Ten Chain Hill New Moon nights - Page 64

ozstronomer (Geoff) · #**1261** 09-02-2013, 02:12 PM

Looks like the weather is not on our side this month

Have a good break Pete, catch everyone in April

pmrid (Peter) · #**1262** 09-02-2013, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozstronomer

Looks like the weather is not on our side this month l

THIS MONTH!!!!! Strewth. I can count on one hand (with fingers to spare) the number of usable nights I've had since about September. When it wasn't bushfires it was farmers burning off, or more bushfires or then, cloud, haze, heat to beat the band, storms, and finally, after much anticipation, actual rain - followed by more smoke, then haze then cloud and now drizzle.

But we tend to forget from one winter to the next how most summers for the past several years have been like this. Summers in eastern Australia have been generally a wipeout for several years now; and I think you have to expect that this will be the pattern for the future also.

That completes my misery-guts extended weather forecast for the summer/autumn season.

Peter

RobF (Rob) · #**1263** 09-02-2013, 09:48 PM

Hate to say it but think you're right Peter. I was genuinely surprised in 2008 and 2009 just how many good nights I had with my new 8" Newt, compared to the very early 80s "first time around". Back then I used to feel lucky if I got a decent viewing night once or twice in a one week period on hols. Of course 2010 and earlier was the depths of a major drought, which we hopefully won't see again for a while (even if the astronomer in us doesn't like a moist sky!)

You only have to look at Aus zoomed out in Google earth to see where the most clouds and rain are (the green bits)

Tandum (Robin) · #**1264** 09-02-2013, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickS

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

Looks like I found the issue and it has nothing to do with 64bit windows. It doesn't work properly on H61 or H77 Intel motherboard chipsets. I'll have a Z77 here next week to test as well. Works flawlessly on all AMD machines and older core2 duo type machines with older chipsets like 945 etc.

I can't do much about it at my end except try and work around it

ooohhh, look who's got a tak 106 in their sig ^

RickS (Rick) · #**1265** 09-02-2013, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tandum

Looks like I found the issue and it has nothing to do with 64bit windows. It doesn't work properly on H61 or H77 Intel motherboard chipsets. I'll have a Z77 here next week to test as well. Works flawlessly on all AMD machines and older core2 duo type machines with older chipsets like 945 etc.

I can't do much about it at my end except try and work around it

That's a pain...

Quote:

ooohhh, look who's got a tak 106 in their sig ^

Woohoo! Very nice, Rob

RobF (Rob) · #**1266** 09-02-2013, 11:36 PM

And a single glorious 5min sub from suburbia (of Eta C) to show to date on the Tak

Your bloody fault Robin for harping on about refractors, not to mention Rick at AF

Tandum (Robin) · #**1267** 10-02-2013, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobF

And a single glorious 5min sub from suburbia (of Eta C) to show to date on the Tak

Your bloody fault Robin for harping on about refractors, not to mention Rick at AF

And no wonder, I'm coming up on 3 months trying to get this new newt to work

pmrid (Peter) · #**1268** 10-02-2013, 09:37 PM

Well, you just can't pick the weather can you. BOM, Skippy and so forth pronounced tonight a mess - but here I am, with the dog, running a series in Ha through the BabyQ and not a cloud in sight.
I'll be blowed if I will ever offer a weather forecast again.
This is the BabyQ's first night out with the PDF focuser and .73 reducer. So I'm doing the Chicken in widefield in the hope of capturing the WHOLE chook and not just the tail feathers.

Results will follow.
Peter

DavidTrap (David) · #**1269** 10-02-2013, 09:47 PM

I hear you brother!

The cloud forecasts said Friday night would be a train wreck at Leyburn, so I decided to do the right thing and stay home with the family, despite having a leave pass approved and finishing work at 3pm.

Drove out there on Saturday with 7Timer still forecasting that Saturday night would be clear until 1ish. Was greeted by those who had been there on Friday night saying they'd had a fabulous evening...

The clouds teased us all night until I went to bed ~1am. I woke this morning to clear skies - bet I'll hear that it fined up soon after 1am.

DT

pmrid (Peter) · #**1270** 10-02-2013, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidTrap

I hear you brother!.

DT

G'day Trapper. Good to hear from you.

Keep the faith!!

Peter

BFUBBS · #**1271** 13-02-2013, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tandum

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

try this: plug it in after booting. Instead of double clicking to open the program, right click it and select "troubleshoot compatibility" you will get two options from there. basically auto test best setting or you select from a list of older versions of windows to run it as. try auto, if that doesn't work select the most recent but not your current version of windows from the manual choice part. Repeat to the next oldest if you find it is unstable still, keep repeating.
Disclaimer: not guaranteed to do anything...

Tandum (Robin) · #**1272** 13-02-2013, 08:40 PM

This won't work, it's not a maxim or ascom problem, it looks to be a motherboard chipset problem. It works fine on an AMD or an older Intel machine but so far it has failed on 3 out of 3 Ivy Bridge CPU machines each with a different S1155 chipset. However all 3 have a C2xx series usb controller. I got around it by not running ascom on the wheel.

pmrid (Peter) · #**1273** 17-03-2013, 04:51 AM

G'day guys - I'm back in Oz and the rain seems to have stopped. After I slash the grass later today, I hope to find the observatory - the brass has grown more in the month I have been away than in the whole of the previous 6 months. Amazing but the place looks good.
April New moon - let's hope we get a good one.
Peter

Tandum (Robin) · #**1274** 17-03-2013, 10:34 AM

Welcome home Peter.
You've missed some incredible weather.
I can honestly say I've never seen anything like it.

astroron (Ron) · #**1275** 17-03-2013, 12:05 PM

back Peter, Wow the month went soooooooo quick.

I hope you had a great trip

Cheers

RobF (Rob) · #**1276** 17-03-2013, 06:58 PM

I think last night was the first night I've set up in the backyard for almost 8 months between the shocker summer and work/eclipse/hols before Christmas. No I lie, I did get a single 5min sub last month now I think back.

Fingers crossed we get rewarded in autumn and winter everyone!
Welcome back Peter.

DavidTrap (David) · #**1277** 17-03-2013, 09:37 PM

I went to Leyburn on Friday and Saturday. Scattered cloud interrupted some imaging on Friday night. Saturday offered some early cloud (after a clear sunset), it fortunately cleared to a great night. Transparency wasn't the greatest, but imaging was uninterrupted.

Fingers crossed this continues for the months ahead.

Hope you had a great trip Peter, excluding the pick pocket...

DT

pmrid (Peter) · #**1278** 10-04-2013, 07:55 AM

G'day guys. What a month!! Many nights, it looked almost as if I was going to get lucky but then, at the crucial moment, the Sky Gods "got a headache" and the foreplanning in setting up was all wasted. Sound familiar??

It really doesn't look likely that this weekend will be very different. I'd be happy to be proven wrong though!! Sky Gods please note!!

And if, by some miracle of miracles the weather does clear, you're welcome to dash up for a night of reckless abandon under the stars.

Peter

whzzz28 (Nathan) · #**1279** 10-04-2013, 01:03 PM

Sunday night might be alright.
Friday night is a complete goner. Nothing but red over most of QLD. Saturday night is clearing to a probably fine night on sunday morning.

Given the past few weeks, this weather doesn't seem to be letting up. Thus i won't be attending this weekend.

Cyclone off WA as well.
WTF is with our weather. Its Autumn!

RobF (Rob) · #**1280** 10-04-2013, 08:07 PM

I was getting hopefully about Sat, but I see its slipped back into the red for Sat night according to tonights forecast. This onshore moisture is just so hard to predict, and I think the BOM Access guys pick it better than the NOAA. Still, I miracle might happen....!