What a debacle - My transit's over!!!!

matt · #1 08-11-2006, 03:37 PM

Well. I must be the unluckiest guy alive.

I placed an order with OPT in the States for my Kendrick full aperture solar filter back on the 23rd of October thinking that would allow enough time for the item to arrive.

A week later (October 31) no shipping confirmation notification/confirmation.

So I write to them to find out what's going on because they've charged against my credit card.

The response was:"I am truly sorry for the delay on getting this order out for you. We look for paymets daily through PayPal, but it looks like this was filed without being processed. I have made payment, refunded you for the discount amount and have upgraded the shipping to Express Mail with a 3-4 day delivery for free. Rayna

OK. Sounds good, right?

Well, about 8-30 last night I started getting nervous. "This really should have arrived by now" I started thinking to myself. "The transit's nearly here" I'm thinking, and still nothing in the mail.

So I write again asking for a tracking number and the name of the carrier/courier so I can follow it up myself.

Today, I get an e-mail with said tracking number. The e-mail claims it was meant to have cleared through Customs on Monday.

You guessed it.... even allowing for time/day differences... that wasn't correct. It's only cleared today... and it's only guaranteed to arrive by the 10th of November.

Not bloody happy Jan!!!!!

And it appears it's not even the right tracking number. We spoke with AUssie Post and they reckon it's a parcel to be delivered to Adelaide!

So. I'm stuffed. No transit for me. Not at least through my own telescope.

I might be able to get alongside somebody else's scope.

But I had guests coming over tomorrow morning for breakfast/transit, and I was really looking forward to it.

What is it with me and anything astro I buy?????????

Thanks OPT. Thanks a bunch

Dennis · #2 08-11-2006, 04:14 PM

Matt

It looks like we'll be rained out in Brissie tomorrow. Do you know of any way that you could invoke to get my C9.25 solar filter down to you this late in the day? If so, let me know and you are welcome to borrow it.

Cheers

Dennis

janoskiss (Steve H) · #3 08-11-2006, 04:17 PM

That's a bummer, Matt! I only today received what seems to be one of the few remaining Baader visual solar films in the country. Thanks to AOE for the express delivery (they even posted it before receipt of payment!). So I'll be making up a filter cap for my Mak tonight. Talk about leaving this till the last minute.

If you have a refractor, you could use it for projection. Or a bino even.

spacezebra (Petra) · #4 08-11-2006, 04:22 PM

Sorry to here this Matt. We will be travelling so we will miss the transit completely

.

Petra

ving (David) · #5 08-11-2006, 04:25 PM

bugger matty!
what a stuff up hey!

wish i had some film left for you too.

matt · #6 08-11-2006, 05:04 PM

It's cool Ving. Thanks for the thought.

Thanks everyone, in fact.

Kind thoughts from all of you.

I just wish they'd not led me to believe this was all going to turn out OK.

Silly me, I hadn't even thought of a Plan B

That'll teach me.

Ah well. Really looking forward to all your reports and photos

h0ughy (David) · #7 08-11-2006, 06:25 PM

well I am at the other end, I have a surplus of filters and no sky to look at. I have 4 solar filters(don't ask why, just me over compensating for a lack of something???) and we are socked in.

Dennis · #8 08-11-2006, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by h0ughy

well I am at the other end, I have a surplus of filters and no sky to look at. I have 4 solar filters(don't ask why, just me over compensating for a lack of something???) and we are socked in.

Only 4 H0ughy - I have 5.

One each Visual and Photographic for both the 4" refractor and the C9.25. Visual only for the WO 80mm.

Purchased 2 and made 3 to keep the costs down.

Cheers

Dennis

h0ughy (David) · #9 08-11-2006, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dennis

Only 4 H0ughy - I have 5.

One each Visual and Photographic for both the 4" refractor and the C9.25. Visual only for the WO 80mm.

Purchased 2 and made 3 to keep the costs down.

Cheers

Dennis

come to think of it i have 5 too, one for the 50-500 lens, one for the ed80, one for the 5"MC, one for the C8, one for the 12" SCT, oh and the PST, thats 6

h0ughy (David) · #10 08-11-2006, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt

It's cool Ving. Thanks for the thought.

Thanks everyone, in fact.

Kind thoughts from all of you.

I just wish they'd not led me to believe this was all going to turn out OK.

Silly me, I hadn't even thought of a Plan B

That'll teach me.

Ah well. Really looking forward to all your reports and photos

please matt send your clear skies

matt · #11 08-11-2006, 07:37 PM

I'll do my best Dave

Harb · #12 08-11-2006, 08:07 PM

Go with th projection method with your refractor matt, it will be great, and everyone will be able to see it at the same time.
In fact I am going to put my scope in a darkened room and have the apt out the window and cover around it with a dark cloth, and project it onto the whole wall or the old projector screen.....which ever lines up best... for a life size view!!
Sort of like the old camera obscura method !!!
If the cloud clears that is........I take some pics of it!!
I challenge you to a comp!! in a friendly way of course

matt · #13 08-11-2006, 08:12 PM

I would do exactly that Harb...

if I had a refractor

Dennis · #14 08-11-2006, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by h0ughy

come to think of it i have 5 too, one for the 50-500 lens, one for the ed80, one for the 5"MC, one for the C8, one for the 12" SCT, oh and the PST, thats 6

Hah, only 6.....I forgot to count the one I made for the Leica spotting 'scope and the Orion 9x50 finder, giving me a total of 7.

Cheers

Dennis

Harb · #15 08-11-2006, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt

I would do exactly that Harb...

if I had a refractor

Aw thats a shame........
what about bino's, same setup.............
or if you really want to be a star in all your visitors eyes,...get a dark room with a window on the sunny side and put some cardboard up in the window frame.......drill a hole in the middle, say 1/32, and so on, until you get a great image off the light coming through the hole........
Most of the time, the smallest of holes works best I would say 1/16 or sometimes less.
You will have the biggest pinhole camera in town!!!
Great way to watch sunspots, as long as the wall on the other side is far enough away to project a decent size image.
I am also using a CCD video camera..... lens looking through some welding glass, and stopping the Iris down and lowest gain etc etc......works great for sunspots as long as you can loose enough light and zoom in enough.
I used to often look at the sun using the projection method with my 8" reflector, using aperature plates over the end....
many ways to skin the old cat as long as you are careful I suppose.
I just love a challenge, working against the odds

cheers

matt · #16 08-11-2006, 08:55 PM

Good for you, Harb

Harb · #17 08-11-2006, 09:02 PM

Although I recon the clouds are going to bugger up my plans........
Oh well, just think how good the seeing is going to be when it clears up!!

Cheers mate

Harb · #18 08-11-2006, 09:07 PM

Hey I would ring the PO really early, I have at times caught the mail before the postman gets it and have driven away at 6.30 with my mail direct from the PO.....they may do the same for you....
It may well get there tomorrow.......worth a try.....nothin to loose.

good luck

WadeH (Wade) · #19 08-11-2006, 09:15 PM

Sorry to hear of your prediciment Matt. Over here it it blue skies and fairly calm, but tomorrow is forcast some showers building. Hope it stays fine long enough so we can get some pics for everyone.

matt · #20 08-11-2006, 09:22 PM

Thanks and good luck Wade

Harb - that's not a bad idea. The dream's not over.

We're already mad scrambling to see what we can organise.

The best part of the transit here isn't until 7-8am or thereabouts.

I might still have a shot at this!!!!