Horwig

Here's what my Beacon Hill worm blocks look like. this is from before last year's re-build, so still has the old hinge mechanism and stacked flange bearings. The 'U' channel has the ends chamfered back for wheel clearance, and the thickness of the end sections was cut back slightly so the plates on the end preload the bearings. The step in the worm shaft lines up with the inner dimension of the channel section, I assume yours is the same. With this old hinge design and the stacked pillow block bearings I was getting horrible movement of the DEC axis, work on both problems has brought it under control. Huw

Yes, it's a strip of 0.2mm stainless steel, as long as possible, constrained by stronger strips on both sides, so it can only bend evenly with no twist along its length, something like this in cross section:

Sorry, here I go again, I'll refer you to this follow-up thread from last year: lots of work done here on worm end float, play-less hinges etc etc, don't know if it is relevant to your problems... Hope it helps Huw

I'm still working on this mount, don't think it'l ever get finished! Worm 'containment' has changed quite a bit since the thread above. Angular contact bearings, and flexors instead of pivots on the worm bracket just for starters. I had good guidance from Tony Owens amongst others, (he suggested the flexors,) his choice of grease for worms was engine assembly lubricant, since it is thin but high performance. Huw

I'll take you back to a thread of mine some time ago with the same problem, to which you contributed, (although I only work at half your FL): Page 2 is the important one , Oddsocks here pointed me in the direction of spring loaded plunger screws, they have worked a treat, and are used in conjunction with end-stop screws, adjusted to be just snug on the tightest part of the worm. These were the parts that SB use in their mounts: https://www.mcmaster.com/8476A38/ I got equivalents here in the UK from these people: https://hyquip.co.uk/spring-loaded-devices/6315-carr-lane-spring-plungers.html the ones I used in the end were CLM-8-SSPS-2 Hope that this might be of some help to you Huw

Thanks, guiding was good, it was another first, first run with a Gurley encoder on RA of my Sitech controlled mount, guiding was about 0.5" RMS according to PHD, so much better and smoother that anything without the encoder. Huw

This was taken over three nights at the end of September, very much a first, first bicolour, and first time imaging at this resolution, 0.44 arc seconds a pixel. 4 hours of Ha, 5 hours of O3 all in 30 minute subs I acquired 18 hours data in total, but so much of it was pants seeing, I didn't think I'd get anything out of it. Kit: 40cm f3.6 Newt with a QSI 6120 camera, Astrodon filters. This is a 50% resolution copy Huw

Keypad repair stuff painted on the buttons yesterday, overnight to dry, continuity now about one or two KOhms. Tried in the obsy today, success, but lets see how long the stuff lasts in a cold and damp obsy over winter. This is the stuff I used: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Keypad-Fix-Permanently-Repairs-All-Rubber-Keypads-ANDERS/273420633386?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2648

Have just ordered some keyboard repair stuff, will report back if it works Huw

There are posts on the Sitech group where people either buy replacement mouldings, or one where one was sent out FOC. But I don't want to bother them just at the moment, will use the virtual buttons on the computer for the time being. Huw

is this the drawing you've got?

Yes, soldering is no problem, there is a drawing for a normal switch replacement controller somewhere in the setup manual, might give it a go, but really I would like to buy a replacement plastic moulded element, but now is not a good time to ask Dan or Taj of Sitech, they live(ed) in Oregon, and have had to leave their houses due to the fires Huw

Thanks Julian, tried switch cleaner, no difference Huw

Have asked this on the mount section, but I'll ask here as well I have a 10 year old Sitech system on my mount, the handpad conductive plastic keys are getting to be no longer conductive. The good one measure in the low tens of kohms, the bad one many hundreds of K. Anybody have any experience with ageing conductive plastic? Would a good clean with a suitable solvent remove any surface effect? or would conductive paint make a lasting repair? Have tried surface abrasion, no difference. Have asked on the Sitech forum as well Huw

Not sure if this should be here or DIY section. I have a 10 year old Sitech system on my mount, the handpad conductive plastic keys are getting to be no longer conductive. The good one measure in the low tens of kohms, the bad one many hundreds of K. Anybody have any experience with ageing conductive plastic? Would a good clean with a suitable solvent remove any surface effect? or would conductive paint make a lasting repair? Have tried surface abrasion, no difference. Will ask on the Sitech forum as well Huw

You do have a point there. My wooden dome was not particularly cheap, once you add in all the extras like fibreglass to cover the ply, and a commercial one would be lighter and probably turn easier H

Here are some plans I found when I built my dome in 2012, I think they are from three sources, but basically the same design in the end I simply scaled them to the size I needed. Hope they help Huw dome-4.pdfdome-3.pdfdome-2.pdfdome-1.pdf 4_Complete_plan.pdf 3_Dome_plan.pdf Obs dome Plans.pdf ObsPlans.pdf

Hang on, for what it cost them to visit Paranal you could buy a Pulsar and have change for some kit!

watching it now

here's an old thread on the subject, there's pictures of the PA kit on my AZ EQ 6 in it. It's Sharpcap based like so many others. What can I say, except it works 100% If you need any more info PM me Huw

Should have thought before, is there a a dress code?

Hi Olly, once an English teacher, always an English teacher. (hope I spellt it al corectlly 😉) Huw

I saw them tonight for the first time as well, bloody Christmas lights in the sky, so many and so bright, luckily, I'm still after imaging M81 and 82, but trying to find a due South star to align to when everything is moving is like being a drunk student again. Anyone have an energy ray weapon handy? H

Yes, you are reading it correctly, never seen anything like it, the only difference in the setup of the kit was the scope was mounted slightly front heavy, but that would not affect RA would it? Will have another go tomorrow night, tonight forecast cloudy. Huw

This is the guidelog for last night's session. Mount is an AZ-EQ6 with an FSQ106 on top The beginning of the trace, and the section just after 23:45 is what I'd expect with this rig, the rest of the trace is something I've not experienced before, looks like the dither is causing an oscillation which is not dying down. This is a well sorted repeatable setup, which just works, the only change last night was the addition of an extension tube between the mount and tripod, (but why would that make any difference?) Went on to try tweeking PHD settings, even stopping and restarting tracking on the mount, nothing worked. Didn't restart PHD though., suppose I should have. Anybody seen anything similar, am I suffering mechanical or software gremlins? Huw