It is so small and the carry case is like those make up bags the girls had years ago....
I added some rubber mat to tidy up the floor area earlier today and started to put the rig together ..that means I took stuff out of boxes and put It back again...but I am getting excited now..I will wash the mirror on the 8 inch later today but unfortunately some health stuff sees everything put on hold while I renegotiate a new lease it seems...damn inconvenient I really dont have time for that sort of stuff.
The eight really needs some serious reinforcement in my book as the tube is like a tin can but with a seam that was not soldered..it needs grinding back and a alluminium strip added ( maybe just add resin and glass?) and that is such a big job I want to avoid it but I can't...And so while doing that there should be added some support for the focuser region...and it should be baffled...and needs a dew tube...so you can see why I just want to buy an Askar.
Still it keeps me from drifting back to a play boy life style.
Alex
Alex, most of those budget Newt tubes are actually folded into a seam, which is likely the strongest part of the tube. The rings, which you seem to have plenty of, correctly positioned stiffen up the whole shebang pretty well. Most new needed only have two rings.
Alex, most of those budget Newt tubes are actually folded into a seam, which is likely the strongest part of the tube. The rings, which you seem to have plenty of, correctly positioned stiffen up the whole shebang pretty well. Most new needed only have two rings.
Yes I added the extra rings and also that box section of alluminium to firm it up...I think I will grind off the paint and add some resin...anyways I have various ideas for that scope...I will do my best with it and re think things...if I keep it I still have one more spot for another pier and now that I have refinned my system another pier is no big deal...it's is only a day all up and it is easy work as mostly I am on my belly.
I am just getting ready for all the clear nights that are coming...soon.
And folks the worst that will happen re my health is I will have to spend another two weeks in Lismore at the little flat like last time and go to the hospital for an hour each day for radiation...this time I will take the red car and tour the beaches etc and make it into a holiday...
There is still considerable work to do on the eight inch and today I connected up the OAG, Filter wheel and camera another zwo 2600mm) however I can't connect the camera to the filter wheel as missing one thing...male 42 to female 48 I think .... oh and the new Coma Correcter which arrived earlier today... and as I predicted the lost Coma corrector turned up later in the day...however probably the new one is much better...I found a box of stuff that I had forgotten about...the polemaster camera even which has lost its job to the Asiair...but very happy as it was driving me bats as I was sure it was here someplace.
Anyways now that the pier presumably has cured I wanted to polar align and although it has been raining when I looked out it was clear...so went down and moved the 80mm set up over to the new mount and pier...And the damn mount would not work no matter what I did and finally I had to hit the on off button on the side ...what a silly idea...but of course by then the whole sky was covered in cloud ...nevertheless I switched on Asiair connected everything and even with the roof closed told the mount to goto m42 ...so quick and business like... obviously it could not plate solve so I told it to stop and then park and then switched off...not much really but I am very very happy as this ends this part of the trip and it was only a little while ago that there was no pier or new mount and stuff...now there is..it's great as I am particularly happy that I built the pier all by myself
24 plus bags of concrete and 20 star pickets was impossible for me but little by little I did it...the biggest thing is to be patient and just chip away.
Alex
OK one more..this is the new eight inch set up..the new mini camera did not work so I had to use the same one from the 80 mm and will return the dud one on Monday.
Anyways both cameras are in sync as to focus but cloudy tonight so I cant test unfortunately.
Next job is painting the walls and ceiling black and I think I will put down some carpet after when all the work has been done...black of course..I saw some squares in Bunnings ..cheap and easy to put down...except for the holes for piers.
You can see that terrible seam which I will attend to later...I started building my baffled dew tube for the rig today.
Alex
Alex, looks great. I used those Bunnings carpet tiles in my observatory, put down in early 2015 they are still like new.
Thanks Glen...I started with the black paint today but it is going to be slow work.
I brought in the spray gun but I was not game to use it thinking it may not be such a good idea...And it will need at least two coats...I thought being black one coat but no...
Thanks for your input on those carpet tiles ...as you know..if you recommend it then I buy it...
But it would be nice to actually get to use this gear rather than just work work...And it just keeps on and on...the more I do the more there seems to do.
Thanks Glen...I started with the black paint today but it is going to be slow work.
I brought in the spray gun but I was not game to use it thinking it may not be such a good idea...And it will need at least two coats...I thought being black one coat but no...
Thanks for your input on those carpet tiles ...as you know..if you recommend it then I buy it...
But it would be nice to actually get to use this gear rather than just work work...And it just keeps on and on...the more I do the more there seems to do.
Alex
Alex, you can always just stop the work, put those things on your To Do list, and get busy imaging. Like with my car restoration, there are always things to do, but it does not stop me from enjoying it.
I have been not so good of late so only managed to tidy up the observatory and get stuff working etc and did mqnage to build a small box for the he new genny near the van...so at least things are moving along....
AND today we painted the ceiling black ....but ran out of paint so could not do the walls ... Next time.
When my son was a little boy I stuck "glow in the dark" stars on his bedroom ceiling. When we would turn off his light at bedtime, the Sky was full of stars.
When my son was a little boy I stuck "glow in the dark" stars on his bedroom ceiling. When we would turn off his light at bedtime, the Sky was full of stars.
I was tempted Glen but getting them all in the correct position put me off.
Hi Alex I got boat carpet for the OB only $40 a metre 2 meters wide its indoor outdoor
That is great Trevor. I had my eye on some stuff at Bunnings but it seems to be sold out.
...Anyways I will get keen after all the paint work has been completed.
That is a good price as I thought $25 A square mtrs was rather decent and you have done better than that...I wish you would build another one..And Mike... someone needs to step up to keep this section ticking over...
Also I picked up a remote control multi colour light (RCB and anything in between) USB re-chargable from Bunnings $15
Now that puts you at the top of the tree...of course as it is remote control I simply must get one...although I did buy two little solar units to put at the bottom of the ramp to the observatory and also the ramp to the door of the van...I can see reasonably well in the dark but if there was a snake curled up I doubt if I would see that in the dark so for that reason splashing out at $6 a light I felt was justified ...ever since I found myself in bed with a snake in the van I have become I little more concerned about running into them...
To morrow we will do something about a sprinkler system and fjre pump around the observatory hopefully to prevent damage from bush fire...And maybe I could use it to cool the place as I notice it takes time to cool down..the RASA was refocusing regularly the other evening and I presumed that was due to a falling temperature...so a little spray after the Sun goes down could be a practical approach.
OK made a pad for the fire pump, serviced it, reatached the intake and delivery hoses and happily we have the delivery hose gushing with water...however I need to add some sprinklers to cover the observatory with water but that will have to wait until I get thru my next medical interruption but with the weather I am not too worried about a fire.
I have been quiet about the new rig I know..the reason was my New zwo 2600 mono and new guide camera did not work...so I ordered another guide camera ( but not another zwo 2600).
Even the new guide camera would not work!,,
Not thru Asiair plus, not thru sharp cap or ZWO suite, changed from USB 3 to USB 2 and back, changed to an external power supply for the camera...stood on one leg with one eye closed..but nothing worked...And then it did...but why why why????..It annoys me so much when a thing just starts to work and you can not identify why...Anyways it is all working using the 115 mm set up and I have left all of it switched on for it to learn...later I will transfer the new guide camera ( I now have one too many) and the main camera to the new rig..Will it work there??? Probably not ...I think they play up when there are cclouds about to give you something to do...
The black paint was not a good idea...even with a light on it is so dark when you are doing stuff...And of course when imaging it's out of the way...I don't know why none of that did not occur to me before I had it painted.
Alex
Angle grinder to the rescue once again...I was short one piece ( 48 to 42 I think) but I found something that had more to it to take an ep ..off a 70 mm guide scope ... so I used the angle grinder to trim it down and happily now the camera is attached via this carefully machined part...I know it sounds odd using an angle grinder but I find it a great help particularly now that I have a cordless one...and given I started the day with three cameras appearing to be duds and no way to connect the main camera I am extremely happy.
If there is one thing astro photography has taught me is to just be patient when you reach a road block ...eventually you get past and onto the next one.
Now it sure would be nice to get some clear sky to dial in the optics on the eight inch which will be fun with no tools for this job...just keep playing until the stars become at least ovals and hopefully circles.
OK made a pad for the fire pump, serviced it, reatached the intake and delivery hoses and happily we have the delivery hose gushing with water...however I need to add some sprinklers to cover the observatory with water but that will have to wait until I get thru my next medical interruption but with the weather I am not too worried about a fire.
I have been quiet about the new rig I know..the reason was my New zwo 2600 mono and new guide camera did not work...so I ordered another guide camera ( but not another zwo 2600).
Even the new guide camera would not work!,,
Not thru Asiair plus, not thru sharp cap or ZWO suite, changed from USB 3 to USB 2 and back, changed to an external power supply for the camera...stood on one leg with one eye closed..but nothing worked...And then it did...but why why why????..It annoys me so much when a thing just starts to work and you can not identify why...Anyways it is all working using the 115 mm set up and I have left all of it switched on for it to learn...later I will transfer the new guide camera ( I now have one too many) and the main camera to the new rig..Will it work there??? Probably not ...I think they play up when there are cclouds about to give you something to do...
The black paint was not a good idea...even with a light on it is so dark when you are doing stuff...And of course when imaging it's out of the way...I don't know why none of that did not occur to me before I had it painted.
Alex
Alex
ZWO cameras are pretty reliable, I use 3 different guide cameras and 1 imaging cameras over different 2 rigs and they all connect fine
Windows 10 and 11 can be troublesome
Just download the latest main Ascom driver again
Download the Microsoft.Net framework 3.5 again
Download the ZWO drivers again
Standard USB3 cables no longer than 1m
USB2 cables can be 5m +
USB3 long cables up to 5m or 10m must be “Active type” like Startech below ( link) https://www.startech.com/en-au/cables/usb3sab5m
ZWO guide cameras like 120MM and 290MM which I use are designed for data transfer over USB3
If using a Hub make sure it’s a powered Hub ( I use the Startech 4 port USB3 industrial powered Hub ) link below
Alex, I agree with Martin on some points. I had problems with ASI cameras being able to push a signal through the stock (supplied) USB cables. In my observatory I use a powered (active) USB3 extension cable (5m) to get from the camera to my laptop. The stock cable that cane with the camera plugs into the powered extension.
Another option is to use a powered USB3 hub, I had one mounted on my pier for awhile (back when I was running guide scopes). These days, with EAA, I only have to be concerned about the camera USB3 to the laptop, thus the active powered extension is fine.
Alex,
One important item I forgot to mention
Make sure your computer is providing continuous USB power to ports
See attached pdf in regard to USB Power Management
Also another procedural item , make sure you connect all equipment ( mount , cameras etc… ) in the same port on your Hub and Laptop each time , otherwise you may have to reboot and re connect as the assigned Com ports may have been lost or mixed up. As you have a permanent setup in the Obs this shouldn’t be an issue.
