What did the postman bring?

[Dantooine]

5 minutes ago, wibblefish said:

Yeah Ive only had telescope since Nov so my brain keeps trying to fool me about which way to turn the alt-az controls on the refractor due to the mirror image. Also not helped by the fact that I had until recently my diagonal at a jaunty angle so not only mirrored but turned 90 degrees to the right which I only spotted when I was aligning my RACI - silly beginner mistakes ftw!

It will just be like pointing a canon once you have it set 😎

[AdeKing]

Yesterday a lovely little Berlebach Report 723 and tray arrived courtesy of  @Telescope40 via ABS.

This tripod is tiny being just 55cm tall at its lowest and 90cm tall with legs extended but centre column at its lowest.

This is a travel tripod for my AZ GTi and SolarQuest if we're ever allowed outside again.

Also received a copy of Bob Argyle's double star book from @azrabella

 

[Jasonb]

First time posting in this thread, got two BST EPs from FLO today, which means my initial plan of getting three of them to replace the stock EPs that came with the scope is now complete, as I'd already got the 8mm BST last month.

 

[Paul M]

Some dew control and power distribution gear arrived today 

Here you see a 10A power brick, a DC distribution box, a 4 channel dew controller, 2 x 1m heater band and 1 x 200mm heater band, leads for connecting my mini PC and mount to the DC distribution. 

Hopefully that'll solve my dew problem. Just got me a cable management problem now!  Need to mount it all properly but its too heavy to go piggy back on the 250PDS . Probably velcro it all to the back side of the mount. 

[MrFreeze]

39 minutes ago, Paul M said:

Here you see a 10A power brick

If that is one of the generic Chinese power supply units, I would be very wary of the current rating. I have one of those for the heaters on a 3D printer, and it can't do anything like 10A. The heaters pull almost exactly 10A, and it trips out in about 12 seconds. I have got some power resistors to make a dummy load to try to determine the actual current rating, but it's one of those things I have not yet got round to. Along with astronomy equipment, round tuits are in short supply during the pandemic.

David

[Paul M]

5 minutes ago, MrFreeze said:

If that is one of the generic Chinese power supply units, I would be very wary of the current rating. I have one of those for the heaters on a 3D printer, and it can't do anything like 10A. The heaters pull almost exactly 10A, and it trips out in about 12 seconds. I have got some power resistors to make a dummy load to try to determine the actual current rating, but it's one of those things I have not yet got round to. Along with astronomy equipment, round tuits are in short supply during the pandemic.

David

It is indeed Chinese. I'd not expect 10A from it really. I'm anticipating about 6A max. I'll put my ammeter inline when I get it all set up and have a see how it's doing.  

[smr]

My first dedicated Astronomy Camera arrived today

Edited February 4, 2021 by smr

[MrFreeze]

2 hours ago, Paul M said:

It is indeed Chinese. I'd not expect 10A from it really. I'm anticipating about 6A max. I'll put my ammeter inline when I get it all set up and have a see how it's doing.  

Some of them will/must give 10A as the heaters I mentioned are a published design that uses these power bricks. It wouldn't be much of a design if no-one could get it to work. I suspect the quality control (if any) on these is pretty ropey, and it's probably pot luck whether you get one that will handle 10A or not. It could be something as stupid as the trip current being wrongly set, based on typical component values, and component tolerances affecting it. Resistors typically have tolerances of 5% or even 10% - the more accurate the more expensive, and they're probably using the cheapest ones they can get away with.

David

[Padraic M]

52 minutes ago, MrFreeze said:

I'm anticipating about 6A max.

When you have it all set up and under load, check the voltage to your mount (hand controllers usually tell you). I have a similar brick, and the HEQ5 had problems with it. Turns out that the voltage fell to ~11V when loaded to 2-3A.

I replaced it with a Nevada Radio 30A and haven't had a problem since!!!!

[F15Rules]

20 hours ago, AdeKing said:

Yesterday a lovely little Berlebach Report 723 and tray arrived courtesy of  @Telescope40 via ABS.

This tripod is tiny being just 55cm tall at its lowest and 90cm tall with legs extended but centre column at its lowest.

This is a travel tripod for my AZ GTi and SolarQuest if we're ever allowed outside again.

Also received a copy of Bob Argyle's double star book from @azrabella

 

A Top Tripod bought by a Top Buyer from a Top Seller..Top Notch, chaps!😁👍

Dave

 

[Paul M]

32 minutes ago, Padraic M said:

When you have it all set up and under load, check the voltage to your mount (hand controllers usually tell you). I have a similar brick, and the HEQ5 had problems with it. Turns out that the voltage fell to ~11V when loaded to 2-3A.

I replaced it with a Nevada Radio 30A and haven't had a problem since!!!!

That's the plan.

I would have preferred a proper 13.8v regulated supply but the supply is just makeshift for now.

Down the line I'm thinking of a big leisure battery (most of the reason for sorting DC power distribution at this stage) so I have no mains out at home and have the same set up for mobile use.

The brick is just a stop gap and future backup.

[Stardaze]

6 hours ago, Paul M said:

Some dew control and power distribution gear arrived today 

Here you see a 10A power brick, a DC distribution box, a 4 channel dew controller, 2 x 1m heater band and 1 x 200mm heater band, leads for connecting my mini PC and mount to the DC distribution. 

Hopefully that'll solve my dew problem. Just got me a cable management problem now!  Need to mount it all properly but its too heavy to go piggy back on the 250PDS . Probably velcro it all to the back side of the mount. 

That's the same dew kit I have Paul. Haven't tested mine long enough yet but seems ok. Have the same 10A pack too. Assume you're going top and bottom with those straps. I've only bothered with one round the top section and finders. 

[Paul M]

21 minutes ago, Stardaze said:

That's the same dew kit I have Paul. Haven't tested mine long enough yet but seems ok. Have the same 10A pack too. Assume you're going top and bottom with those straps. I've only bothered with one round the top section and finders. 

I saw the company mentioned, maybe last week on this thread and liked the look of it. Maybe it was your post I saw?

Unfortunately FLO had up to 40 days delivery on some of what I wanted and didn't have the kind of DC dist box I wanted so here I am!

Yes, I'm doing top and bottom of the scope. I've had so much trouble with dewed primary and frosted secondary that I I'm taking no chances!

[Stardaze]

8 minutes ago, Paul M said:

I saw the company mentioned, maybe last week on this thread and liked the look of it. Maybe it was your post I saw?

Unfortunately FLO had up to 40 days delivery on some of what I wanted and didn't have the kind of DC dist box I wanted so here I am!

Yes, I'm doing top and bottom of the scope. I've had so much trouble with dewed primary and frosted secondary that I I'm taking no chances!

Blimey. Assume you’re out for extended sessions then? I’m trying a hood and band up top and going from there.

[Paul M]

7 minutes ago, Stardaze said:

Blimey. Assume you’re out for extended sessions then? I’m trying a hood and band up top and going from there.

I've been known to go right through but usually late evening to 2 or 3 am.

Not imaging, just fighting technology. So to help with that I've got some more technology..

[AdeKing]

Yesterday the DPD guy dropped off a very nice Oklop carry case for my Vixen GP.

I resorted to this after I knocked something off a shelf and chipped the impossible to match green paint 🤬.

[reezeh]

On 03/02/2021 at 00:33, Nigella Bryant said:

It has to be 2, lol.

Going by the rules it's where the ball is in the logo! 

[HollyHound]

5 hours ago, reezeh said:

Going by the rules it's where the ball is in the logo! 

Good point... it didn't say spot the "missing" ball 🤣

[Dean Hale]

It has been very grim here the past 10 days and looking likely to be for another week or two.

So some binoculars to try and see some local wildlife or at the least check who has left their bins out. Have been working from home nigh on a year so need some excitement. A  reconditioned Asiair from Flo. I know one is available in the for sale section - at an excellent price and to charity too however i'm delving into the unknown and feel more comfortable pestering FLO if needs be. 

[AdeKing]

4 minutes ago, Dean Hale said:

It has been very grim here the past 10 days and looking likely to be for another week or two.

So some binoculars to try and see some local wildlife or at the least check who has left their bins out. Have been working from home nigh on a year so need some excitement. A  reconditioned Asiair from Flo. I know one is available in the for sale section - at an excellent price and to charity too however i'm delving into the unknown and feel more comfortable pestering FLO if needs be. 

Good choice, I found the Olympus DPS1 8x40 to be an excellent pair of budget binoculars for birdwatching.

Enjoy the binoculars and ASI Air.

[Dean Hale]

18 minutes ago, AdeKing said:

Good choice, I found the Olympus DPS1 8x40 to be an excellent pair of budget binoculars for birdwatching.

Enjoy the binoculars and ASI Air.

Thank you. Good to know they are a good starter choice.

Edited February 5, 2021 by Dean Hale

[tooth_dr]

My NBZ filter arrived, any chance of a clear sky in 2021 🤷‍♂️

[tooth_dr]

On 04/02/2021 at 18:14, smr said:

My first dedicated Astronomy Camera arrived today

Class!!

[RT65CB-SWL]

Another piece of 'green & black' arrived a few weeks ago...
@vineyard's 1.25" / 1.8x TeleVue Barlow lens. 

Edited February 6, 2021 by Philip R

[Sunshine]

11 hours ago, AdeKing said:

Yesterday the DPD guy dropped off a very nice Oklop carry case for my Vixen GP.

I resorted to this after I knocked something off a shelf and chipped the impossible to match green paint 🤬.

Heeyyyy I want one for my vixen too! that is really nice.