I'm away from the comfort of the study indoors. Its not that cold in Sydney but it will be a joy to avoid the pesky mossies come Spring.

Photos to come

Pete

[sheeny]

"Good one Darryl".

Yes. I know;). Its only a pier;). But its a start...

(OK everyone, so how long does everyone think it'll be before Pete puts an obs around it???:P ... 18 months max is my guess!)

Al.

[pvelez]

SShhh!!

Careful, she might hear you!!

Pete

[leon]

Hell no, once he finds out the difference in setting up, his excitement will be that great that he will want to spend all night out there, hence an Obs.

I will give it six months before work begins

Leon

[pvelez]

Now I understand why Houghy called his obs the Doghouse:D

Pete

[pvelez]

Here is today's update...

The sparky installed conduits and concrete was poured today. The hole is not as deep as I'd like - we hit some brickwork that probably covers the sewer line at just under 700mm below ground level. My builder dug out a flange so the concrete spreads a bit under the soil level and hopeully minimises movement. There is a layer of clay at around 300mm down.

Hope it all works and is stable!

Will bolt down the pier at the weekend and then finish off the electrical work next week

Pics to follow

Pete

[bloodhound31]

Pics pics pics!!!!!!! CMON!! Where are they!!??? PICS!! :P :lol:

[Sarge]

There goes the QLD holiday Pete. Here comes an obs. :rofl:

Need pics :innocent:

Rod
:D:D

[pvelez]

First instalments

the first pour - there is now a platform neatly sculpted on top. Power and data conduits poking out. Will probably attach them to the pier somehow

trench - the yard dug and undug where the conduits reside. The sleek grey pier is lurking in the background

More to come

Pete

[bloodhound31]

YAAAAYYY!! PICS!! Nice work mate. Watching with great interest.

[pvelez]

I thought I'd share with you some of my recent progress

The slab is poured and the pier is now bolted down. To get it aligned, I used the solar noon/plumbob method - turns it it works a charm. I wish I knew about it years ago!

I had some fun finding the suitable EQ6 bolt - but managed that last weekend.

Of course the weather turned nasty. I had to wait till Thursday evening to check how accurate my set up was. Turns out quite good. After 3 iterations of Alignmaster, I was around 1 arcminute out.

Here are a couple of photos. The second shows the pier in situ - the first from a distance. It gives you an idea of how little space it takes up in the yard. I leave the mount and counterweights attached - with a couple of BBQ covers over them.

I've downloaded Maxpoint as a trial to see what I can do with that - hopefully improve the polar alignment and pointing accuracy. As the mount is held in place by a single bolt (with a shifter applied with some enthusiasm) I found that the alignment shifts simply by tightening the bolt. So my thought was to improve my accuracy with software.

More on the electricals and PC to follow

Pete

[frolinmod]

I'm digging a hole where the rain gets in to stop my mind from wandering...:whistle:

[pvelez]

Well spotted Ernie

Now for the rain to stop!

Pete