Been here a year but not posted

[Gogleddgazer]

G'day All

I suspect I am not alone as a "lurking" member, but as a beginner don't feel I have much to offer as a poster. However, I have been active on the buy/sell section and picked up some great gear from other members. Understandable new rules in that arena have prompted me to try and become more active. More to follow elsewhere in order to build my reputation. 

Best regards

John

[Dave Lloyd]

Hi John, welcome. 

[PeterCPC]

Hello and welcome.

[Pete Presland]

Hi welcome to SGL from Pete in Bedfordshire🙂

[banjaxed]

Hi John, welcome to SGL.

[dweller25]

Hello and welcome to SGL, what have you been using your gear for ?

[Dave scutt]

Hi John welcome tothe lounge 

[bingevader]

Hello John.

[barbulo]

Hi and welcome to SGL

[Starwatcher2001]

Belated welcome aboard SGL John. Good to have you with us.

Newer astronomers are sometimes the best people to pass on tips to newbies as they have just climbed that hill themselves. More experienced bods often take things for granted, slip into jargon, or forget how tricky certain things once were - or maybe that's just me. 😂

The forum's more fun and friendly if you join in, if only with banter.

[Mr Spock]

Hi John, welcome to SGL 

[Louis D]

A big ole Howdy Pardner from Texas!

[Lee_P]

Hi and welcome

 

[Gogleddgazer]

3 hours ago, dweller25 said:

Hello and welcome to SGL, what have you been using your gear for ?

Hi Dweller, I've been hedging my bets! Initially started visually with a  small reflector on a cheap alt az mount, ccidentally bought a bigger one on an eq3-2 (the latter wasn't really up to the task) tried video capture on a modified webcam, got hooked by that stage, and evolved onto a bigger mount  (az eq5). 200D-PS and 76dcs added to the fold along with an unmoved canon dslr. Am loving doing dual sessions where I set things rolling imaging with the 200ps (or the TS photoline triple I have also aquired) and then wander around manually star hunting and getting familiar with the skies using the Tak on the eq3-2. I love the latter and am currently frustrated by lack of processing expertise on the former. Trying hard to curb my apparent propensity for acquiring new toys, but so tempted to get a 4" refractor to marry up with the 3". Might have to sell something reflective to salve my conscience!

[tomato]

Hello John, and welcome to SGL.

I can safely say it would have taken me a lot longer to produce my first image if I hadn’t posted lots of questions on this forum. All of my ‘daft’ questions received prompt, knowledgeable and above all, positive responses from the SGL community. This encouragement undoubtedly helped me over the frustration hump which a lot us, both visual and imaging, encounter in the early days.

[Gogleddgazer]

2 hours ago, Starwatcher2001 said:

Belated welcome aboard SGL John. Good to have you with us.

Newer astronomers are sometimes the best people to pass on tips to newbies as they have just climbed that hill themselves. More experienced bods often take things for granted, slip into jargon, or forget how tricky certain things once were - or maybe that's just me. 😂

The forum's more fun and friendly if you join in, if only with banter.

Fair call and I will indeed try to make a more active contribution than that I have managed to date through multiple purchases of gear from other members here! My road in both visual and photographic sides of the discipline has been rocky and strwen with mistakes and hard won experiences. Perhaps they would be helpful to others. I'll try to compose some thoughts in the coming days/weeks.

[tomato]

You are certainly onto a winner if you have lots of nights in North Wales like the one shown on your avatar!☺️

[sthow]

Hi Gogleddgazer, I too have been a lurker and need to be a bit more active. 

[wookie1965]

A warm welcome to SGL

[01012f]

Welcome John