steveex2003

Sorry for the low-fi photo, but here is the payment options for one of my current ads. Humbly, and clearly; receive payment on collection. As stated above, buyer and seller protection within Paypal is invalidated, obviously. I had a discussion with an eBay representative about an issue related to cash on collection (or more specifically reclaiming a fee due to no-show), just this weekend past. It is very much permitted and has been the source of many of my sales, all of which contain the footnote paid in cash

If you really want fuss-free goto with almost zero set-up then Starsense maybe worth consideration, particularly if you can leave the camera attached. Turn it on, make a cup of coffee, and you're ready to roll.

I read this and immediately transfered a reasonable Paypal balance out. I was aware that accounts were hacked, but thought it nearly always a result of a services account linked to Paypal being hacked?

On the subject of eBay and cash on collection. Absolutely you can. There is the option to accept cash on delivery. I have used this extensively for some fairly high-end hifi components. You can exchange pick-up details within the eBay messaging system, but only after the item has been purchased via end of auction or buy it now. Their system will block any messages containing phone numbers, emails or postal address prior to this. This protects their seller fees. You do gain in no Paypal fees are applied, but you lose all protection Paypal offers within the eBay ecosystem. This is current. I have only sold high-ticket items via cash on collection, the most recent being this weekend.

I've got four thoroughbred's I can let you have. 60 quid all in. Delivery will be 5 quid. My eBay seller account: Propakosha Smashing.

Thank you all gents. I feel I got real value for money out of that question.

I realise this is a fundamentally noob question, but if one doesn't ask one doesn't learn. I mostly use Morpheus EP's which all have a huge chunk of glass (25-30mm at a guess) to peer into. Something like a Meade MA plossl has a but a few millimetres diameter to peer into. Why would one choose this? Are these EP's less complex in design and that is their strength? Having some plossls with smaller viewing apertures (but nowhere near as small as some designs I see) for my sins and ignorance I much prefer the big glass user experience.

Lunt, or Bresser was my port of contact, were fantastic. About a month ago I thought I had sourced another Lunt 60 (and was let down in true poor-form manner by a chav of a UKABS seller) I contacted Lunt about getting a replacement blue filter in preparation just in case. They duly sent one free of charge, from Germany, despite my being entirely honest about being a second owner. A week later I contacted them again about sourcing O rings and grease, again just in case. Again they sent some entirely at their expense. I would spend my money all day long with Bresser/Lunt. It is always nice to write positive reviews and feedback.

And I almost forgot, in what has been a orgy of self indulgence, a pair of sit-up-and-filters. An O-lll and UHC. Nothing fancy or overtly expensive.

It’s been a good month for toys. Sold a few things. Bought a few things. Toy budget officially blown for the year now. Some sun wouldn’t go amiss though.

It is all genuinely very impressive.

Honestly? I make using a manual dual speed focuser (visual only) look painfully awkward. Add in multiple EP's and its Inspector Clouseau farcical. I look at rigs like this with all the comprehension of a banana.

You're in with a shout between 10 and midnight though!

As minimalist eyepiece collections go, I've seen worse.

Yeah, to be fair, premium aside, I know two photographers who swear by their Gitzo's, and poor reviews across the board are thin on the ground.

I had a vague interest in that one too, but was too late to the party. I do have an Ercole Giro, an Ercole Giro Mini and a GR Mini 2 though, so wasn't too heartbroken. I have several tripods here, all steel and heavy with the exception of a Manfrotto carbon fibre 055 (4 section leg) which is exponentially lighter than anything else I have at around 2kg. In my experience the carbon tripod (which was hardly cheap) is perfect for the mini 2 mount (approx 2kg) and my Equinox 80mm, and little else. Yours and others MMV of course. The next time I feel the need to purchase a tripod I am almost certainly heading in the wooden variety direction, to which all the top boys here seem to have. I doubt they are any more portable than the biggest steel tripod (2.5" legs i believe?) I have is however.

I was the chap who bought your first 17.5mm. It, and a Vixen LVW 22mm remain my favourite EP's.

Looks fantastic!

Thank you for your considered reply. Steven

May i ask, once the Quark is on-band at its first setting, what is the wait time when altering dial position? Do you also need to refocus? Thanks.

I had considered such a thing, as well as a Daystar, and have watched several sail by in the Classifieds here and elsewhere. Ultimately I have been put off, rightly or wrongly, by the on band warm up/adjustment time it also appears that the availability of secondhand Quarks is higher. Again, rightly or wrongly, it does seem that those that buy Lunts tend to keep hold of them. YMMV. Steven

Hand on heart, do you have any reservations on that purchase? At all? I've been sitting on the fence for 18 months now, with always a backroom want for a solar scope. There is a current offer on a Lunt50/600 which is within the realms of affordability to me (although i really should probably sell a scope or two that rarely get used 🙂 ) I have been fortunate that thus far no scope, EP, mount etc has been a disappointment. Ultimately, i just prefer A over B etc. Along with an Equinox 120 this would equate, almost pound for pound to be my most expensive single scope purchase. I haven't regretted a single penny of the Equinox. I just would hate to invest that money for a sense of MEH. I have no access to such a scope to try in the flesh. I have invested 18 months into reading about solar observation, and am very attracted to the idea of owning such a thing. Thanks Steven

Minefield. I have sat on the fence for more or less a year on a solar scope. My actual experience of solar amounts to nothing more than an 80mm with a solar filter, and very recently too (managed to get the Mercury Transit - which was wonderful. A year full of reading, analysis paralysis, forget about it for a month - rinse and repeat has led me to the following third-hand conclusions. Quark, standalone or Daystar. Hit and miss, get a good one; super. Get a bad one; wonder what all the fuss is about. Waiting times for on-band tuning. Coronado. The mk2 seems blighted with complaints about the cheap plastic focuser. Bit cheaper than the Lunt alternative. Tilt tuning only. Mk3 is expensive. Lunt. Good offers on the mainland for the pressure tuned 50 and tilt tuned 60 at present. Seems the 6mm BF is really the minimum size to aim for. The 50's helical focuser is not stellar. Pressure tuning seems to be a well regarded addition. Larger apertures, BF's and DS options get heinously expensive. External etalons and BF's. Just plain expensive. I have an FLO voucher given to me for 50th in May and I still haven't committed to the purchase. I'd love a pressure tuned Lunt 60, 12mm BF, but at £4K it's just way out of my budget.

Hypno Disc. I'm fairly sure we had a small toy of your robot, along with other early competitors, and the Arena thing when my boy was a child.