The Sailor

Hi Pat, well I am perservering with it, I want to get the Ascom working so I have reinstalled Windows to get rid of all the rubbish and will install all the Ascom software, nothing on the laptop but astronomy software so nothing to lose, just don't want to let it beat me :). Good to hear you have started the build, hope it goes well for you :). Jim

At last, without a doubt, all is comming together, the dome works well, rain yesterday failed to penetrate, the new layout of the OTAs worked well allowing me to see the same view through all three OTAs. The only problem I have is Ascom, installed it yesterday with the hope of using the laptop for guiding but it failed and I had to remove it, not the first time this has happened. I am looking at getting a guiding setup but have been looking at direct guide rather then from laptop because of the Ascom problem, it's a wait and see game. The next part of the setup will be setting the parfocal rings on both 1.25 and 2 inch, hope to save a lot of hassle :) So all in all it's going okay, just have to have a few clear nights :). Jim

Just looking for something that will keep the camera on target :). Not interested in what the guider does in relation to taking photos just keeping steady on target is the job :). As said, the next clear night I will be banging away with the DSLR and see what I can achieve, I left the OTA on Vega for 20 min last night and it had moved a degree or so, so maybe have achieved something there. Jim Jim

Back on track, ditched the re-alignment part after 3 star align and all target in/almost in centre of EP, did have me worried but spent most of yesterday going over layout of OTAs on mount and last night turned out to be a good one, seen a few more Messiers than expected in the EP so am happy. The next night out will be to check drift on AP exposures, will be getting an auto guider so hope that will help as well :). Jim

Just about Pat, after the last few days I thought that I would end up chucking the lot in the dustbin :). I followed the polar re-align and at no point after would I get my target anywhere near the EP, very frustrating. Today I spent looking at and arranging the OTAs on the mount and by this evening I had finished to some satisfaction. With it being cloudy all day I was not expecting to get out but by 2300 it was all clear and I was away. Done a polar align and then a 3 star align and left it at that, up to now I can say it has been a great night, everything spot on, got 4 Messiers I had not got before and have left the mount to drift along with Vega, have a drink and then out again so see what the results are. No AP tonight, just want to star hop and see how well it is holding on targets, so back out now and carry on :). Jim

I've actually gone backwards!!! Don't know whats happened, all great befor I built the obsy now it's all gone wrong. So now, I start again and crawl along till I get better :). Jim

Now why can't all mine be like the second and third rather than the first. Have to admit I am having a load of problems with aligning, have the NEQ6 Pro and have updated the handset firmware to the new polar re-align and it has given me nothing but trouble. Follow the instruction to the letter and still when it comes to hitting a target I am way off in the EP and drift. At the moment I am looking at reconfiguring my OTA setup to just one type of OTA on the mount and see what happens, maybe then I will get good shots like above :) Jim

Nice one :) Jim

What a week it's been, from being deluged with rain to wall to wall sun, I took every opportunity to get work done on the obsy and whatever was required in the garden. During the week I realised that after one night out the obsy needed to be sorted to make more room, this was done the next day I now have a much easier time. The nights have been kind and I have spent every clear night out and have relearnt how to use my cameras, plenty of photos taken but few have made it into an album, being fun finding galaxies again and new ones to boot. A few pieces of equipment I know I need and they are parfocal rings, rings for the SCT and a guidance camera, first already ordered, the rest I have to think about. After a year away it has been good to get back into the swing of things and hope it can only get better, just have to be careful of accidents :) Jim

Nice one Nova but what I done was to place the solar film inside the OTA cover, all I do is take the small cover off and it is there, have less to worry about :). Jim

I have at long last got the observatory working okay, the dome rotates very easy with little effort and all the cables have been rerouted. Although the dome runs easy I have bought a 12v winch with a control handle and converted it to allow rotation both ways and will install this during the week. Still work to do but that is decor and will just make the obsy look better. Just have to wait for clear skies now and get the equipment working. I have updated my photos in FB and the link is in my sig. Jim

Pat, thanks, have sent you a PM, may be of help. Jim

Well the rain today has done me a favour, no leaks!!!! Time has come to get on and finish it, I have a few embelishments to add and do some astronomy :) . Todd, my shed had a roof which came in two parts lengthways, this enabled me to open it just enough for the OTA to stick out, take a look at my FB albums, there is a link in my sig, it will show you what I mean. I castleated the two sides so that when thay came together they formed a seal, worked well. :) Jim

Thanks Todd, well have not been out there yet, believe it or not I was hoping for more rain!!! Want to test it to ensure that it is waterproof and the gear will be okay in there, have a cam in there and appears to be dry, just to move the cables and that will be it, all up and running. I went out last night and set up on Polaris and that was it, cloud moved in so closed up, then when I went to bed about 1am the sky was clear!! Anyway all is going well so hopefully it won't be long till I have a few all nighters :). Jim

At last, the observatory is almost finished, the only thing to do is reroute all the cables but that will have to wait till clear weather appears again. With the sun out today it was all go and ended with the mount and telescopes back in place, tonight is clear so will be out to see if all works. I was going to get the roof fibreglassed but the weather held this up too much so went and replaced all the wood and waterproofed it, will be interesting to see if all has worked by tomorrow evening when the rain has passed. I downloaded the Polaris beta upgrade a few weeks ago, tonight I will be putting it to the test, looking forward to that. Jim