where to fit a Tel-Rad

[wookie1965]

I attached the Tel-Rad to the opposite side of the finder but spent most of the night on my knees, can anyone please recommend where i should attach it now to make viewing a little easier please.

Paul

[Breakintheclouds]

You're almost certainly going to want it just to one side or the other of the focuser/finderscope cluster. Which one works best will depend on how your OTA is sitting in its rings, but one or the other side should work just right for you. Most likely you'll want it right by the finderscope, as presumably you have no trouble looking through that at the moment?

[wookie1965]

Well yes sometimes i do as you can tell im new to this and im sure im set up wrong ive sometimes got to rotate the tube to view objects as i cant look through eyepieces either there under or on top of the tube and i cant reach to look through them comfortably.

[wookie1965]

This is the scope at rest so to speak.

[Breakintheclouds]

A good compromise I learnt on this forum is to set your tube up so that the eyepiece points in the same direction as the counterweight bar. That way, it always ends up in a pretty good place and the days of bending over backward to look through the scope will be over!

[wookie1965]

So from my pic Breakintheclouds that looks like ive got that right at least now just been trying find best set up now just need find best place for the Tel-Rad.

[Breakintheclouds]

Actually, no, I wasn't clear enough. From your pic I'm suggesting you rotate the telescope in its rings 180 degrees, so the eyepiece points along the same line as the counterweight tube. This will make it much easier to use, and then you should find that putting the Telrad near the finderscope becomes easier.

[wookie1965]

Right ive read that somewhere else as well wasn't sure what they meant i will do that now thank you very much.

[Astrosurf]

I've been advised not to attach the Telrad permanently with the sticky pads as you might want to move it around. Attach using duct tape to just start with (lots, so it doesn't fall) and then use plastic cable ties. Some use bungees. Plus use the tape as well.

I'm sure someone will disagree with me!

I've yet to find the best postion for mine. With the finderguider and camera set up, I find there's not much space and it's awkward!

Alexx

[Breakintheclouds]

What's actually needed is some sort of mounting device so a Telrad can be fitted to the finderscope shoe mount. Like a lot of people, I've got a red-dot finder that I use IN PLACE OF the finderscope, and it works best because the finderscope is removed and out of the way. There's an opportunity for an enterprising person to make a nice adaptor. *Cough* *FLO* *Cough*.

[wookie1965]

That would be ideal that so you can just clip it on.

[cotterless45]

Put the ota horizontal. Unscrew the mounting plate for the finderscope and the back plate which will fall off in your hand.

Find a plastic bag and put the finderscope and plate in.

You now have ample room to mount a Telrad finder. This along with the downloadable charts will allow you to find the Universe, neat

Nick.

[wookie1965]

I thought of that but i would like to use both sometimes when looking for objects the stars you need to hop to are to dim use the Tel-Rad, i mounted it on the opposite side of the finder first now ive mounted on same side and im going to get a new base and i will fit that as well so i can swap sides think that will be easier., thank you all.

Paul

[Vince1963]

Hi SGL fans..I've just bought a Telrad and i'm finding the same problem..And like Wookie1965 i don't want to lose my finder scope either because i find some things too dim in the telrad to see so i mounted mine ( using cable ties ). and i find my problem is that cos i'm not looking at the same area of sky that the telrad works well in some cases but not in others, I find i'm rotating the tube constantly so i can see through the viewer, telrad and the scope, Is this normal practise or do i have my scope set-up all wrong?.

[jabberwocky]

I've got mine on the far side of the finder scope on a 4 inch riser which makes it much easier to look through, if you ever want to move your telrad base use a hair dryer to loosen the sticky pads, comes off easily leaving no mess behind and retains its stickiness.

[lancerde]

I removed my RDF and put the Telrad in its place on my Lightbridge . I don't see the point of a finder scope at all. If the Telrad is set up correctly then a finder scope is redundant. If you can't find an object with a Telrad than I don't see how you are going to find it using the very small field of view in a finder scope.

[Vince1963]

Can anyone tel me the correct way and viewing distance you need to be from the Telrad?, i can only see the reticule if i'm about 6" away, If i look through it from my main mirror (about 34") i cant see the reticle at all... Is this normal? it maybe i dont have it set up right, sorry is i sound a bit of a thicko LOL.