WO WA EPs

[yeti monster]

Having been bitten by the UWAn bug, but also having had to replace the family c*r this month, I am satesfying my EP cravings by ordering a set of WA EPs from my bessie mate in the telescope industry, Mr. Wu.

Again, these are identical to the WO branded items, but will be Sky Rover branded (which kinda suits me, being as i am a total series Land Rover nut-job too).

The set consists of 8mm, 12mm, 17mm & 20mm (as supplied with the WO bino viewer) and retails at around about 50 earth quidses.

I would like any input on what sort of quality to expect on these EPs, although if WO are marketing them, I'm sure that they will be more than adequate in my smaller scopes, and as a general travel set.

[kniclander]

is that 50 quid for all 4 or each ?

[John]

They sound rather similar to the Burgess Optical WA's in which case they will work OK with F/7 and slower scopes but expect some astigmatism at the edges of the FoV with faster scopes: Here are the Burgess ones:

Burgess Optical Wide Angle WA Eyepieces

I've only owned the 17mm. If it's £50 the set then thats a great deal, £50 each and I'd not be in such a hurry to be honest. My 17mm cost me just £15 used !.

[yeti monster]

50 notes for the set...........

[TheThing]

Have you a link?

[yeti monster]

They are mainly for my TAL-1, which came without any EPs, and possibly for bringing out to use on the Skymax 90 as well. they do look identical to those Burgess ones, save for the finish. they have to be better than the stock givaway EPs.

[johninderby]

I've used the 8mm and the 20mm and they aren't too bad, as long as they're not used in something faster than about f/7 or so that is. At £50.00 the set they seem like a good buy.

John

[yeti monster]

Have you a link?

Sorry for the delay Thing:

SKY ROVER WA目镜

Quite why they are being shown next to TV plossls, I don't know.

What with one thing and another, the delivery of my WAs has been delayed, but (hopefully) they will be couriered to a hotel for me on Tuesday afternoon. If the local agent for KUOC/Sky Rover is happy to do so, I'll continue to use this method, rather than drag the nice Ms. Winnie into the transactions, as I feel it is taking advantage.

Fingers crossed (again).

[yeti monster]

And as if by magic.... an email from the local agent arrives! The EPs are on their way. The words Woo & Hoo spring to mind..............

[russ]

That's a great price for the set, you've done well there. As the others have said, they are not ideally suited to a fast scope but should work well with an f8.

[yeti monster]

I'm awaiting word on another tack, which could prove VERY interesting indeed.............

[Ogri]

If they are like the Antares 1.25" WA's, the eye relief is nowhere near the specified. Supposedly they are made in the same factory as WO.

I have the 20mm and almost ordered the 12mm at the same time, and am glad I didn't, being a glasses wearer. I 'might' still be interested in a 12mm (it's supposed to have an even shorter eye relief than the 20mm), but would definitely have to try one first.

With the 20mm, the view just comes into view as my glasses touch the top of the EP with the eyecup down, so it's a close thing, and my glasses are very thin.

I really love the views with it in daylight, in my ST120 (30 x mag), it's a really nice EP, even at F5.

No chance to try it at night yet due to the weather since I have had it, but hopefully things will be ok tonight. If it's no good at night, it's definitely a keeper for terrestrial use.

I'll be really interested to hear what the eye relief is like on the shorter EP's to be honest, as a 12mm even just for terrestrial use at 50 x mag, might be a bit special.

Fingers crossed, I hope they are a great EP set for you.

eta: there's also supposed to be a 1.25" 25mm WA in the series as well, but that one is suppopsed to be really dire in anything faster than an F6, which is a shame, as that would likely have had a little better eye relief. I'm trying to get everything worked into a 1.25" format now, so I can make sense with filters for day and night viewing. Really struggling for something 1.25" 24/25mm super wide angle at low magnification that will work well enough with a 600mm FL F5 though (I really don't need UWA with this 'scope to say the least). I've even gone for a 32mm Meade 4000 SP at 52* FOV (hopefully) to tide me over until something that works and is affordable reveals itself to me.

I'm beginning to suspect though, that a Skywatcher 30mm Aero might be the best move, and that'd be a real PITA.

[yeti monster]

I've tried the WAs in the Celestron 114mm newt and it was transformed! After the freebee EPs, these WAs have brought out what a good little scope the 114 is, even taking a 2x Barlow in the 8mm on Saturn (a fuzzy image, but much clearer than anything I've managed before in this scope).

After repositioning the primary in the TAL-1, by as much as 3/4" up the OTA, I was able to gain a focus. Thus far I have only been able to look at sunspots with it as Saturn has been ellusive of late, in fact everything has been obscured by clouds.

Once I get a good night for the TAL I'll post up a wee report.

[Ogri]

How are you finding the eye relief with the different EP's Yeti?

Looking forward to that report.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I started using SWA and UWA EPs a few years back on my C8. All plossls and even my trusted Vixen LV are now gone (a colleague of mine is very happy, they replaced his MA 10 and 25 mm). Once you're hooked, there is no turning back!

[great_bear]

Who does the best price on these WA eyepieces from UK suppliers?

(I'm referring specifically to this particular series 8-12-17-20 from Kunming)

[Ogri]

Adler here are £29.49 inc postage Astronomy eyepieces, Antares plossl and kellner eyepieces

Not seen them cheaper anywhere else as yet. My 20mm was very nicely finished with no bits of dross inside it.

I've now used the 20mm at night, and with the caveat that my eyes are absolute rubbish, I can honestly say I really enjoyed the views. Viewing between Cassiopea and Hercules, even though there was too much high level haze and things were a bit too much 'half light' to see 'that much', was very pleasant indeed, with lots to see from edge to edge in the EP.

The 32mm Meade 4000 SP was indeed crisper to the edge, but far more of the 20mm's fov was pleasant to me than I expected. For a non-perfectionist like me, they are more than ok.

I now have an EP gap between 75 x mag (8mm Hyperion) and the 30 x mag of the 20mm. I suppose ideally a 12mm as well as a 15mm might be the way to go.

Are there TMB Planetary type EP's at 12mm and 15mm? I think those might fill the bill perfectly, as they seem to have a very comfortable eye relief?.

[yeti monster]

I've now passed on my WAs, along with my Celestron 114mm Newt, to a pal in France. The EPs are well suited to the wee Newt, although they did do very well in the 10" SNT.

Another set was ordered on Wednesday and are already awaiting my arrival in China, such service!

This set will be for the TAL-1.

[yeti monster]

How are you finding the eye relief with the different EP's Yeti?

Looking forward to that report.

I don't seem to be too bothered by eye relief in any EP, tbh. These WAs are very comfortable for me, I remove my spectacles for observing (which makes checking star charts a bit of a hassle), and tend to have no problem.

A report will have to wait until I get the new set and spend some time with them in the skymax when I return to China.

[yeti monster]

The new set of WAs were sent to my hotel 3 days early, and thus returned to the depot. The couriers were unable to get them to me on the Monday, due to.. er it being China I guess!

However, one of my Aussie pals is going into town this Tuesday and has offered to recieve them on my behalf, then give them to another Aussie pal who is coming out to the rig on Wednesday, so, if they can remain sober for long enough, I SHOULD have my WAs here for trial in the wee skymax 90, which has only the bog standard 25mm and totally useless super 10mm EPs with which to stuggle against. fingers are, once again, crossed.

[yeti monster]

I've just called Diandian, at the KUOC outlet in ShenZhen, who, with her limited english (and me with my very limited mandarin) has confirmed that the courier will be instructed to deliver my new WAs to my Aussie pal tomorrow afternoon.

Hopefully this time everything will work out and I'll have my grubby mitts on them in time for a wednesday night session (weather permitting, although thus far it's looking like continuing windyness).

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Good luck with the delivery (and the weather)! Let us know how they perform (preferably without any grubbiness transfered from the aforesaid mitts)

Cheers

Michael

[yeti monster]

Update:

Mike went ashore 1 day early, with an envelope containing the cash, on Tuesday morning to be able to attend a meeting at the Oil company office today (wednesday). If the parcel were delivered, he was to hand it to Andrew, his relief, who would bring it out to the rig this morning.

When I heard the chopper approaching I felt like a small child on chrimbo eve and had to fight hard to contain my excitement (I'm nearly 47 years old, for gawdsake!).

Andrew duly arrived and I happened to be sitting in his office reading a 10 page letter regarding the Deepwater Horizon incident in GoM. Andrew had to do a handover of responsibility with Mark, who was covering for Mike in his absence.

Once all that was done, and various other topics had fallen quiet, I piped up about my EPs.

Imagine my surprise (or lack of) when Andrew looked at me with a puzzled expression! Eventually he half remembered "something about eyepieces", but had no parcel and no envelope of cash for me.

Putting on a brave smile I said that I hoped, at least, that they'd enjoyed the extra beer money, I then went off to see if I could track down the EPs.

Still no response to any of my emails to both Shekou and Kunming, so I had no idea what, where, how nor indeed why my EPs were taking the scenic route.

I asked Andrew for Mikes China Mobile number, but alas his SIM is out of service, Andrew gave me Mikes Home number in Austrailia. I called this and spoke to Mrs. Mike, who gave me their sons Mobile number, as their son is at Uni in Skekou. I spoke to young Master Mike, who informed me that he'd be meeting his dad in about 20 minutes and that I should call back.

giving them a bit of extra time, i called abour 30 minutes later, only to hear the not totally unfamiliar chinese message, telling me that the number I was calling was "not reachable"!!!!

I tried several times, but the same message. One last go before resorting to another tack, and BINGO! The phone rings and I finally get to talk to Mike, who is on his way to the ferry to catch his flight back to Oz......

"I've got your eyepieces here mate!" he says, "they'll be coming out on Fridays chopper. I was gonna give them to Andrew, but thought I'll do it later, then we had a 'bit of a session' last night and we missed each other in the morning"

I like things to have a story behind them, and these EPs certainly have that, I recon they'll be keepers, and no mistake.

Roll on Friday...........

[ncjunk]

I love that! "we had a bit of a session" you can just imagine the carnage.

Great story.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

What are the odds of clouds when the Friday chopper arrives?

Keep us posted

Cheers

Michael