csa/montana
Wild Spirit
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40118
Loc: montana
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I just cut the scale out, & adhered it around the edge of the base.
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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DaveDog
sage
Reged: 06/15/07
Posts: 413
Loc: near Blue Ridge Mts, VA
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Finally got my AZ circle printed and installed on the Z10. Now to try it. I got a 22" circle printed at a local shop for $7, cut it out like a large flat donut, and installed it on the base with 4 plastic spacers so I could rotate the AZ marks to any place I want. Cut out a slice from the top base. I was thinking about using a red LED and a piece of wire to cast a shadow on the AZ markings, but I notice I can just use the edge of the cutout. I will try that for now. It seems to work just fine, I use my finger to rotate the AZ where I want it. It stays there because this scope has the lazy susan type az, and there it plenty of space. Now for the trials.
Dave
Z10 some mods.
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Tom Andrews
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/25/07
Posts: 1003
Loc: Homebase - Albuquerque, NM, cu...
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Right on Dave, let us know how it works for you. You should be amazed at the objects you'll beable to log.
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Tom
The 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.
************************************************
2007 Discovery 12.5" PDHQ Split-Tube Dob w/manual setting circles/Telrad/Zhummel 8x50 RACI finder scope (*For Sale*)
Coulter Odessey 8" Dob
Celestron C11-SGT
Garrett Optical 15x70 Gemini Binoculars on homemade Parallelogram w/Setting Circles
The Albuquerque Astronomy Society (TAAS)
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csa/montana
Wild Spirit
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40118
Loc: montana
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Dave, nice job!  Be sure to let us know how it works for you.
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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DaveDog
sage
Reged: 06/15/07
Posts: 413
Loc: near Blue Ridge Mts, VA
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Yeah, it may be a while, the clouds have moved in again since I got it done. Typical!!
Dave
Z10
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Sky Captain
Metal Whisperer
Reged: 11/07/04
Posts: 7177
Loc: Issaquah, WA.
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Finally got my Wixey digital inclinometer a few weeks ago. Much better than the dial\CW version I was using...it bounced to much and was thus slow to use.
First light was a hole in the clouds a few days ago. I aligned on Altair and then went for the Ring (M57) and there it was! The Ring is tough, given the high light pollution in our condo. complex not to mention the rediculous growing LP in the Seattle area.
Using the Lightbridge on my deck is not the best place for it since the deck is only 5 ft. wide...can't see much at all but between 90 and 70 degrees, because the scope will hit the railing.
But overall the setting circles and the Wixey are a GREAT combo and highly recommended. I have been using the laptop so far for the readings to find DSO's, but it looks like I will pick up some kind of Palm-ect for a more portable and quicker way to get the coordinates.
I do have a question though  ...
I have just started on my all aluminum tracking platform and was wondering if the scope has to start at "level" position every time I find a DSO or other object. Or will it be OK if I find my first alignment object and it will be OK all night, despite the movement and resetting of the platform through out the night.
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Equipment Overload!
Kerry
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rnabholz
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 07/25/04
Posts: 897
Loc: Iowa
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Quote:
I do have a question though ...
I have just started on my all aluminum tracking platform and was wondering if the scope has to start at "level" position every time I find a DSO or other object. Or will it be OK if I find my first alignment object and it will be OK all night, despite the movement and resetting of the platform through out the night.
My experience using a EQ platform and this system is that the scope must be returned to level to accurately acquire the next object.
With the platform tilted, the error is smallest when the object sought is on or close to the North/South line or the East/West line, and increases as you move to the center points between these lines and decreases as you move away from the center point towards these lines.
That issue was a contributing factor in my move away from a platform to a Dob Driver system.
Good Luck,
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Rod Nabholz
Home Built Astronomy Projects
Wild Bird Photography
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Sky Captain
Metal Whisperer
Reged: 11/07/04
Posts: 7177
Loc: Issaquah, WA.
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Quote:
That issue was a contributing factor in my move away from a platform to a Dob Driver system.
Good Luck,
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Rod Nabholz
Quote:
a Dob Driver system.
Hmmm, where would I find one of those or a link?
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Equipment Overload!
Kerry
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rnabholz
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 07/25/04
Posts: 897
Loc: Iowa
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Here you go:
http://homepages.accnorwalk.com/tddi/tech2000/page3.html
http://webpages.charter.net/jparticle/rasddr2.htm
http://telescopereviews.com/documents/dobdriver.pdf
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Rod Nabholz
Home Built Astronomy Projects
Wild Bird Photography
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Michael Miles
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/11/05
Posts: 677
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Hi folks:
I just stumbled onto this thread, and I love it! I've done my own setup of an azimuth circle for my Orion Teletrack mount here:
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Board/lxd55/Number/1763566/page/4/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/2
I also use Astromist (love it 2!).
Glad I'm not the only one,
Michael
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LXD-75 w/
Stellarvue 102ED
Hardin 10" Newt
Antares 8" Newt
Meade AR-5
Meade N-6
Celestron 102mm refractor
Canon 300D, Meade DSI guiding
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Cantankerously
sage
Reged: 09/17/07
Posts: 234
Loc: Midwest
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Thanks soo much! I was looking for the circle with both sets of #'s
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Home
Braidwood
10" GSO dob, 4.5" Celestron newt, 60mm Monolux refractor
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DaveDog
sage
Reged: 06/15/07
Posts: 413
Loc: near Blue Ridge Mts, VA
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I have a laminated 22 3/4" circle that someone can have for the price of the shipping and the shipping tube.
Dave
Z10
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Sky Captain
Metal Whisperer
Reged: 11/07/04
Posts: 7177
Loc: Issaquah, WA.
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Quote:
I have a laminated 22 3/4" circle that someone can have for the price of the shipping and the shipping tube.
Dave
Z10
Dave, you might want to post this in the swap&shop section instead. 
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Equipment Overload!
Kerry
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DaveDog
sage
Reged: 06/15/07
Posts: 413
Loc: near Blue Ridge Mts, VA
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OK, will do.
Thanks,
Dave
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Astraforce Paul
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/05/05
Posts: 1875
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Is this doable?
Perhaps even just the inclinometer?
The 'Scan is a little red ball that rotates every which way-- think 4" Portaball!
So the inclinometer might end up at an angle to the vertical.
Also unsure how one would do the degree circles, but I figure if anyone can figure out how to do either or both, the crowd here could!
Here's a picture and review of the Astroscan.
http://www.dansdata.com/astroscan.htm
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Sky Captain
Metal Whisperer
Reged: 11/07/04
Posts: 7177
Loc: Issaquah, WA.
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Quote:
Is this doable?
Perhaps even just the inclinometer?
That sure would be a tough one Paul. Both inclinometers I have need a steel base because they have magnets to make them "stick". I know the Astroscan has a plastic body. Since the Astroscan only uses ONE axis, it probably won't be possible. The setting circles need 2 seperate axis to work, the alt & az.
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Equipment Overload!
Kerry
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DarrylS
sage
Reged: 09/02/07
Posts: 214
Loc: Ottawa, Canada
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Hi folks,
For the Canucks in the crowd, Canadian Tire has a digital torpedo level on sale that looks like it would work quite well -- regular $60, on sale for $36. It is accurate to 0.1 or 0.2 degrees, and has a magnetic base. Search for digital torpedo level, or look at page 18 of the on-line flyer.
Darryl
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Sky Captain
Metal Whisperer
Reged: 11/07/04
Posts: 7177
Loc: Issaquah, WA.
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Here is a little viewing update concerning the new setting circles I installed a while back.
A few nights back it was pretty clear and I'm getting all my "goto's" right on the money. I new it was going to be rain free that night and was to tired to bring it in. This worked out very well as when I went to bring it in, I got the idea that I would try for some day time star viewing. Since the scope was left as is over night and still aligned, I tried for an easy one-Venus. No problem at all, put it in the FOV of the 24mm Hyperion. I then tried for Regulus, but it was just not bright enough.
I then consulted the star program and found that Arcturus might be a good one. It sure was, right in the FOV.
That brings my daytime viewing list to 6 objects...Sun, Moon, Comet, Venus, Mercury, and Arcturus.
When the Sun makes an apperance again, I'll use the setting circles on the dob to try for more daytime stars.
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the trusses were open, I didn't have the shroud on! Might have had a better time at finding other "fainter" day time stars with it on.
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Equipment Overload!
Kerry
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csa/montana
Wild Spirit
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40118
Loc: montana
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Kerry: Great idea! So glad the Degree Circles are working in daytime, as well as night!
Thanks for letting us know!
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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Sky Captain
Metal Whisperer
Reged: 11/07/04
Posts: 7177
Loc: Issaquah, WA.
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Quote:
Kerry: Great idea! So glad the Degree Circles are working in daytime, as well as night!
Thanks for letting us know!
Carol
Thanks Carol, I was pretty excited that it worked so well. I have been wanting to find some day time stars for quite a while, just never got around to it...till now. Using the setting circles was just as easy as the the night time use, well maybe a little easier. 
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Equipment Overload!
Kerry
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