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I find dew heater straps a major source of grief for high-magnification viewing (which is what I mainly do), they just create so much turbulence at the top of the scope (Mak in my case). I don't have a sensor controlled strap, just a manual control, therefore my heater is either too cold or too hot most of the time.
This is why I rarely use the heater strap, at the first sign of haziness on the meniscus I use a 12V hairdryer to blow it away. This usually gives me another half hour of viewing before I need to check again. I still pack the heater, just in case, but try not to use it.
As for tube currents, I reckon that insulating the tube helps. I found this by accident after lining my Mak with FlockBoard. I have since found that others had good success with insulating their tubes on the outside. An insulated tube cools more slowly and evenly, therefore avoiding hot and cold spots and air currents.
Just my 2 cents. Thanks for the article, Alex!
Cheers
Steffen.
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