Lightbridge 12" It's Here!!!!

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by astronut

The trusses look great in silver/grey but are impractical for the light path. These will be covered in black felt.

The truss tubes shouldnt be in the light path
If theyre not visible from looking into the focuser reflected in the mirrors then the colour of the tubes shouldnt have an effect.

Some people slip foam padding onto their tubes which I think is as much for thermal insulation as anything else. Felt will probably absorb dew and get wet.

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Man that is one swish lookin' scope. I'm so looking forward to a full on review you guys.

Wonder if I can claim a 16" LB on my tax this year

[vespine]

I'm so tempted to get one of these, anyone want to buy a kidney?

If I cave and get one, I'm thinking I'd be respraying the whole thing stealth black!

[spacezebra (Petra)]

I like the idea of respraying it - cool. Im afraid that my review may not be very technical in nature - Astronut is no doubt the man there - but I will post one nonetheless.

Astronut - when you have a moment - can you check out my earlier posts - I have a few questions for you.

Cheers Petra

Originally Posted by vespine

I'm so tempted to get one of these, anyone want to buy a kidney?

If I cave and get one, I'm thinking I'd be respraying the whole thing stealth black!

[astronut (John)]

Hi Petra, My new scope sits in pieces in the lounge room. I took off the end rings and painted them all black. This is a personal choice.
If you don't paint the top three, that's ok but the bottom ring that holds the mirror assembly definately needs to be flat black. So I'm glad the Sydney weather is awful, I can get all the mods done.
One other change is going to be the collimation springs, they are a bit on the soft side. When you tighten the locking screws it moves the mirror so throwing out the collimation.
I'm going to do away with them, by using the stiffer springs
How can I help!!

[spacezebra (Petra)]

Hi Astronut

I must admit that in this earlier stage of owning my first scope I am reluctant to replace anything yet - so I would welcome any pics of your modifications.

When my scope was collimated - we found that the locking screws and the adjustment screws are identified backthe front on the manual.

Second, if you read the instructions about the washers - one gets the impression that there are supposed to be "two washers" either side of the bearing washer (which I find a bit strange). The fact that the scope only came with two is a give away - but only using one either side still does not give enough thread underneath to place the nut (if I had one).

I can cope without the nut on the base - but had to get thinner washers - which is not a drama

Have a read - and let me know what you think. .

Cheers Petra

Originally Posted by astronut

Hi Petra, My new scope sits in pieces in the lounge room. I took off the end rings and painted them all black. This is a personal choice.
If you don't paint the top three, that's ok but the bottom ring that holds the mirror assembly definately needs to be flat black. So I'm glad the Sydney weather is awful, I can get all the mods done.
One other change is going to be the collimation springs, they are a bit on the soft side. When you tighten the locking screws it moves the mirror so throwing out the collimation.
I'm going to do away with them, by using the stiffer springs
How can I help!!

[Roger Davis]

Here's my Agro Navis!

Originally Posted by vespine

DSCs are digital setting circles, I'm a newb too I've only just started learning about these things but already seems like something worth upgrading too after a while. They look dead easy to install on the GSO, the bearings on the LB don't have centre screws which may or may not make installation harder, I'm sure the agro navis people will work out a good solution anyway...
[/SIZE][/FONT]

[gary]

Originally Posted by Roger Davis

Here's my Agro Navis!

Hi Roger,

LOL!

Figure Agro's fur is actually made of the Golden Fleece?

Best Regards

Gary Kopff
Managing Director
Wildcard Innovations Pty. Ltd.
Home of the Argo Navis DTC
20 Kilmory Place
Mount Kuring-Gai NSW 2080
Australia
Phone +61-2-9457-9049
Fax +61-2-9457-9593
sales@wildcard-innovations.com.au
http://www.wildcard-innovations.com.au

P.S.

See you at Ilford. Look forward to seeing the wig selection.

[Mr Bob]

Niice

[chrissara]

Gazza,

Is the estimated time for the Argo kit for the Lightbridge still around 6-8 weeks at all?

NB Thanks for the email. It would be great to get a Lightbridge mounted on an Argo system

[spacezebra (Petra)]

Hi Garry

Yes, I would be interesed too.

Cheers Petra

[gary]

Originally Posted by chrissara

Gazza,

Is the estimated time for the Argo kit for the Lightbridge still around 6-8 weeks at all?

NB Thanks for the email. It would be great to get a Lightbridge mounted on an Argo system

Hi Chris & Petra,

Firstly, congratulations to Petra on her new LightBridge™.
We look forward to your observing reports.

An encoder installation kit is currently under development for all models
of the LightBridge™ (8", 10", 12", Standard & Deluxe).
See http://www.wildcard-innovations.com...._describe.html

Though a release date has not been set, we certainly hope to bring it to market
within this first half of 2006.

The kit will come with a pair of optical encoders, the necessary hardware
to install the encoders onto a LightBridge™ and an encoder cable.
The kit will be designed to be easy to install and no special tools or skills
will be required.

The optical encoders provided will be high resolution, with at least
10,000 steps effective provided on each axis.

Once combined with an Argo Navis Digital Telescope Computer™ (DTC),
this will assist the user in locating, identifying and touring objects with ease.
The Argo Navis™ unit has many more features than conventional Digital
Setting Circle (DSC) devices. For example, older DSC's assume the
axes of the scope are perfectly orthogonal.

Argo Navis™ comes with the in-built powerful Telescope Pointing Analysis System™
(TPAS™) that can help analyse and compensate for a variety of systematic
geometric and flexure errors within the mount to provide enhanced pointing performance.

The Argo Navis™ unit is available separately now.

We will be making an announcement on our own web site, on the
Argo Navis User's Group, on IceInSpace and several other forums when
availability of the LightBridge™ encoder hardware kit is announced.

Wildcard Innovations are a sponsor of the 2006 South Pacific Star Party (SPSP).
As usual, we will have a vendor stand, so interested enthusiasts should feel
free to come and introduce themselves and have a chat with myself or Mai.
There will be also ample opportunity to see Argo Navis™ in operation
on a variety of telescopes there at night, including the club's own 17" Dob.

Best Regards

Gary Kopff
Managing Director
Wildcard Innovations Pty. Ltd.
20 Kilmory Place, Mount Kuring-Gai
NSW. 2080. Australia
Phone +61-2-9457-9049
Fax +61-2-9457-9593
wildcard@wildcard-innovations.com.au
http://www.wildcard-innovations.com.au

Other links -
Argo Navis User's Group (Membership required. Open to all. Feel free to join)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/argo_navis_dtc/

[spacezebra (Petra)]

Thankyou Gary for the speedy reply

I look forward to the availability of the LightBridge™ encoder hardware kit.

Also looking forward to chatting to you at the SPSP.

Cheers Petra

Originally Posted by gary

Hi Chris & Petra,

Firstly, congratulations to Petra on her new LightBridge™.
We look forward to your observing reports.

An encoder installation kit is currently under development for all models
of the LightBridge™ (8", 10", 12", Standard & Deluxe).
See http://www.wildcard-innovations.com...._describe.html

Though a release date has not been set, we certainly hope to bring it to market
within this first half of 2006.

The kit will come with a pair of optical encoders, the necessary hardware
to install the encoders onto a LightBridge™ and an encoder cable.
The kit will be designed to be easy to install and no special tools or skills
will be required.

The optical encoders provided will be high resolution, with at least
10,000 steps effective provided on each axis.

Once combined with an Argo Navis Digital Telescope Computer™ (DTC),
this will assist the user in locating, identifying and touring objects with ease.
The Argo Navis™ unit has many more features than conventional Digital
Setting Circle (DSC) devices. For example, older DSC's assume the
axes of the scope are perfectly orthogonal.

Argo Navis™ comes with the in-built powerful Telescope Pointing Analysis System™
(TPAS™) that can help analyse and compensate for a variety of systematic
geometric and flexure errors within the mount to provide enhanced pointing performance.

The Argo Navis™ unit is available separately now.

We will be making an announcement on our own web site, on the
Argo Navis User's Group, on IceInSpace and several other forums when
availability of the LightBridge™ encoder hardware kit is announced.

Wildcard Innovations are a sponsor of the 2006 South Pacific Star Party (SPSP).
As usual, we will have a vendor stand, so interested enthusiasts should feel
free to come and introduce themselves and have a chat with myself or Mai.
There will be also ample opportunity to see Argo Navis™ in operation
on a variety of telescopes there at night, including the club's own 17" Dob.

Best Regards

Gary Kopff
Managing Director
Wildcard Innovations Pty. Ltd.
20 Kilmory Place, Mount Kuring-Gai
NSW. 2080. Australia
Phone +61-2-9457-9049
Fax +61-2-9457-9593
wildcard@wildcard-innovations.com.au
http://www.wildcard-innovations.com.au

Other links -
Argo Navis User's Group (Membership required. Open to all. Feel free to join)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/argo_navis_dtc/