inapottingshed

Here's a review that might help. https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/uk/buying-guides/the-best-ccd-cameras-for-astrophotography

Sounds like you might have not achieved focus? The guide above overlooked an old but decent Webcam in the Philips SPC 900. It's a bit dated with the USB 1.x (I think) but the key point is it has a sensitive 1/4" Sony sensor (I think it was discontinued and then the replacements had a CMOS sensor so SPC900 should have CCD). The downside is the image size is 640x480. IIRC the pixel size is 5.6μmx5.6μm. Some bright spark will be along shortly to confirm if it will work well with your SCT. You can find a used one on that well known auction site for around or under fifty notes and get a nosepiece with 1 1/4" adapter for under twenty notes. That will give you a cheap way to prove your setup and, probably, allow you to produce fairly good images. Easy to sell on when you are ready to trade up.

Rather than send it back I've taken a Stanley knife to it and now have a dew shield that fits snugly around the top and bottom rail. Briefly, I used paper masking tape aligned to the edges of the rail to determine the cut line. Measured depth with an engineer's rule and set to cut. The outer skin is quite tough so definitely need to watch fingers when cutting. I found it better to press the knife down rather than slide (making sure the blade is locked). Once through the outer skin the foam backing cuts easily. As always, for such operations, measure at least twice and cut once. I did the top cutout first, fitted the shield, then used the tape method for the bottom rail.

The foul weather probably leads to tendencies to fiddle with equipment when little else can be done. Has anyone ever found tube clamps to fit the Altair 80mm finder scope? Overall external tube diameter seems to be a tad short of 84mm. This is the closest I could find (but likely not close enough) https://www.firstlightoptics.com/tube-rings/primaluce-lab-85mm-plus-tube-rings.html#about_this_product

I got hold of a single duvet cover last night and pinned it up to the approx. dimensions above. Firstly, although it's cotton (which doesn't help) it was snagging on everything that sticks out. With my balance weight at the end of the bar it would be very close whether the above would work or not. On length it should be OK, but probably need a 2-4 inches more on width.

Has anyone ever tried the red lensed glasses that are often for sale on that well known auction site (or for that matter from any other supplier)?

The postman (really DHL person) brought an Astrozap dew shield sans cutouts. It won't fit over my top ADM rail (guide scope), which is 2 1/2" wide, or my bottom ADM rail (Losmandy dovetail) which is 4" wide. Someone told me that the Astrozap shield with cutouts has top and bottom cutouts that measure 3" wide (which is still not wide enough for the bottom rail). Can anyone confirm please?

I just got a reply from Cynus Astro who are recommending their 'large' size for a 9.25 SCT (on a GEM) with a guide scope. FYI large size is 40-42" wide and 56-58" long.

I thought your mount (EQ6-R-Pro) was pretty quiet? What are your slew speeds?

Thanks. One of the YouTube reviews for TG mentioned the possibility to tear the fabric.

Nice. Is that your obsy too?

See my other comment. Not sure if you use a guide scope but how to account for that when sizing a cover?

Thanks and, correct. Backyard conditions are such that I need to keep all sources of noise in the early hours to a minimum to avoid the fly in the ointment of disturbing neighbours. I know that even the Telegizmos covers are really not very noisy but don't want to open the door to remarks.

I've just ordered the SVBONY 7-21mm. Chose this over the 8-24mm based on size/weight (not really a major issue just a slight preference) as it will be easier to use on my smaller OTA's (refractors) and will suffice for now as well as being a cheap experiment to help determine what EP's I need in future.

How quiet is the fabric when fitting and removing? White is good to reflect heat, though possibly attracts attention.

I've just watched some video reviews on YouTube for the Telegizmo cover. The fail for me is the noise it makes when putting on/taking off (possibly due to the foil liner). I'm currently investigating the Astro Jackets covers (available on that well known auction site). They seem to be reasonably well made. The cover is flat (like a pillowcase) and does not have any material let for the shape of the scope on the mount, so as you pull it over say on an SCT on a GEM it is going to ride up and pull across. Can't quite envisage how this might look (possibly a bit baggy?).

Thanks. I'm intrigued. You flew with those OTA's?

The difficulty to use a boot is due to the plug being shorter than a RJ45 and seating fully into the socket. I'll have a go with some heatshrink and then see if I can epoxy a cut down RJ45 boot (which seems way too big at the moment!)

Yep. Race to the bottom.

Can't seem to find one so maybe they don't exist. RJ45 cables are thicker so easier to support a boot. The thin RJ11 cables don't have much in way of support. Maybe I'll try cutting down a RJ45 boot and using a pea-sized blob of epoxy inside (after supergluing it together). Plan B is a spare cable.

I'm making up a RS-232 to USB cable and want to make the RJ11 end as secure as possible. Just wondering if anyone has come across a boot for RJ11 connectors. There seem to be plenty for RJ45, etc. but struggling to find for RJ11. I was thinking to use one and epoxy in to reduce risk of snag damage.

Guess I'll need a cart! This case looks interesting. Is anyone using anything similar? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bison-BATTERY-CARRIER-CHARGER-BREAKER/dp/B01EJV2V1G/ref=bmx_4/261-6620813-8195700?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01EJV2V1G&pd_rd_r=193507d0-4f4e-45aa-88fa-829e50694fef&pd_rd_w=L5MrU&pd_rd_wg=kongW&pf_rd_p=26d9b5cc-9c88-4655-88a4-db5806d5daad&pf_rd_r=E1Q84RW3MAGA9R92YMRP&psc=1&refRID=E1Q84RW3MAGA9R92YMRP

Thanks. Are you using it as a dust cover indoors or also outdoors?

Thanks, that sounds like the length. Any idea on the thread/diameter?

I think the laptop would use a bit less, possibly around 35-40W (I've got a kilowatt meter so will stick that on it next week). It's supposed to have a 6-8 hour battery but I get nearer 4-5 hrs (probably needs a new one). Firstly I can use the built in battery, then maybe a spare battery (£25), then the leisure battery. There is probably more possibility that I will be able to charge the laptop from mains over a long weekend. I think it would be much less likely that I would be able to charge a leisure battery over the weekend. I would estimate the overall demand and W requirements closer to 700W. That's closer to 60Ah, not counting discharge which is the limitation that bumps up the capacity requirement. Surely one of the 'deep cycle' batteries used for golf carts, etc. would be robust enough to stand more than 25% discharge?