Wetherview DIY obsy build begins

[pritc]

Malcolm..

Is the network cable running from your house to the obsy. I was hoping my wireless set up would suffice .

Tony,

I was hoping that!

But it is just a bit to far away to get a decent connection...

Yes, it requires 12v. At the moment I have it tee'd into the supply to the scope as I've yet to make a suitable power distribution box

Malcolm,

I have a 2A UNIVERSAL DC ADAPTOR (2A 3V 4.5V 6V 7.5V 9V 12V) that I purchased to run my EQ5 GOTO.

It currently powers my SW autofocuser (9V)

So at least I will still be able to use it.

Wayne

[malc-c]

They are turned down low......

Not quite a 5.1 surround sound with bass speaker booming out the EQMOD "PARKED"

:eek:

Wayne

:D:D:D:D:D:D

[Freff]

Yes it is. Working in IT I almost have as many switches at home as I have at work The cable comes out of the house, under the gate (in a tube sunk in concrete) then run along the side of the fence up to the observatory. My Wireless netbook is just borderline at the top of the garden, so it had to be hardwired. It's only a 100MB network, but it's well up to the job, and for transferring all the raw images to the main PC (a lot more powerful than the obsy PC) for processing it works well.

Like I said, I can stream video from the iplayer etc quite comfortably, so I guess there's no need to upgrade the link to a gig network

Thanks for that. Unfortunately getting a cable neatly in the obsy now will prove at least problematic not to mention getting it out of the house. I'll see how I get on over the winter with wireless.

Tony, Not sure if Wayne agrees, but one thing I discovered is that I could do with more electrical points than I originally thought. As I've wired them on a ring I can at least take three spurs of existing sockets, which will be better than using 4 way ext block. It's all the small things like camera battery chargers and 12v psu's for LED lighting etc that I overlooked.

It's those items that are usually overlooked. As I have rewired several homes I have learned to add for all eventualities.

[pritc]

Tony, Not sure if Wayne agrees, but one thing I discovered is that I could do with more electrical points than I originally thought. As I've wired them on a ring I can at least take three spurs of existing sockets, which will be better than using 4 way ext block. It's all the small things like camera battery chargers and 12v psu's for LED lighting etc that I overlooked.

Malcolm

You always wish you had installed more electrical points

But if a 4 way extension is used for low wattage/amp draw devices.

Everything will be fine.

Wayne

[Gina]

I'm hoping to use wireless to the house, probably with wired LAN between computers in the warm room. I'm expecting to want more than one as all the spare ones are relatively old and not very powerful. I have a refurbished eeePC with 10.1" screen from Morgans that I may use. They called it refurbished but it looks brand new, even having the protective plastic film round the screen. I thought it good value at £130 It has Win XP Home on it.

[malc-c]

My Observatory PC is an AMD dual core running at 3GHz, ATI Radion graphics and 4GB of PC3200 spec RAM - circa 6 years old, and it just about copes with running the usual apps (CdC, ATP, EQMOD, PHD, SharpCap, plus a few other apps and browser), and occasionally even that struggles !

[Gina]

Malcolm

You always wish you had installed more electrical points

But if a 4 way extension is used for low wattage/amp draw devices.

Everything will be fine.

Wayne

Very true! I tend to put in six way sockets with individual switches. Though I think most things will stay switched on, maybe with a common switch to the set. I have yet to work out what I will want in my obsy and warm room.

[pritc]

Wayne,

Network access was a prerequisite when I built mine.. it is really handy being able to put a post on the forum when you're having issues and get a response in real time... and if like me you get the full speed (20MB in my case) then watching sky at night on the iplayer whilst imaging is a bonus

Did you see this thread??

http://stargazerslounge.com/astro-lounge/158995-bbc-four-between-1-10-2-20am.html

Just watched it via iPlayer in my warm room:D:D

BBC iPlayer - Time Shift: Series 5: Star Men

Loved the guy with a Obs in his front garden with a tripod and a broken half binocular for viewing....

Wayne

[g0ibi]

Inspiration indeed, well built Wayne!!

[pritc]

New Update!!

After seeing Malcolm's recent post:

http://stargazerslounge.com/2006128-post349.html

I just had to follow suit and copy him.

(I have already apologised to Malcolm )

Upgraded my graphics card, and purchased another identical Dell 17" monitor.

Not quite on a par with Malcolm's 'Mission Control'!!

More 'Mini Mission control'

But they are big enough for my requirements.

As Malcolm said, it now saves me having to min/max EQMOd,CDC,APT,etc...

Wayne

[malc-c]

Very nice indeed Wayne.... and they fit just nice on your desk too

Looks like we're setting a trend now.... all that's needed is for Tony or Gina to trump us and stick a 42" LED TV in their builds

[Gina]

Very nice indeed Wayne.... and they fit just nice on your desk too

Looks like we're setting a trend now.... all that's needed is for Tony or Gina to trump us and stick a 42" LED TV in their builds

:D

[pritc]

Update....

Just taken delivery of a late Christmas present!!

A Skywatcher ST80 and a QHY5 camera for guiding....

I have joined the 200P/ST80/QHY5 combo crew.

Spent the clear skies of last night setting up and calibrating PHD.

To achieve focus I had to use the supplied x2 barlow, with the lens removed.

I am pleased with the first test PHD results I achieved .......

Wayne

[malc-c]

Ooo nice - Like the ST80 in the black finish... might have to re-spray mine soon

You jammy git... I wish I could get a PHD graph as smooth as that !! - mine still look like the Alps... but gives nice round stars after a test 20min sub - can you post / pm me the PHD settings you have to see if that makes much difference - what area of sky were you guiding on ?

Also note you have one of Keith's sun finder too -

[pritc]

You jammy git... I wish I could get a PHD graph as smooth as that !!

Yes, it does look nice all being the same colour....

Keith's Solar finder helps me quickly fine tune to get the sun in my field of view.

Here are my PHD settings,Malcolm

Last night I was test imaging M45

Wayne

[malc-c]

Wayne... attachment seems to be missing

[pritc]

Strange.....

2nd attempt

BTW: Using 'on Camera' ST4 guiding at the moment,not pulse guiding.

Still trying to decide which is best........

Wayne

[red dwalf]

looking very nice, can i ask what height the pier is in relation to the top of the obsy wall ?

[pritc]

looking very nice, can i ask what height the pier is in relation to the top of the obsy wall ?

Hi red dwarf,

495mm difference (from top of pier adaptor to top of wall)

Walls are 1715mm high.

Fixed pier is 1060mm high (to bottom of pier adaptor)

Pier adaptor is 160mm tall.

Wayne

[malc-c]

Wayne, with a trace like that I'd stick with ST4 on camera

[red dwalf]

Hi red dwarf,

495mm difference (from top of pier adaptor to top of wall)

Walls are 1715mm high.

Fixed pier is 1060mm high (to bottom of pier adaptor)

Pier adaptor is 160mm tall.

Wayne

thanks for that Wayne,

i too have a simular project, i`ve got the roll off roof shed, bought second hand, but thinking lots about the pier, can`t really afford a steel pier but the tube filled with concrete was just what i was thinking of. i have a 8" sct but was very unsure at what height to put he pier too in relation to the walls.

[pritc]

Wayne, with a trace like that I'd stick with ST4 on camera

Very true!!

'If it ain't broke,don't fix it'

Wayne

[pritc]

thanks for that Wayne,

i too have a simular project, i`ve got the roll off roof shed, bought second hand, but thinking lots about the pier, can`t really afford a steel pier but the tube filled with concrete was just what i was thinking of. i have a 8" sct but was very unsure at what height to put he pier too in relation to the walls.

It is a pain trying to work out pier height.......

Not too high,so you cannot close the roof with the scope parked,but also not to low that you miss some lower sky objects.

Luckily as you can see from earlier threads,I built my obs around my pier.

I first set up my tripod/mount/scope in the final best viewing position.Measured to the base of the mount and then worked out the height the pier would need to be.

Not forgetting to subtract the height of the pier adaptor.

To work out my wall height, I had a spare fence panel set up to act like the wall.

I placed this at varying heights to see what max. height I could get without compromising sky views.

Being 6'4" I did not want my walls too low.

Wayne

[Gina]

I got my pier too low to start with and added a pier extender to raise it 8". Seems fine now but might want it lower if I get a big scope in the future.

[malc-c]

It is a pain trying to work out pier height.......

Not too high,so you cannot close the roof with the scope parked,but also not to low that you miss some lower sky objects.

Luckily as you can see from earlier threads,I built my obs around my pier.

I first set up my tripod/mount/scope in the final best viewing position.Measured to the base of the mount and then worked out the height the pier would need to be.

Not forgetting to subtract the height of the pier adaptor.

Wayne

I did a similar process - concreting in the full 3m pipe into the ground

I then used the mount on a tripod with the tripod as close to the tube. Once I was happy with the height I cut the pipe in-situ. Then filled with rebar and stiff mix of concrete, caped off by the lower section of the adapter