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Thanks for all the advice.
Astrojunk - I've had the scope since xmas. (Ordered it Dec 23 PM, Bintel had it delivered in 24 hours ready to go under the tree.) Since then I've started to realise just how many clouds there are of an evening. It's certainly been an exercise in patience. I'm certainly intending to join a society, the one at Chermside would be closest but I'll have to see whose meeting times fit in with familly demands.
Rapideye - I had assumed that the collimation was OK since stars were sharp and blurred in a symetrical way either side of focus. Still, I just ordered the Orion collimating EP from Bintel, so I'll soon see. I've noted some discussion of the jetstream: I assume there's a link somewhere to a weather site so I'll go and chase up those threads.
Wavelandscott - Yes, I must do more viewing, though the rare allignment of weather and opportunity is frustrating that aim. I'm somewhat comforted by the assessment that you and others have made of my gear, that it's OK and probably not the main obstacle for now. Some of the comments in other posts had left me thinking that EPs supplied with scopes generally weren't up to much.
rmcpb - now that I look more carefully the stars do twinke - more obvious on the fainter ones. But I thought they always did that, hence the nursery rhyme. So much to learn. I'm afraid to ask just how often you do get good seeing in Brissy. I've been counting myself lucky just to get a patch of cloud free sky. At least out my way past the Bunya State Forrest the sky is darker than the suburbs. I generally see the Milky Way fairly easilly on moonless nights.
Ving - I've certainly come across the concept of "seeing" but haven't made a study of it yet. I guess I just figured that since atmospheric conditions were out of my control I'd just try to optimise the things I could influence. But maybe I should just be more patient. And practice more.
Hammerman - a Nagler is certainly on my wishlist but I 'll probably only ever afford to buy one so I'll agonise over focal length for at least a year before ahnding over my cash. I certainly have enjoyed using my scope. Just tonight I tried using my nephew's $70 refractor he got for xmas. He hadn't been able to find anything other than the moon, but since the spotter was out of focus and pointing in a whole other direction that wasn't surprising. Tried to allign it using a distant streetlight for starters, but even this was arduous owing to the wobbliness of the mount. Got it roughly set up but by then the clouds had rolled over. The whole experience has certainly made me appreciate what I've got. It's a pity, but his parents got a cheap scope mostly because they weren't sure if he'd persevere with astronomy. Because he's found it so frustrating he probably wont.
Once again, thanks a heap for all the help.
Khodd
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