Obsy tips

[NickH]

Just thought I would pass on a few nuggets from the past weeks with the obsy

1: Gel keyboard covers. These help prevent moisture getting in (dew etc) to the keyboard when the roof is retracted (if your laptops are not in a warm room that is)

Eee PC Keyboard Silicon Cover Skin ASUS EEEPC 1000H !! on eBay (end time 14-Nov-09 16:35:39 GMT)

2: Gel keyboard - I bought one of those foldaway rubber waterproof keyboards from ebay...works very well, and no issues with dew/moisture

BLACK Rubber Silicone Foldable Flexible USB PC Keyboard on eBay (end time 17-Nov-09 19:37:12 GMT)

3: Cable trunking... - again from ebay £1.58/metre. That tacked to the floor stops trip hazards.

4: Cable conduit - Two long 40mm wide pipes, with interconnect - £2 a metre from B&Q

5: Around 1KG of strategically placed silica gel...

6: 3 push on battery led lights (covered with red gel) - Very handy

Feel free anyone to add any more tips you think would help others to this thread...

[Merlin66]

Last year I bought a couple of those 12V doggie blankets about 1mtr square and 80-100W heating capacity.

One draped over the scope and one as a underlay on the desk just keeps everything warm and dew free.

[NickH]

I like that!

[Merlin66]

Watch out for the Maplin's Xmas catalogue - that's where they sold them last year.

[barkis]

I can only reiterate what you've already said. All my cables for power, USB, etc. run in a 2" waste pipe underfloor, and through the concrete filling the pier. Included is a mains supply, though that runs through a separate conduit, and terminates at a 13 Amp outlet screwed to the pier, An RCD Multi x 5 13 amp socket strip is also screwed vertically to the pie. There are no cables at all above the floor area around the pier/scope.

I spending more time in there than in the house at present. I have heating in there too, but is a portable gas heater which switches between Obs's, depending upon which one is open to the sky, and which one is the warm room for the night..

All I am concerned with at the moment, is learning how to use all this gear I've spent a fortune on. I'm enjoying myself though. Well, up to now anyway..

Ron.

[George]

I spending more time in there than in the house at present.

Ron.

Your wife become a widow too altho now the observatory is my wife's first port of call if she cannot find me in the house......it was good while it lasted.

[barkis]

Your wife become a widow too altho now the observatory is my wife's first port of call if she cannot find me in the house......it was good while it lasted.

HehHeh!! George, I bought a set of walkie talkies so we could talk to each other without me trudging to the house, or she coming down the garden. It's handy when I want a cup of tea, or for a timely ."Your Dinners on the table.":D

She often asks, "What you doing in there, I'm still at the stage where the answer has to be, "I've no Idea dear, but I'm getting there.";)

Ron.

[daz]

I found it took several iterations of cable positions in and around the scope/mount before I found a configuration that would not snag anywhere where the scope would slew...

And Maplin do packets of velcro cable ties. V V useful!!

[Bizibilder]

Excuse my ignorance but what is used as the "red gel" to colour lights please.

Ta a lot.

[Rusty Strings]

Gel does rather suggest something sticky but it's actually a tinted transparent sheet that is used to colour theatrical lights. It comes in hundreds of different shades but primary red no. 106 (made by Lee Filters) is the one to use.

John

[NickH]

Could not have said it better...

[Bizibilder]

Ta a lot!

[Stardust]

I only have 240v in the warm room, everthing to the scope is 12 volt and the red lighting is 12v marine navigation lights. Nice neat little units with a deep red lens and running off an old model railway transformer so I can dim them. I also have a bendy neck one over the little chart table that can switched between red and white light.

I should have put 2 " pipe under the floor, only put 1.25" which full up now!