Pixies

SUCCESS! 🕺 That appears to have fixed it. Got it on to channel 3 and it was plain sailing from then on. Flashed the firmware up to 3.39 (just Alt-Az mode for now) and it appears to be working fine. Dare I mention it!

I think the issue is down to a poor implementation, rather than the client side. The ESP_xxx name is the start-up SSID when the ESP wifi card starts up. It should switch quickly to the SynScan name (or whatever it's subsequently been programmed too). Last night, it was just sticking to 'ESP_xxx' indefinitely. I could see it even with the WiFi Analyser. After a (4hour) reset, I can now see it switch to the new name after a few seconds, but it's coming and going, even when I'm 1m away and the other signals on the same channel are -80dBm and lower I'm hoping to be able to get it switched over to channel 3 and get connection times long enough to flash the firmware. I am aware from previous posts that I mustn't reboot the mount if the updates fail - just keep trying. If no luck by tomorrow, I'll order a cable.

And then the next thing you know:

Ah - an update. With my local router and WiFi mesh turned off, for a brief moment I got the SysScan_xxx name. I managed to connect and change the SSID and also the channel number from 6 (congested). I was going to pick 3, which is unused, but like a muppet I hit '1' for some reason. Now channel 1 is busy with lots of local signals, although all low strength. But now I can't reconnect at all. So it's going to be a case of getting in the car and going for a drive into the country!

Ah - got excited too soon! It has the problem where the local wifi AP is showing a SSID that starts ESP_xxx and I can't connect. I've tried a reset (4 hours left alone) but that made no difference. I've moved out of range of local wifi, but that didn't help either. It looks like I need a WiFi dongle or EqMod FTDI cable in order to do a firmware update. 😠 Unless anyone has any other suggestions? The seller swears it was working OK before he sent it.

Can I join your gang, please? 54 pages! Can someone catch me up with what I've missed?

Both.

A new thing to play with!

And Turtlewax to help reduce friction. And then replace that awful plastic finder with a proper RACI!

One thing to note. These types of scope get a lot of bad reviews, as you have already alluded too. Indeed, there are some real turkeys around, as their quality control can be a bit erratic. However, in their role as an accessible starter-level scope, they are OK and at the price you paid, a reasonable bargain. It'll be great for targets like the moon. If you get the bug (and you probably will), you'll be upgrading after a little while. And then it'll have done it's job and you can pass it one to someone else. I assume it is the EQ mounted version of the Powerseeker 127. Here's a useful video that covers all the required starter info about setting up and aligning the scope. Bear in mind, around 9minutes in, when discussing polar alignment, he says 'longitude' but means 'lattitude' - i.e., your position North-South. For Cincinnati, that's 39° North. However, as you have already mentioned, one of your eyepieces is the Celestron 20mm erect image eyepiece. This is an abomination! It might be one of the worst eyepieces available to mankind. I can think of a few uses it might have, but none involve being near a telescope. You won't have to spend much to get a simple eyepiece that will be vastly superior. @Louis D can recommend a suitable eyepiece available in the US. This new eyepiece can then be transferred to any other scope you get in the future.

Oh - and welcome to SGL! Whereabouts are you?

Nothing on the main website yet.

Yep. That's how I interpreted the picture. The EP eyepiece clamp should then screw onto the end of the draw tube.

If it's a 127, it's likely a Bird-Jones design. There should be a corrector lens at the bottom of the draw tube. You can see it in one of the pictures you sent: That silver/chrome tube is the draw-tube. The threaded EP clamp you are holding should be attached to it: You are going to have to get the draw tube back up and out of the focuser body. Can you get to it from inside the scope tube? If not, unscrew the focuser from the tube, lift you whole thing out, then push the draw-tube back out, until it engages with the rack and then use the knobs to bring it fully out. The eyepiece clamp should then screw back on.

There's a Baader zoom and matching barlow for £210 on UK Astro Buy and Sell just now.

The Aero ED variants get lots of recommendations for a reasonably-priced 2" eyepiece. I still have the 35mm, but have just sold my old 30mm one. Can't see anywhere with them in stock though.

I was completely dismissive of these things when I first heard of them. Expensive and lower quality than proper AP and not the 'real deal' compared to visual astronomy. Until I used one. I was at Astro camp and was set up next to the older model with the electronic eyepiece. It was compelling to say the least. It was set up in a few minutes and queues were forming all night. Lots of people wanted to have a shot, with lots of 'ooh' and 'ahhs'. The most telling comment was when Joe Public saw M51 and loudly exclaimed - "Ah, that's what I was expecting to see!" For public outreach, it would be a complete game-changer, especially in situations where the people setting it up might not be die-hard astro-photographers or EEVA experts. I would get one if I could afford it (which I cant).

^This^ And the delivery company will add on a charge to cover admin, too. You might be lucky if the purchase is small and not too expensive - the package may slip through without incurring these charges.

I'd like to re-felt the tube rings on my Vixen 80M. I purchased some self-adhesive sheets from a local art shop, but the felt was pretty thin and didn't appear up to the job. The old felt is hard and dense - like the felt pads you get for furniture feet, except thinner. Of course it's quite old now and very compressed. I tried doubling-up the new stuff, but that made it so thick, I couldn't close the rings. Can anyone recommend a suitable source for felt? Cheers.

Just booked the Monday - Friday (4 nights) with Leslie. Fingers crossed for clear skies and no unforeseen circumstances!

Yes - sorry. The Vectra is long-gone, too.

The Saturn Aura is the US equivalent to the Vectra

Yep. The Bortle scale is for the observer to calculate for their local conditions. The estimates from CO and the light-pollution map are calculated from known data, but are just estimates of expected conditions. The Bottle scale, though, is something completely different!

Hi - it certainly sounds like Sheliak, with the 3 surrounding stars. However , I'm not sure about he halo. Was it hazy perhaps, or could your optics have been dewing up?