Finders and where to find them

[Oakbeard]

My red dot finder on the 130p seems to have given up on living. Are there any common problems with these? Battery change had no effect. In any case, because I use it with the original dob base it sits very low to the ground, and the finder is a pain to use, are there any finders that don't make you align yourself with the scope? Sort of like there are prisms for not having to look straight from the base of a refractor.

Edit: I overlooked these: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/sky-watcher-6x30-right-angled-finderscope.html but I'm not sure I can mount them the same way as a red dot and its a bit overkill for such a small scope, any red dots with this principle?

Edited January 26, 2021 by Oakbeard

[AlexK]

The RDF/Telrad sole idea is in the largely unobstructed straight-through view of the sky provided, which allows you to place the pointing dot/reticle between stars you see naturally naked eye around your target. With most any right angle solution you are losing that benefit as the prism/mirror will shrink your field of view to a useless (for a beginner) key-hole size surrounded by the ground/OTA side background view. It might be especially confusing if the sky view is also mirrored.

If the straight-through view is truly a pain for you (bad neck, back, sholder what have you) there are 3 drastic solutions:

1. The GLP (green laser pointer). It's nice, but might trigger legal consequences in some regions. Also it's ruining your eyes darkness adaptation when observing from a dark site.
2. Very tall collimation pointer (e.g. QuInsight). Or/and you can consider rising your telescope mount on a dedicated table, so you can point it with a straight-through RDF more comfortably (e.g. I've been using my Telrad on the SIDE of the OTA, under the EP focuser, for pointing my z12 "Bazooka style", standing on my knee(s), see photo, for like a decade prior to switching to the QuInsight).
3. A digital assistant (e.g. CSSE - Celestron StarSense Explorer technology).

http://fo.kukarin.com/storage/cache/images/000/069/20200428-193439,medium_large.1588127952.jpg

(Weird. The updated forum doesn't automatically embed images into the post. ANyhow, on it I'm proofing to a skeptical "colleague" that I can point the unmodified 12" Dob "Bazooka Style" into the horizon comfortably ).

Edited January 26, 2021 by AlexK

[KP82]

The RDF on your 130p shares the same synta style mounting base as the SW 6x30 RACI, so there shouldn't be any problem attaching the RACI to your scope. And it isn't an overkill on a 5" reflector.

[AlexK]

2 minutes ago, KP82 said:

The RDF on your 130p shares the same synta style mounting base as the SW 6x30 RACI, so there shouldn't be any problem attaching the RACI to your scope. And it isn't an overkill on a 5" reflector.

I guess the 130P is the "Heritage"? They have a well know flaw in the stock RDF shoe. It's not parallel to the optical axis, so an arbitrary RDF may not have enough vertical adjustments freedom to be aligned with the EP view.

[M40]

That finder should fit the red dot finder shoe, but just in case it might be worth buying the skywatcher finder shoe 👍 

[Louis D]

6 minutes ago, AlexK said:

GLP (green laser pointer)

Seconded.  I've switched over to green laser sights with Telrad/Quikfinder backup if the laser fails (battery and switch issues plague them).  Just don't be stupid about using them around aircraft.

[Oakbeard]

Thank you all for the input, I like the laser idea but don't want to deal with rules or laws, so that's off the table. In my local area I found someone selling a stellarvue 50mm finder for a very reasonable amount, now this of course cannot go on the edge of the 130p Heritage (around 500 grams). I admit I want o get my hands on it to use as an even quicker grab and go BUT is there any way to mount this to the dovetail of the heritage? There is quite a bit "after" the base clamp and that seems to be the only solid place such a thing could be attached. I'm not sure what to call this if it is a thing at all. " synta style mounting base " was a very useful new term for me

 

Im guessing this is what would be needed, in a different size ofc: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adm-vixen-type-v-series/adm-rings-on-v-series-dovetail-adapters.htm

Edited January 27, 2021 by Oakbeard

[Spile]

I am finding the straight-through finder OK now that I use it as a secondary locator and I'm not bending down so much.

The primary finder is a smart phone mounted on the OTA.

I've acquired a Telrad so I will be interested to see how that compares with the straight through finder.

Not sure I need 3 navigation aids though 🙂

[Carbon Brush]

Nothing to lose by taking your dead RDF apart. It is already scrap so you can't make things worse😁
Often failures are down to a dody contact, or poor soldered joint. either being easily remedied.