Ten Chain Hill New Moon nights - Page 63

pmrid (Peter) · #**1241** 04-02-2013, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tandum

I'll be there if I can get motivated. Even got a new wheel to try out

I won't have all the adapters from Precise Parts that I need to get the BAbyQ firing on the fully refurbished G11 this weekend, so if you're here early enough we can run up any scope you like on that mount. I can let you use the Vixen RS200 or the big 10" F3.8 - both now collimated to within an inch of their lives.

And you can have the QHY8 or the ATIK LE4000 and the SX OAG/FW setup with it.

How's that for motivation!!

You don't have to pack anything!!

First in - best dressed!!

Peter

whzzz28 (Nathan) · #**1242** 05-02-2013, 12:39 AM

I will try to get there.
Whether i get to actually do any imaging is another matter. May spend all night trying to get the Vixen collimated.

Tandum (Robin) · #**1243** 05-02-2013, 01:03 AM

Pete, what thread is on the arse of the BabyQ? I might have it.

Nathan, What vixen is that? I have a nice set of Howie Glatter lasers now

Fingers crossed it's not a vc-200L

pmrid (Peter) · #**1244** 05-02-2013, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tandum

Pete, what thread is on the arse of the BabyQ? I might have it.

Nathan, What vixen is that? I have a nice set of Howie Glatter lasers now

Fingers crossed it's not a vc-200L

The problem is with the rear of the Tak reducer and getting it into my SX OAG. I specified the wrong adapter when I ordered the Precise Parts thing. What I need is a SCT adapter for my SX OAG/FW. They have a 2-24 thread I think and I need it as a female adapter as we'll. I've asked Terry Platt who says they are a stock item and he'll have someone contact me but that will take forever if it happens at all. So I have ordered another adapter from Precise Parts to fit with the adapters I do have. My mistake I have to admit.
Peter

Tandum (Robin) · #**1245** 05-02-2013, 06:46 AM

Who's a lucky *******. This new sx wheel came with the pair of M54 adapters in plastic bags that I ordered, and a female SCT that was bolted to it.

pmrid (Peter) · #**1246** 05-02-2013, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tandum

Who's a lucky *******. This new sx wheel came with the pair of M54 adapters in plastic bags that I ordered, and a female SCT that was bolted to it.

Bleedin hell!! What a stroke of luck. I'd offer you my first-born but it's a little late for that! Settle for something else?? I'll still order a replacement when SX reply but if I could borrow your SCT adapter in the meanwhile, I can get the BabyQ running this new moon. Good news.
You're welcome to image with that rig if you like. Save you dragging your gear up here.

Peter

Peter

Tandum (Robin) · #**1247** 05-02-2013, 08:29 AM

I'll pop it in the post today so you can see if it does what you want.

whzzz28 (Nathan) · #**1248** 05-02-2013, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tandum

Fingers crossed it's not a vc-200L

Yes it is a VC200L. I also have the howie glatter laser but it doesn't really help with an SCT.

RickS (Rick) · #**1249** 05-02-2013, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whzzz28

Yes it is a VC200L. I also have the howie glatter laser but it doesn't really help with an SCT.

Is your secondary mirror centre-spotted, Nathan? If it is then you may be able to use a Tak collimating scope - some people claim it works well with the VC200L. I have one I can bring...

pmrid (Peter) · #**1250** 05-02-2013, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tandum

I'll pop it in the post today so you can see if it does what you want.

All up, the stuff hanging off the back of the BabyQ will consume all but a few mm of the claimed 197.5-200 mm backfocus. I'm keeping that camera rotator cuff thing - it has some uses and I don't have an adapter to use in its place anyway. But is claims about 35 mm on its own. Then the PDF focuser claims another 30-40 depending where it is set, the reducer is about another 50 and then the OAG/FW/CCD claims 72. So the probability is that I won't have to rack the R&P focuser out at all - which suits me because it makes the drawtube a whole heap more stable if the shoulders are right up against the metal back of the scope. The PDF can take up all the slack I will need I think. But even so, the residue will be less than a gnats nose.
But it should be solid, with no excuse for any droop in the optical train.
Sounds good in theory doesn't it?

Peter

RickS (Rick) · #**1251** 05-02-2013, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmrid

But it should be solid, with no excuse for any droop in the optical train.
Sounds good in theory doesn't it?

That's what I do with the FSQ-106ED, Peter. I rack the stock focuser right in and add a short extension so that the focus point is somewhere around the middle of the range of the Atlas. It works pretty well for me.

Cheers,
Rick.

RobF (Rob) · #**1252** 05-02-2013, 09:06 PM

I'm out this month alas guys.
Weather seems promising so far - best of luck

DavidTrap (David) · #**1253** 05-02-2013, 11:06 PM

If it's the VC200L I used to own, the secondary is not spotted. You could use a standard laser to align the secondary, and then use the Tak scope to tweak the primary. This does imply you have an adapter for the Tak scope to the back of the Vixen.

I've just been using the Tak scope on my DSI RC10C tonight - nice bit of kit. I followed the collimating instructions for an RCOS. Nonetheless, DSI recommends an alternative collimation procedure. It's a several page PDF, but looks interesting. I might give it a go if CCD inspector tells me to try harder!

Hope the weather gods smile on you all - I'm planning to head up to Leyburn on Friday.

DT

whzzz28 (Nathan) · #**1254** 06-02-2013, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidTrap

If it's the VC200L I used to own, the secondary is not spotted. You could use a standard laser to align the secondary, and then use the Tak scope to tweak the primary.

I believe mine does have a donut, but not 100% sure.
I have tried using a laser to align the secondary but when i rotate the laser in the focuser, the beam moves. I thought this was just the secondary being out but no matter how many times i tweak it, it always is off-center when using the laser. All i can think of is that the FF is causing the issues. I have confirmed the FF is centered though (havnt touched it from factory).

Rick, if you could bring your Tak collimating scope, i will give it a try.
I went over it again last night. Followed procedures and "to my eye" it looks collimated. I got it close last time, just didn't have any way of getting it perfect.

BTW, what day are people looking at heading up, friday or saturday night?

Cheers.

RickS (Rick) · #**1255** 06-02-2013, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whzzz28

I believe mine does have a donut, but not 100% sure.

You'll need a donut on the primary and a centre spot on the secondary to use the collimating scope. You also need to a way to attach it (it has a male M36.4P1 thread). I have a Borg adapter which will mate it to a female T-thread.

I'll come up on Saturday (unless it starts to look like Friday is going to be clear and Saturday won't be).

Cheers,
Rick.

whzzz28 (Nathan) · #**1256** 08-02-2013, 12:31 PM

Hate to be that guy but the weather isn't looking too promising. Skippy sky puts a blob of cloud, most likely rain over the area at 1am Sunday and patchy before that

pmrid (Peter) · #**1257** 09-02-2013, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whzzz28

Hate to be that guy but the weather isn't looking too promising. Skippy sky puts a blob of cloud, most likely rain over the area at 1am Sunday and patchy before that

Yeah. It's hard to get excited about the prospects for tonight. It looks likely there will be showers during the afternoon possibly extending into the evening.

Last night was similar - a spot of rain followed by an hour of clear and then back again. This kept up most of the night. I went over about midnight but was in bed again by 2. You can't do much with that limited time.

Bugger!!

Peter

Tandum (Robin) · #**1258** 09-02-2013, 12:34 PM

I got trouble with this new sx wheel and over stuff here so I'm out anyway.

It's looking like sx wheels don't work reliably with 64bit windows 7

RickS (Rick) · #**1259** 09-02-2013, 01:13 PM

Looks too iffy for me, I'm afraid Peter. I'll stay inside at home and play with the collimation of the AG12 some more. See you in May perhaps? The weather might be better by then...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tandum

It's looking like sx wheels don't work reliably with 64bit windows 7

I've never had a problem with mine, Robin, and I'm running 64-bit Win7.

Tandum (Robin) · #**1260** 09-02-2013, 01:31 PM

It's not just me Rick, there are quite a few with these issues on yahoo. Even peter has issues with his. Mine has to be unplugged and replugged after the pc boots to be detected and then it freezes maxim in a sequence with 'waiting for filter'. This is with a single short usb cable from the wheel to the pc. Replace the pc with a 32bit laptop and it's faultless. Platt has acknowledged problems with 64bit.

I'm going to put another drive in the pc, put 32bit on it to prove the pc hardware but the pc is brand new and 32bit will waste over half the ram