Telrad dewshield+???

[Paulus17]

Well i decided to give the Telrad another lease of life by getting the Dewshield plus to make it easier for me to use.

So after it arrived yesterday and me fixing it on,then going out last night to try i was still disappointed that i found it difficult to use??

Now i'm sure after reading everyone elses posts about how good and simple it is to use that i feel i am doing summat drastically wrong as i can hardley make a bright star out when i was using it last night.

I followed the instructions given and although i could see the rings when i moved away i would lose em and took a while to find em again.

So any help once again would be appreciated.thank you.

[cyborg421]

How dark are the skies from where you were observing from?

Simon

[NGC 1502]

i could see the rings when i moved away i would lose em and took a while to find em again.

Sounds like you need to practice keeping your eye in the right place, not too close or too far away. Do you have the brightness turned up too high ?

if the rings are too bright, then that will drown out your view of stars through the window.

One of the good things about the Telrad is that the rings can be turned down to barely visible, many RDFs don't go dim enough.

Keep at it and the Telrad will become your indispensable friend

Regards, Ed.

[Paulus17]

Its a fairly dark site out in the country side.

I kept seeing my own reflection in the mirror again when looking in??

EDIT-:

Yes Ed the rings are turned right down to barely visible.

What i thought was stars also were just reflections from some where.

I will be out again tonight so will try it again.

[rory]

dare i say this , have you got it the right way round. ? i just cant see how you can go wrong with it otherwise.the long black main body of the telrad should be nearest the front end of the scope with the glass nearest you. make sure if you use a headtorch for example ,that its not shining near the sight as it will reflect. also i dont close an eye, i keep both eyes open. so you get a widefiels view of the sky as well as the target. i dont use it like a rifle sight with one eye closesd, and i find it incredibly accurate.

try it again and with abit of practice youll be away im sure.

[Paulus17]

Yes Rory it is the right way round i got that bit sorted in another post and no torches or lights were used in the trying out of this Telrad

Just re read the instructions,do i flip the mirror right up or just tilt it till i see the rings,and dod i look in from behind or from the side??

[rory]

sorry i didnt want to come across as sarcastic, i put mine on backwards once so easily done. ive no idea how a dewshield plus works my mate ,sorry

[NGC 1502]

do i flip the mirror right up or just tilt it till i see the rings,and dod i look in from behind or from the side??

The Telrad has a clear fixed viewing glass (plastic) so not at all sure about tilting a mirror ?

It is definitely viewed from the rear of the unit.

Hope you find a solution to this, Ed.

[AlBoning]

Even when dewing is not a problem anywhere else on the scope I find that in spite of the dewshield the Telrad fogs up very quickly. So far a dish towel over the Telrad has been expedient in preventing that from happening, which also finds use covering the eyepiece while I'm away from the scope. But as was pointed out the dewshield does get in the way, as well as hindering somewhat making adjustments to the Telrad's alignment. The process of using the Telrad is easier without the dewshield. If I didn't like and make use of the included mirror I'd have long ago removed the dew shield.

[Mike73]

Ive had the same experience as AlBoning, it's not really that effective at keeping dew off and you have to get your head in the right place to actually see the crosshairs.

I think the telrad heater looks like its worth a try, anyone else used one before?

[Moonshane]

I had one of these on a Telrad I bought once and I'm sorry to say I really did not get on with it. I sold the mirror and dewcap within days. I love my Telrads though and feel they offer the best finder on the market for dobs.

[brantuk]

Yes - I was puzzled by the "tilting mirror" thing mentioned. Mine has a fixed position perspex window at 45 degrees towards the viewer - the image of the rings is projected onto that. But you have to treat it like a straight through finder and get your eye in the right position just behind it. Practise off scope holding it in your hand in a dark room - you should easilly see the rings projected onto a wall when looking through the perspex at the correct angle. HTH

(The 3 collimating knobs should be facing you)

[Moonshane]

http://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/telrad-dew-shield_d2109.html

[brantuk]

Ohhh - never seen one of those before Shane - thanks for that

[rory]

as its nothing more than an ordinary bit of glass it can be simply wiped with a cloth or hand cant it . i do , so i dont bother with the shield on mine.

[Mike73]

as its nothing more than an ordinary bit of glass it can be simply wiped with a cloth or hand cant it . i do , so i dont bother with the shield on mine.

I know a few people do that but it never really clears it completely for me so it's harder picking out the fainter stars. Maybe that's just me though?

[Paulus17]

Rory i didn't think you were been sarcastic.

I bought this so i could use the Telrad standing in a more upright position,rather than getting on my knees,which i can't do.

So if this DS+ doesn't work i will have to try summat else.

[NGC 1502]

Ohhh - never seen one of those before Shane - thanks for that

Me too, sorry about my confusion.......... ...........Ed.

[Paulus17]

Here is a piccy of the DS+ fixed to the Telrad,showing the mirror that can be flipped into position??

The whole shield can be swivelled to suit but the insructions say to an angle of about 45 degrees.

I didn't get a chance to use it last night as we went out but it soon clouded over again

[JamesM]

I'm another one that hasn't seen this mirror/dew shield thingy! To be honest I just remove the perspex and keep it in my pocket and slip it back in to the finder when I next want to use it, seems to solve a lot of problems. Alternatively there have been plenty of folks over on the DIY forum who have made one out of a small piece of camping mat at very little cost.

James

[Oily]

I must admit I'm not impressed with my dew shield + either.The mirror doesn't really reflect any stars that I'm trying to locate so I've ended up not using it.

[Paulus17]

Thanks Olly,so it isn't just me then using wrong.??

[Oily]

Thanks Olly,so it isn't just me then using wrong.??

I wouldn't say 'using it wrong' I just think it isn't really up to the job it's suppose to do

[jabberwocky]

I have the normal dew shield which delays the telrad dewing but doesn't stop it, also the 4" riser makes using it so much easier.

There is def a nack to using a telrad, both eyes open, right eye looks through the telrad focusing on the stars and left eye looks at the stars and the brain combines the two images, that's the way I use it anyway.

[Paulus17]

I wouldn't say 'using it wrong' I just think it isn't really up to the job it's suppose to do

Sorry Olly i didn't mean for it to come across like that.

I meant that it isn't me thats using it wrong that it's not so good.

JW-I just can't get meself down low enough to look through the Telrad as you should,so unless i can get on with the DS+ it wil be going!!!