DaveDog
sage
Reged: 06/15/07
Posts: 414
Loc: near Blue Ridge Mts, VA
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Is the Wixey digital angle gauge still the preferred elevation readout to date?
Dave
Z10
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Gigatron
professor emeritus
Reged: 12/10/05
Posts: 650
Loc: Staten Island, N.Y.
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Wouldn't see why not. For $40, you're getting a 2"x2"x1" cube that's accurate to .1 degree and sticks to your OTA with magnets. I wouldn't see a need to look for anything else.
-Fred
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Meade ETX-90 UHTC, AutoStar 497,
Right angle viewfinder
Deluxe field tripod
Zhumell 10" dob
Telrad finder
GSO 8x50 RACI finder
Too many special modifications to list
2" 32mm GSO,
9mm GSO,
26mm,15mm,12.4mm,6mm Meade SP,
5mm,7mm,9mm Burgess/TMB planetary
Meade 2X Barlow
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Jaxdialation
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/01/07
Posts: 3196
Loc: Northeast, FL
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Yes kind of too good to be true easy solution
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John
Find it: A bunch of atlases
Shoot it: 10"RCOS/AP1200/STL6303E
See it: StarStructure/Zambuto 18/4.3
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DaveDog
sage
Reged: 06/15/07
Posts: 414
Loc: near Blue Ridge Mts, VA
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Thanks, I will order one today.
Dave
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coopman
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/23/06
Posts: 2892
Loc: South Louisiana
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I just got mine yesterday and it is so cool!!!
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Regards,
Clay
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." Psalms 19:1
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Tom Andrews
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/25/07
Posts: 1413
Loc: Albuquerque, NM
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I have read other posts on CN about the numbers being hard to read at night because they are so small. I've never used one so I don't know. I'm using the Craftsman digital level which is easy to read in the dark (LCD readout). The downside is, it's longer and probably heavier. It does have magnets built-in which is convenient if you have a metal tube. I have a sonotube so I installed a 1"x8" metal strip to mount it on for use. The price was also a plus, I paid $30.00 at Sears so no shipping and had it that day.
I'm attaching a couple of pictures of mine (sorry the lighting is so bad but I think you can get the idea).
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Tom/K5TBA
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Our Secret To Life:
Focus on what you have, not on what you don't;
Focus on what you can do, not on what you can't.
-------------------------------------------------
Coulter 8" dob w/Push-To finder system
Meade 8" EMC SCT/Celestron CG-5GT mount
Mallincam Xtreme
GO Gemini 15x70 binoculars/parallelogram mount w/Push-To finder system
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The Albuquerque Astronomy Society (TAAS)
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Tom Andrews
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/25/07
Posts: 1413
Loc: Albuquerque, NM
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Picture 2
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Tom/K5TBA
-------------------------------------------------
Our Secret To Life:
Focus on what you have, not on what you don't;
Focus on what you can do, not on what you can't.
-------------------------------------------------
Coulter 8" dob w/Push-To finder system
Meade 8" EMC SCT/Celestron CG-5GT mount
Mallincam Xtreme
GO Gemini 15x70 binoculars/parallelogram mount w/Push-To finder system
-------------------------------------------------
The Albuquerque Astronomy Society (TAAS)
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DaveDog
sage
Reged: 06/15/07
Posts: 414
Loc: near Blue Ridge Mts, VA
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Hmmm.....
Yes, in my case bigger is better for my aged eyes. I did notice the Wixey is very small, 2x2 which is a plus (footprint) and minus (eyes). I'll have to go down to the Sears store tomorrow and see if they have one. Yours looks to be about 10 or 12" long??
Dave
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Tom Andrews
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/25/07
Posts: 1413
Loc: Albuquerque, NM
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Correct, 10". You can also access your Sears store online to check their inventory before you make the trip.
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Tom/K5TBA
-------------------------------------------------
Our Secret To Life:
Focus on what you have, not on what you don't;
Focus on what you can do, not on what you can't.
-------------------------------------------------
Coulter 8" dob w/Push-To finder system
Meade 8" EMC SCT/Celestron CG-5GT mount
Mallincam Xtreme
GO Gemini 15x70 binoculars/parallelogram mount w/Push-To finder system
-------------------------------------------------
The Albuquerque Astronomy Society (TAAS)
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werewolf6977
Lord High Smasher
Reged: 12/15/03
Posts: 9034
Loc: Hanover, Ohio
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Not to cross thread, but couldn't one also use a large protractor and soome sort of plumb bob arrangement. Rather low-tech, could work.
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Pete
6" Apogee/LXD55
Starhopper 6" Dob
Spaceprobe 130EQ
Black C8 OTA
WO Zenith Star 66 Patriot Edition
Sun Pak Pro 7500 Platinum Edition
8X42 Bushnell H2O Porro
7X35 Tasco
10X50 Nikon Actions (Type 7)
15X70 Skymasters
Dell Inspiron Dual Core 531s
"For those who fought for it, Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know"
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csa/montana
Den Mama
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 76331
Loc: montana
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Pete: That wouldn't be as accurate as an inclinometer, would it? Plus when you can pickup a regular inclinometer for under $10, that attaches to the tube, it makes it pretty simple.
Carol
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
Vixen 80MF
Masayumas 7.5,15,25W,35
Pentax XW5,10; XL7
TV22Pan
ES30
Paradigm 8,12,18
DreamCatcher Dobservatory
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Gigatron
professor emeritus
Reged: 12/10/05
Posts: 650
Loc: Staten Island, N.Y.
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Re: the craftsman level, how big is the readout? Because it doesn't make a difference if the level is 3 feet long, if the readout is the same as the wixley, you're just wasting weight.
The wixley readout is fairly large and not too hard to read. It's only downfall is that it isn't backlit. That's the only thing keeping it from being a perfect 10 in my book.
If you buy it from wixley themselves, it's $40 shipped.
-Fred
--------------------
Meade ETX-90 UHTC, AutoStar 497,
Right angle viewfinder
Deluxe field tripod
Zhumell 10" dob
Telrad finder
GSO 8x50 RACI finder
Too many special modifications to list
2" 32mm GSO,
9mm GSO,
26mm,15mm,12.4mm,6mm Meade SP,
5mm,7mm,9mm Burgess/TMB planetary
Meade 2X Barlow
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Tom Andrews
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/25/07
Posts: 1413
Loc: Albuquerque, NM
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The readout measures 1/2" (tall) and it is backlit.
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Tom/K5TBA
-------------------------------------------------
Our Secret To Life:
Focus on what you have, not on what you don't;
Focus on what you can do, not on what you can't.
-------------------------------------------------
Coulter 8" dob w/Push-To finder system
Meade 8" EMC SCT/Celestron CG-5GT mount
Mallincam Xtreme
GO Gemini 15x70 binoculars/parallelogram mount w/Push-To finder system
-------------------------------------------------
The Albuquerque Astronomy Society (TAAS)
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DaveDog
sage
Reged: 06/15/07
Posts: 414
Loc: near Blue Ridge Mts, VA
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My Sears only had the 2' level for $70, so I am ordering the Wixey.
Dave
Z10
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danner
super member
Reged: 02/27/07
Posts: 141
Loc: Bay Area, Cali
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I use the wixey on my xt8 and it works great. It is very accurate and gives repeatable results, however, it used up the first battery relatively quickly.
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XT8
Custom 10" f/4.5 Dob
Nagler's dot the i and cross the t.
 Coe
 Montebello
 Coyote
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kwalker
sage
Reged: 08/22/06
Posts: 293
Loc: Oklahoma City, OK
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Im still using the inclinomter for 10 bucks. When it goes I'll order a wixey.
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Keith
Zhumell 10" dobsonian with $12 "Push-To"
4mm & 9mm BO/TMB Planetary, 13mm Stratus, 17mm Stratus, 32mm Widefield
Orion shorty plus 2x barlow
Catseye Xl Triple Pro Pack
Glatter Laser
Celestron 15x70
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Ghazzer
journeyman
Reged: 04/27/07
Posts: 5
Loc: Sykesville, Maryland
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Tom: The 10" Laser Trac level is now $49.99 at Sears. Their P/N is 00948292000. Info at http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&pid=00948292000&cat=Hand+Tools,+Carpentry&subcat=Laser+Tools&vertical=TOOL&ihtoken=1
Question: How level does the Dob base have to be in order for this device to be reasonably accurate on th altitude?
I recently bought a (previously owned) 10" Antares, and am looking into ways to give it "push-to" capabilities.
Thanks -
<< Steve >>
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Steve Hedges
10" Antares
Every day is Saturday!
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eric_zeiner
Phoenix's Dad
Reged: 12/09/06
Posts: 8040
Loc: Georgia USA 34 31'57.18N 83 53...
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The position of the base is not a factor in the angle or elevation of the tube as they are independent of eachother. The only time this would be a factor is in a scope with a goto or EQ mount. Welcome to CN BTW and I too plan on putting a Wixey on my Z10
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Eric R. Zeiner
Refractors:
Carton 60/1000
Swift 863 Aerolite 60/810
ATM 60/360
Sears Mod 6335 76/1200
Bailey Alt/Az Pipe Mount on DIY Pier
Some really nice vintage EP's
"Where there is life there is hope"
Copper Mines Observatory
Carton Scope Club
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Jaxdialation
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/01/07
Posts: 3196
Loc: Northeast, FL
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I think the base need to be level in order for the Azimuth to be perfect. Elavation isn't affected by a "levelness" of the base. I screwed a T shaped double bubble level to the top of my base, and use rubber door stops to get it all perfect. The Wixey is great.
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John
Find it: A bunch of atlases
Shoot it: 10"RCOS/AP1200/STL6303E
See it: StarStructure/Zambuto 18/4.3
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Jaxdialation
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/01/07
Posts: 3196
Loc: Northeast, FL
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Seems like it. For those who are very "Short of Pocket", and don't mind a protractor, string and weight dangling off of their scope. Wixey is better answer for me.
Quote:
Not to cross thread, but couldn't one also use a large protractor and soome sort of plumb bob arrangement. Rather low-tech, could work.
--------------------
John
Find it: A bunch of atlases
Shoot it: 10"RCOS/AP1200/STL6303E
See it: StarStructure/Zambuto 18/4.3
|
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