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marxy
professor emeritus
Reged: 09/02/06
Posts: 629
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OK - I just got me one of the lidl meters.
It's works great!
I just want to ask what is the best way to mount it to my scope? It's a skywatcher 8".
I want to make usre that when it's set on it, it is reading correctly, otherwise all my readings will be a degree or 2 off.
Thanks
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Jay
All that's needed is some clear skies!
Sorry for my english, I'm learning 
Edited by marxy (01/11/07 05:17 PM)
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csa/montana
Den Mother
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 39594
Loc: montana
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Spudrick: Beautiful job! That's really a nice looking base.
Thanks for letting us know how it turned out for you, it is much appreciated!
You will really enjoy this system. Fitting the digital inclinometer on a dovetail is a great idea, not to mention the bubble level inserted into the base.
Very well done!
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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csa/montana
Den Mother
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 39594
Loc: montana
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Doesn't the Lidl meter have a magnetic base? If not, at a craft store they sell packages of magnet sheets, that can be cut easily with sissors. You could glue a strip of this to the bottom, & then it will stay on the tube. It really doesn't matter where you mount it, I have mine about midway on the top of the tube (when horizontal).
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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drzeus
member
Reged: 01/11/05
Posts: 84
Loc: Athens, Greece
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My Lidl meter safely released and not so safely attached to tube with double-sided sticky tape (aka ord tape folded back on itself!)- nope doesn't have magnetic strip (and I have not found my magnets or my velcro!).
I just eye-aligned up on the tube. accuracy appears to be .2-.4 degrees of where it should be but this is still only by rough comparison with the altitude data on my Palm software (which may need long/lat tweaking). Doing a full turn on the base will let you know if anything is out of alignment because theoretically if all is levelled correctly you should get the same reading all round a full rotation. Found I don't need to use its blue backlight anyway because our streetlights are so bright (even on 3rd floor) I can pretty well read the digits straight off! (Time to purchase an air-rife to shoot said lamps off!)[Does that trick i read about of shining bright torch on sensor actually work?]
This is a brill thread - thanks to all out there for helping us all get going on this!
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Higher always be your dreams and desire, to which you aspire,
Higher always, higher always.
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csa/montana
Den Mother
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 39594
Loc: montana
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Definitely make sure your Palm is setup with the correct information; otherwise you will always be off in locating objects.
If your viewing area is that bright, I would suggest you put up something to block the stray light, otherwise your viewing will suffer greatly. There are many ways to block light. light block screens
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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spudrick
member
Reged: 10/22/06
Posts: 20
Loc: Melton, Victoria, Australia
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Hello Just to show the Inclinometer fitted to the finderscope dovetail and the bubble level inserted into the base board. I also have a 10" Dob i am seriously thinking about making a new plywood base for it as well it was fun making this one 
Terry
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Terry
I come from the Land Downunder.....
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csa/montana
Den Mother
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 39594
Loc: montana
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Terry: You did a great job mounting the inclinometer! Your base is as professional looking as anything I've seen! It's absolutely beautiful! 
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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Terry,
Nice job!!!!!!!! 
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Tom
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GordonCopestake
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/02/06
Posts: 2714
Loc: Newcastle-under-Lyme, UK
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Great setup Terry, I like the idea of using the inclinometer on the finder dovetail!
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http://www.wareforge.com
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drzeus
member
Reged: 01/11/05
Posts: 84
Loc: Athens, Greece
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Carol thanks for the screen link - I have seen various ones about here but not that one. It is rather tricky because I am balcony based and that restricts my viewing angles already, but I do tend to use my rotary airer and a sheet to screen the lamps from up the road! (I won't attach any pics!  ) But it is slowly getting worse - thank heavens Christmas is over and all the festive lights have gone at least (and I no longer have to listen to the constant repetitive jingly music they play either!). The sour cherry on the cake came when the local council came to fix one lamp and it now shines seemingly straight at my balcony which it never used to  . So now I have no vision towards NNW-NNE. My view to NNE-SSE is totally blocked by our building and McNaught has been currently sat behind a tree in the evenings! Oh the astronmer's woes!
We are planning to move house but I have a tough time convincing hubby to include the criterion for telescope use in the house hunting!
Terry the meter looks excellent placed there and neat idea with the level - I must do something like that.
Keep all the great ideas coming folks - how much better can it get?!
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Higher always be your dreams and desire, to which you aspire,
Higher always, higher always.
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csa/montana
Den Mother
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 39594
Loc: montana
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Is there a chance of contacting the utility company & asking them to put a shield on the light, blinding your balcony? About the worse that can happen, is for them to say no. It's definitely worth a try!
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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Hey Carol,
I think that very subject came up in another thread a while ago and someone said that they actually did ask the electric company, and they did put up a shield.
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Tom
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csa/montana
Den Mother
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 39594
Loc: montana
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Yes Tom, someone did have luck, & a shield was placed on the offending light. As I said, it sure doesn't hurt to ask Nicely!
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 think the final (I know, never say final) upgrade for my scope will be digital inclinometer. I have been putting it off because of the price (nearly $100), but I think it will be a good investment in the long run.
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Tom
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csa/montana
Den Mother
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 39594
Loc: montana
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Tom: I know, that's really steep, (I don't have one!); maybe advertise for one?
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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GordonCopestake
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/02/06
Posts: 2714
Loc: Newcastle-under-Lyme, UK
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Have a look on ebay, here in the UK they go for £30 ($60) I would have thought there would be something similar for cheaper than $100 available
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http://www.wareforge.com
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csa/montana
Den Mother
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 39594
Loc: montana
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Thank you! That will give Tom a start; I haven't seen any other digitals than the $100.
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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drzeus
member
Reged: 01/11/05
Posts: 84
Loc: Athens, Greece
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Carol and Tom I will give them a ring and see. I have to say I don't hold out much hope tho - this is Greece, and while it is my permanent home, these sort of things are a bit laughable. Unless of course I happen across a fellow star fan perhaps. But I will try, nothing ventured, nothing gained!
Also, can I ask a really dumb question?
viz the degree circle printout. Terry I see you took a piecemeal approach to printing - was that using the startrack program on hre? I have hunted about for a printers nearby to printout the pdf, but have had no luck tho a local place offeredto laminate my A4 printouts patched together. I can do the printout myself I reckon. My printer prints very crisply and it should be straightforward to do. But can someone explain how? From Adobe I can't get it to print anything other than odd sections. My printer will do poster print (ie multiple stick together pages) banners, reductions, enlargments etc but I can't figure out how to get this printed out. I have Photoshop and other software.
Also Carol (and others) I see your circles are under the tube support side panels, as opposed to being on the ground board. Was it easy to keep the circle well in place when the panels got screwed back in place? (with my electric screwdriver Santa brought me that should be easier than when I put it together!). Any tips gratefully accepted!
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Higher always be your dreams and desire, to which you aspire,
Higher always, higher always.
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csa/montana
Den Mother
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 39594
Loc: montana
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Also Carol (and others) I see your circles are under the tube support side panels, as opposed to being on the ground board. Was it easy to keep the circle well in place when the panels got screwed back in place? (with my electric screwdriver Santa brought me that should be easier than when I put it together!). Any tips gratefully accepted (Quote)
My degree circle slid right under the ground board, I didn't have to loosen it al all. I will get ahold of another member to walk you thru the printing of the pdf file. He should pop on soon. Thanks for being so patient!
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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drzeus
member
Reged: 01/11/05
Posts: 84
Loc: Athens, Greece
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OK now I am confused  (doesn't take much!)
Carol, you mean that your degree circles weren't actually full printed circles, just the outer inch or so with the scale on? Was that one complete piece itself? Sorry if that sounds dumb, I am just trying to visualise it all - I had the impression it was one whole circle stuck to one whole circular base. I guess it is pretty easy to make sure it is properly aligned all the way round? I am just thinking of ways error can creep in here - but as long as you follow the base perimeter everything should be aligned as well as that itself is.
I can just picture the faces when I go to get something like that laminated! Well, being a foreigner here I can get away with seeming eccentric. My neighbours have at least stopped peering at me suspiciously whenever I am out on the balcony with binocs or scope! I shall look even more daft when I try to see McNaught after midday today
Thanks for the quick response.
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Higher always be your dreams and desire, to which you aspire,
Higher always, higher always.
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