right angle finder scope

[faulksy]

i recently bought a right angle sw finder for my dob, i have always used straight through but thats been on fork mounted sct,s, the problem i have is trying to find things, i found with the straight through you could have both eyes open and find what your looking for that way, but with the raci i struggle to find anything, i have just added a red dot finder but surely you dont need 2 finders, what do other peeeps do. thanks always. mike

[Daniel-K]

Mike the best way is to have a telrad or reddot on aswell that way you use the reddot or telrad to put you were you want to be and then use the finder to get it more precise.and yes I should be working but on a break

[kerrylewis]

I agree with Daniel. I got an extra base and put the Telrad alongside the optical finder. I am used to using the Telrad with the SCT and couldn't get on with the finder alone for basic finding. I've also done some transparent Telrad circles for the sky atlas which also help.

[mashedpotatomountain]

hi mike, i'm the opposite to you! when i got my first scope (in january), i just knew i wouldn't get on with a straight-through & so got an RACI at the same time as the scope.

i also got a telrad, and this combo makes star hopping effortless. well, in theory at least, i still struggle to find stuff! but the telrad gets me roughly there, then the RACI makes it so easy to identify stars, get my bearings & navigate from there.

i guess if you're used to an inverted image it might take a while to adjust, and i see your point about having both eyes open - but i tend to do that at the telrad stage, then i'm close enough and one eye through the RACI is fine.

if i had to, i could probably do without the telrad & find my way around with the RACI, or even the other way round - but the combination of the 2 is great for me.

cheers

rich

[Mike73]

I use Telrad only on both my scopes.

My big scope only gets used at dark site where there are more than enough stars not to need to star hop, I just place the Telrad circles in roughly the right place and use a low power EP to scan.

For home I only use my Mak on planets and the moon so no need to star hop there either!

If I was hunting DSO's from anywhere with LP then I'd use a RACI to star hop but for me another finder is just something to align and carry so theres no point really.

[Moonshane]

I use both telrad and RACI finders on all my scopes. it's a winning combo as far as I am concerned.

[swamp thing]

I use a RACI finder/Telrad combo on my Dobs. Although I've been thinking that maybe a straight through correct image might be better on my larger scope.

[crashtestdummy]

I'm the same as you faulksy,I prefer the straight through finder for star hopping.I've just bought an Altair 80mm finder guider and I specced the straight through convertir for it.if I use the right angled part I would add a small 6x30 finder but to me it's just adding weight.

[crashtestdummy]

How heavy is a complete telrad unit?

[John]

I either use a Rigel Quickfinder on it's own, the Rigel plus a 9x50 RACI but rarely just the RACI on it's own. Used together though the Rigel and the RACI are very effective I find so, yes, you do need 2 finders quite often.

[kerrylewis]

How heavy is a complete telrad unit?

Just weighed mine at 272 g including a light foam homemade dew shield. It's the batteries that make up most of the weight but they do a least last much longer than the smaller batteries that other red dot finders use

Kerry

[faulksy]

so basicaly everyone uses a finder with there raci, i will try tonight with my zero mag red dot, thanks guys

[Moonshane]

any sort of rdf would be fine.  I use my telrad's only for initial placement.

[Daniel-K]

In work and its forcast clear for the next two nights!!!! Grrrrrrrrr

[faulksy]

In work and its forcast clear for the next two nights!!!! Grrrrrrrrr

i no dan, going to pick of some more galaxys lol

[Mr Spock]

I find I can point the scope near enough to get what I want in the RACI. It's not really dark here though so it's easy to see the tube and where it's pointing.

[Davey-T]

Just weighed mine at 272 g including a light foam homemade dew shield. It's the batteries that make up most of the weight but they do a least last much longer than the smaller batteries that other red dot finders use

Kerry

Only if you remember to turn it off .

Dave

[crashtestdummy]

May add a telrad then and keep the right angled part of the finder.

[faulksy]

tried my scope last night with both the raci and red dot finder and it was great, shame you need a finder for the finder though

[Stu]

This is what you need, TelRad plus 80mm RACI :-)

Can find most things with these two, TelRad gets you near, and the RACI has enough aperture to show targets quite clearly. I've got an Orion 20mm illuminated reticle ep in it to make centring targets much easier.

Cheers,

Stu

[faulksy]

good finder that stu, reminds me of michael Wilkinson finder,

[Stu]

Yep, pretty much where the idea came from :-)

[TractionMan]

Telrad and RACI (SW) here as well. It's a great combo.