[xelasnave]

With the continual rain I have not done very much other than set up three scopes each with their own cameras, power boxes etc so I don't have to "borrow" stuff to run any particular rig.

The fourth scope ( 8 inch Newtonian) has been pulled down as the mount needs attention..just a service really but it needs to be done and before I really start to put that set up together ( visual or live viewing via a big monitor) it is best to make sure the mount is perfect..it's an old EQ6 but an excellent mount due to me tweaking it for over a decade.

I mounted the RASA on a EQ 8 R via its tripod resting on the floor as putting in a pier for it will have to wait as it won't be easy and requires much thought and planning to do it after the building is in place.

Although early days I need to leave the observatory when taking photos as even coughing shows up with little worms ... surprising ..I mean I knew but to experience it first hand brings home how a solid floor is like a drum.

Taken care of lighting, put in a heater and a fan ordered another lap top table but it is mostly down to adjusting stuff..the 80mm is ok, as is the 115 mm butvthecRASA has a little way to go..then everything run and worked before cables get tied down etc.

The RASA is not a plug and play unit for someone who does not know what they are doing...I had to shorten an extension tube to reach focus ( thank goodness for the angle grinder, smooth file and two grades of fine sanding paper and a good gauge).

Needed a dew heater strip and now realise it needs a decent supply of power...so that needs to be sorted...the dew is terrible ..ordinarily I would not open up but I need to do star alignments, work out focusing, polar alignment ..generally trying to have things working for the future when the moisture is less..I hope.

I built a cable guide which took me all day but I have come up with a far superior design to what's out there and I am thinking to do it in "Blender" and have it printed but fortunately the thing I built seems to work well but my new design will be much better..

.I need to remove the dew shield to change a filter and I am considering putting a little door in the dew shield however it now comes off and goes back on with little fuss so I will hold of any action to think it thru...

There is no fitting on the RASA to attach a finder scope ( or guide scope more importantly) so I bolted a finder to a piece of scrape wood and taped the thing on...so ruff you could cry but it is doing the job whilst I wait for a bit to come from Bintel to make it decent.

I installed the electronic focuser but it did not work..I had ordered a second focuser for another scope and tried the controller that was for it ( the actual focuser is on back order) and happily the motor is ok but I have yet to refit it.

The focuser Mask so far has me beat..no pointy bits in the image??? So I blow up some stars and focus manually which so far is working well..to read stuff you could think manual focus is impossible with the RASA and yet I am doing it and there is not even the rubber cover knob on the focuser shaft...

The place is mainly a mess because I won't fix anything permanent until I can do a few nights...no matter how well you think things thru problems will still show up when actually doing real work...so lots of duct tape until the dust settles.

The tasks seem unending but it has more to do with the rain..firstly I don't like working there when it is racing and so far it rains most of the time..that is apart from my health issues which takes a lot of time away when things are not too good...I don't admit it but the reality is I am rather sick and have been bedridden most of the last year..so it gets in your way.

On the bright side, apart from getting sore swollen feet at the moment I feel not too bad.

The pain in the feet is demotivating but I just tell myself it is all in the mind and of course it is really...I am now taking morphine sulphate and it does not help in the least...but no pain from the cancer so that is wonderful.

AND last night for what ever reason could not find Octane star for polar align...having polar aligned a couple of months ago I thought now that things are near complete do another...so blue tacked the Pole master to the mount..that's right no where to put it on the EQ8 ( I relented and have ordered the fitting from Bintel as the blue tack is not entirely satisfactory..I know I am probably a little precious but I want to leave the camera on the mount and blue tack just can't be trusted in that roll...in the end I did a couple of time lapse and polar aligned that way and of course at that point Octane magically appeared..I just do not know what happened but it took ages to finally use the Pole master set up but having been careful I found I could get away with 2 minutes unguided and the only problem I feel now is balance..but I ran outta time..however as I plan doing subs under a minute until I get the guide scope sorted I am extremely happy..

I am re building a 70 mm Orion guide scope ..the objective literally fell out and it has sat in the drawer for years..I was going to take it back but after so long I thought fix it myself..I tested on the dslr and the lens is not too bad so I have ordered a helical focuser and will see how it goes for a wide field ..270 mm fl I think..but mainly for a viewing scope alongside the guide scope...not for full on visual but I do like to have something to have a peek..a check Sortta..

I have had to relocate the microscopes to the van because at the moment there is stuff everywhere...

Anyways that is a brief report...there is more but typing this has made me tired thinking of what I have done and all that still needs to be done.

Alex