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Oh well, thanks for checking Carol! I would be honored for you to use a HALO in your observatory simply because your mega-thread has inspired so many members to embrace setting circles.

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David, thank you! I haven't given up; still tossing some ideas around; as I would love to have a Halo residing in my observatory.

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Well, just let me know if you come up with a workable idea.

David Giles
Opticsmart.com

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David, I surely will; and will keep following the threads, to get more ideas!

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I would make it minus the levelers, I have them on the transporter. Use rubber feet in the original location as the factory ground board. I see it being an inch or so larger in radius to accommodate the azimuth ring. Would be simple to make that way. many observe on level areas like concrete or from observatories or use a transporter with levelers like mine has.

The feet just sit inboard of the aluminum rails, I mounted rubber bumpers on top to center the base on the aluminum. I will go out and try to grab a couple pics.

Bumper that centers the base

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I will measure my old Hardin 8" base to see if it will fit.

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Is it really important to also purchase the digital angle gauge and if so I need a link as to which and where to purchase this device.

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Good Idea Gastrol, I could make a new larger ground board for my scope myself if I have the degree circles.

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I personally would prefer the ground board to be no larger (except for protrusions for feet levelers) than the rocker base board and make a cutout instead to keep the base from being unnecessarily large.

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I would purchase plain, seamless, laminated degree circles with large numbers (for my old eyes), or even printed on thin gauge material like aluminum which can be contact cemented to the ground board (or adhesive backed) for DIY projects if they were made available.

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Good Idea Gastrol, I could make a new larger ground board for my scope myself if I have the degree circles.

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I personally would prefer the ground board to be no larger (except for protrusions for feet levelers) than the rocker base board and make a cutout instead to keep the base from being unnecessarily large.

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That's the tough part about marketing any product - satisfying all the different needs and preferences out there.

If we do produce a groundboard-replacement style HALO, and we make it LARGER in diameter than the rocker base board (like the current HALO), then obviously the Dob base would be more difficult to get through doorways and into your vehicle (which isn't a problem for the current HALO because it isn't permanently attached to the Dob base). For some people I think that a permanently larger-diameter base would be a serious deal-breaker, while it probably wouldn't be a problem at all for others.

But if we produce a groundboard-replacement style HALO that has the SAME diameter as the rocker base board, then obviously customers would have to cut into their rocker boards to be able to see the setting circle that would otherwise be hidden under the the rocker base board, and I think that would be a serious deal-breaker for a lot of people. I guess we could offer both, but that would mean two SKUs for each size Dob (above and beyond the current detachable HALOs, which already require two SKUs for each GSO Dob because of the different base diameters). And I suspect that the sales for each individual SKU would be pretty small, so I'm not sure if that would be a workable plan.

David Giles
Opticsmart.com

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What if the scale was placed on the outside edge (vertically) of the base like a ribbon; not unlike what you see on GEMs?

It could even get real cute where this ribbon is a vertical rib that is transparent and the needle is attached to the moveable base and swings behind it. Add a little red light to back light the needle and its' shadow appears on the scale.

Does not solve the SKU proliferation problem but hey, we're brain storming here.

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I LOVE brainstorming! And that sounds like a VERY cool idea!

But if its a vertical transparent rib that the pointer would travel behind, then it would pretty much have to be made of plastic (which probably means an expensive mold for each separate Dob base). And the groundboards on Dob bases tend to take a pretty good beating (bumping into doorways, getting kicked, etc) so I'm not sure how well a thin, transparent piece of plastic would hold up as the "bumper" on your groundboard (instead of the standard rubber bumper which can take the beatings).

But I can visualize what you're talking about Ron and it would certainly be a very slick, high-tech-looking design! Makes me want one!

David Giles
Opticsmart.com

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What if the scale was placed on the outside edge (vertically) of the base like a ribbon; not unlike what you see on GEMs?

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I would purchase plain, seamless, laminated degree circles with large numbers (for my old eyes), or even printed on thin gauge material like aluminum which can be contact cemented to the ground board (or adhesive backed) for DIY projects if they were made available.

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Good Idea Gastrol, I could make a new larger ground board for my scope myself if I have the degree circles.

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Thanks for the ideas Gastrol and Mary! That is definitely something we have considered and may offer in the future.

David Giles
Opticsmart.com

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In fact, on second thought, instead of stocking several different pre-cut diameters perhaps you can produce say a single 36" diameter sheet with a dozen or so setting circles in successive smaller diameters printed on it. The DIY'er can then cut out whatever size needed for the project and slap it right on the groundboard.

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It actually worked quite well but I did not like squatting each time to see the degree marks. So that lasted just a couple of sessions out in the field

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This would be a disadvantage for many! It's much more convenient to simply look down at the base, to see the degree circle, rather than having to squat down (with me, would be more like laying down, with the base so close to the ground), in order to see it.

The degree circle on the top base, with the pointer on the lower base, works very well. That's why I'm still not ruling out a Halo for my 16"; as it's the same idea, only much more updated. I'm even considering having someone cut out the inner circle that holds the base, & just having the Halo encircle the base, not supporting the dob. This way it could be moved to incorporate "North", at will. This is just one of the ideas I'm considering, since I really don't need the leveling feet for the dob, when it's permanently in place, already level.

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The degree circle on the top base, with the pointer on the lower base, works very well.

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That requires the degree circle to be printed counter-clockwise which I'm sure works equally as well.

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