Telescope Reviews: Re: Mallincam+16" F4.5 Lightbridge Dob+BrianReed RTP ?

If the other alignment ideas turn out not to be feasible. ie. if a Tom O stalk is not accurate enough which now that I think of it is a possibility. A Zero mag RDF based alignment can't be as accurate as an alignment with a 9x finderscope. Not for mallincam anyway. Or if compass re-adjustment after a drift align is not accurate/repeatable enough, well......

I have an idea that just might work with a drift align without me having to manhandle the huge weight with the 16" Lightbridge on top. Its not so much the act of drift aligning every session that scares me, its that its next to impossible to finely adjust the rotation or level of the platform with the weight of the 16" Lightbridge on top.

I have two spare motors from my JMI TNT warranty replacement. I could make a flat plywood base with something akin to a Lazy Susan for the platform to sit on.

ie. Flat piece of 3/4" ply with 3 spike feet to dig into the ground. A lazy susan riding on roller bearings on top of that. One motor with a drive wheel to rotate and another motor attached to the RTP groundboard driving a screw to raise and lower the RTP.

ie. Place adjustable lazy susan on ground. Stand on it to drive spikes into ground. Place RTP on top. Do a rough spirit level and compass align of the RTP. Place scope on RTP. Do a drift align. But instead of having to lift the gargantuan weight of the scope to adjust RTP feet or to twist the platform left or right, I just press the motor control buttons to very finely adjust the rotation and level of the platform.

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Keith D.

Knightrider - 16" Meade Lightbridge - See Here
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Stellarvue F80M2 80mm Finder
Dewbuster and DewNot Dew Control
Servocat & SkyCommander
Howie Glatter Holograhic Collimator and Blug
Baader Hyperion 21/32mm,17mm,13mm,8mm,5mm,3.5mm EP

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