csa/montana
Den Mother
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 39603
Loc: montana
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Quote:
I just downloaded the trial PC version of PocketStars and I can see how neat this thing is. However, I have a problem because the base and rocker box bottom of my homemade Dob are square instead of circular. I would have to make them circular to fit the azimuth ring, I guess, but this is not that difficult to do. Then I would have to get a PDA and the PDA version of PocketStars, so this would end up being much more expensive than $12 for me to do. I still might do it anyways....
The original $12 system works great. I used it for months before I purchased a used Dell Axim. It was inconvenient to run into the house often to get the coordinates from the computer, but it's definitely workable.
It's like everything else, one adds options for convenience. A $300 scope ends up at least double, by the time all the bells & whistles are tacked on 
Carol
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Pentaxes; 5XW, 7XL, 10XW.
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
TV Panoptics; 22, 35
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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kestrel0222
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/21/06
Posts: 2338
Loc: Milford, Michigan
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I also use the Axim with pocket stars. When I first installed the degree circles on my (2) Dob's, I would make a spread sheet with all the objects that I would want to observe that night. I would write in the coordinates for every 15 minutes for each object. That became a real chour after awhile, so I "bit the bullet" and got the Axim. It's was the best move I ever made!!! Having a Palm or pocket PC is a great investment, it has so many other uses.
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Tom
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coopman
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/23/06
Posts: 1539
Loc: South Louisiana
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Are there any programs that offer azimuth & altitude positions for celestial objects (like PocketStars does) but use the Palm OS? Those Dell Axims are expensive!
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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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csa/montana
Den Mother
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 39603
Loc: montana
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I picked my Axim up used on AMart for $100, with a bunch of access. It looked brand new.
Down in the "Astro Software & Computer" forum, click on Software links for programs for Palm
Carol
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Pentaxes; 5XW, 7XL, 10XW.
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
TV Panoptics; 22, 35
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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rnabholz
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 07/25/04
Posts: 897
Loc: Iowa
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Astromist has a version for the Palm - about $30 I think.
If you are interested in a cheaper Pocket PC, The HP Jornada 548 is a very nice unit that I use at the scope. It has a great metal flip cover that makes it perfect for slipping safely into your pocket after consulting it. They regularly sell on EBAY for around $50 or so.
Good Luck
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Rod Nabholz
Home Built Astronomy Projects
Wild Bird Photography
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Gigatron
professor emeritus
Reged: 12/10/05
Posts: 650
Loc: Staten Island, N.Y.
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Quote:
Are there any programs that offer azimuth & altitude positions for celestial objects (like PocketStars does) but use the Palm OS? Those Dell Axims are expensive!
I use AstroMist on a Palm TX. AstroMist has everything you could want and more from an astronomy program. There are some functions you may never ever use.
The Tx is a little more expensive than your run of the mill ebay Palm III, but it's so darn versatile that it make it worthwhile. Not only do I run AM on it, but I also copy movies to the SD card and watch DVD quality movies on my commute to work.
-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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sleepwalker
member
Reged: 04/16/07
Posts: 27
Loc: Australia
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Quote:
Are there any programs that offer azimuth & altitude positions for celestial objects (like PocketStars does) but use the Palm OS? Those Dell Axims are expensive!
I second the call on the Jornadas, they seem to go pretty cheap on Ebay.
Just off the top of my head, there is PalmDSC (free) ,Planetarium and Pleiadatlas - and I'm sure others, for the Palm OS
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Lightbridge
Pentaxes, 13mm Ethos etc
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Sky Captain
Metal Whisperer
Reged: 11/07/04
Posts: 7110
Loc: Issaquah, WA.
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Quote:
I second the call on the Jornadas, they seem to go pretty cheap on Ebay.
Question, are these used or new?
Is there a particular vendor on ebay thats good to buy these from?
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Equipment Overload!
Kerry
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sleepwalker
member
Reged: 04/16/07
Posts: 27
Loc: Australia
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Quote:
Quote:
I second the call on the Jornadas, they seem to go pretty cheap on Ebay.
Question, are these used or new?
Is there a particular vendor on ebay thats good to buy these from?
The Jornadas are older models so they'd all be secondhand I would think. No particular vendor that I know of, I just know they were generally cheaper than other PDAs running Windows Mobile from Australian ebay sellers (where I am) at least, and I was looking to get one until a particularly cheap Ipaq turned up.
Good chance that the secondhand PDAs running rechargeable batteries will require new ones but they are cheap and easily found on ebay too
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Lightbridge
Pentaxes, 13mm Ethos etc
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Terry1229
super member
Reged: 04/16/06
Posts: 144
Loc: North, Idaho
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I see a lot of Axims on Ebay for sale. Pdas also.
Which model would be the best, I see 5 and 3, are their others?
For a rookie like me, what should I be looking for. I don't want to buy one, and have Murphy deliver me something that has the wrong system or wierd software.  
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Terry:
A 6" f8 dob with 14mm Anteres eyepiece
Wixey
Homemade EQ & stepper
QC pro4000
spc900
homemade ele. focuser
New [used] Meade 8" sc ota
New [used]] CG5
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csa/montana
Den Mother
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 39603
Loc: montana
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Terry: the one I picked up is the Axim 5. I'm very happy with it.
Carol
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Pentaxes; 5XW, 7XL, 10XW.
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
TV Panoptics; 22, 35
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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kestrel0222
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/21/06
Posts: 2338
Loc: Milford, Michigan
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Axim 5 would be the better of the two.
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Tom
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coopman
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/23/06
Posts: 1539
Loc: South Louisiana
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I must level my scope for it to work properly with this altitude & azimuth system, correct?
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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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HockeyRulesX4
member
Reged: 01/16/06
Posts: 72
Loc: Batavia, IL
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The closer to level you have your base, the more accurate your push-to will be. See page 11 of this thread about 1/2 way down the page. One poster named Beri gives a good drawing of the problem if you don't level the base.
That being said, perfectly level is not necessary, but you might have to do a little scanning to find the object you're looking for.
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Dave
Zhumell Z10 Dob
Meade 70mm Refractor
Peck Farm Park, Geneva, IL
Edited by HockeyRulesX4 (06/18/07 10:16 PM)
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Jaxdialation
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/01/07
Posts: 2448
Loc: Northeast, FL
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OK, I guess I'm the last one to this party !
I have the setting circle printing work underway at Kinkos and I ordered the Wixey.
Can someone walk me through how the Wixey is used in practice -- kind of step wise, after it is mounted? How exactly do I calibrate and use it? Is calibration needed at each use, etc. Thanks a ton!
Quote:
Here is a new link to a digital inclinometer that our member Doug found & used, when he installed his degree circles system. It is much less expensive than the Sears model:
Wixey digital inclinometer
Thanks all for keeping up all the contributions to this thread!
Carol
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John
Stuff: TSA102 & EM400, RCOS 10RCA, STL- 6303, AP 1200GTO, too much software to list
My Image Gallery
My Weather
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HockeyRulesX4
member
Reged: 01/16/06
Posts: 72
Loc: Batavia, IL
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The Wixey is a calibrate once device. When you get it, put it on a level surface and turn it on. Then press the "Zero" button. If I remember right, the instructions for zeroing are printed on the package, but it really is that simple.
When you go to use it, put it on your tube, turn it on and read the display.
That's as easy as it gets.
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Dave
Zhumell Z10 Dob
Meade 70mm Refractor
Peck Farm Park, Geneva, IL
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justabob
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/05/07
Posts: 1636
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Quote:
OK, I guess I'm the last one to this party !
I have the setting circle printing work underway at Kinkos and I ordered the Wixey.
Can someone walk me through how the Wixey is used in practice -- kind of step wise, after it is mounted? How exactly do I calibrate and use it? Is calibration needed at each use, etc. Thanks a ton!
Quote:
Here is a new link to a digital inclinometer that our member Doug found & used, when he installed his degree circles system. It is much less expensive than the Sears model:
Wixey digital inclinometer
Thanks all for keeping up all the contributions to this thread!
Carol
I carry a small level that I set next to the wixey on the ota. I re-zero it every time I setup. If your base is not spot on level the wixey will be off, especially at zenith. The better you set up the better the system works. I have mine to the point that I can use my 6.7mm meade ultra wide and things are generally in fov.
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http://www.pbase.com/rkn/astro&page=all
Vixen Sphinx SXW
Meade sn6
Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM Lens
Hutech 1000d
Self modded 350d
DSI PRO II
Bob
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justabob
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/05/07
Posts: 1636
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A quick word on the wixey. This past weekend I was in a very high dew situation. There was fog visable. The ota and telrad were constantly getting fogged. After a couple hours the wixey freaked out and the display went crazy. I wiped it off with a towel and took the battery out, then put it back in a few min later and it was fine. The primary on the z10 never fogged though, the fan works well.
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http://www.pbase.com/rkn/astro&page=all
Vixen Sphinx SXW
Meade sn6
Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM Lens
Hutech 1000d
Self modded 350d
DSI PRO II
Bob
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HockeyRulesX4
member
Reged: 01/16/06
Posts: 72
Loc: Batavia, IL
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Hello justabob!
Zero-ing the Wixey for every use seems a bit unnecessary. Leveling the base however, as I said a couple posts up, will affect the accuracy. It's not the Wixey that is "off", it's the base.
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Dave
Zhumell Z10 Dob
Meade 70mm Refractor
Peck Farm Park, Geneva, IL
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rnabholz
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 07/25/04
Posts: 897
Loc: Iowa
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Justabob,
Dave is right, a tilted base using a digital inclinometer will not cause the altitude reading to be off - level is level, 90 degrees is 90 degrees, etc.
You will suffer in azimuth accuracy from a tilted base- and an error in one axis makes things frustrating.
Having said all of that, a few minutes extra for a careful set up and levelling is time you will recover many fold over the course of the evening's observations.
Clear Skies
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Rod Nabholz
Home Built Astronomy Projects
Wild Bird Photography
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