
Criterion RV-6 Dynascope
#1
Posted 14 May 2003 - 05:59 AM
Jim Phillips
#2
Guest_**DONOTDELETE**_*
Posted 30 June 2003 - 02:00 PM
Jim,
Are you familiar with the Dynascope Group website at
http://home.wmis.net/~rv6 ?
My RV-8 performs very well but I have to admit I think the Dynascope is sometimes rated so highly by some for more sentimental reasons. And I'd be really surpised if my RV-8 could match an 8-inch Zambuto photon-for-photon. But, maybe? :^)
Les
#3
Posted 30 June 2003 - 03:59 PM
I knew such a thing existed but I was not sure where to find it. Thanks very much. I have some drawings of the moon and Jupiter I made with my RV-6. I don't think it's just nostalgia, although I'm sure Nostalgia is

JimP
#4
Guest_**DONOTDELETE**_*
Posted 01 July 2003 - 01:31 PM
I have always been impressed by the optics in my RV-6 as well. I think that much of the consistent quality of these telescopes stems from the focal ratio since it is much easier to figure an F8 mirror than it is to figure a faster, say F5 mirror. Also, it is much easier to collimate an F8 scope accurately than an F5 scope. I'll pit my RV-6 against a slightly out of collimation F5 scope with a high zoot mirror any day of the week :-)
Joplin in Greenville
#5
Posted 14 July 2003 - 01:04 PM
I'm not sure how such a comparison could be done fairly considering that Carl makes primarily fast mirrors and ones much larger than 6". Used 7" Oak Classic Starmasters easily fetch twice their original price if that's any indication.
The Dynascopes that I've had a chance to use have performed very well. All the telescopes that I've used with Zambuto mirrors have performed as well as can be expected from fast Newtonians.
Dave Mitsky
#6
Posted 05 October 2003 - 02:23 PM
#7
Guest_**DONOTDELETE**_*
Posted 21 December 2003 - 11:09 AM
into astronomy. Plus I lived in an apartment. I sold it
soon to get a 2" Unitron. The RV-6 was just too heavy to carry up apartment stairs. Yet what views! The Double Cluster, the planets, and the moon! A good 6" reflector is a solid performer at r/8.
Carl Armstrong
12.5" dob
4" vixen/celestron refractor
90mm ETX
#8
Posted 06 August 2004 - 06:34 PM
#9
Posted 07 August 2004 - 08:45 PM
#10
Posted 26 December 2004 - 07:29 PM
___________
Mark
12" GSO scope
7x50 RUSSIAN BINOCS
#11
Posted 28 December 2004 - 03:28 AM

#12
Posted 30 December 2004 - 10:22 PM
How do you tell how old one of these things might be? Mine has almost no markings. On the focuser is CRITERION U-7, on the back of the mirror is 50" and on the tube someone wrote with a black marker P4-01027. The first two I understand anyone know the meaning of the last?
The mirror had a THICK layer of dust on it when I got it so even tho this may not have been "first light" I'm sure it was the first light this thing has seen in a long long time. It wont be the last and I guess thats what these old telescopes are all about.
Allons, Randy
#13
Posted 31 December 2004 - 01:08 AM
http://home.wmis.net/~rv6/
and by comparing it with RV6 serials, by email, of the members there, you can probably come up with a pretty close date. This should work on the RV6 until BL started to manufacture them. After that I haven't a clue. Good luck.
FAB
#14
Posted 23 February 2009 - 12:51 PM
It does have a RA drive with a synchronous motor powered by 60 Hz AC. That's a bit difficult to get into the field, although I found the old Heathkit inverter worked okay. I suspect the more modern inverters from Wal-Mart would drive it adequately.
No Dec motion control. You just had to nudge the tube.
The friction clutch was problematic at one point. I replaced the cork with new cork and it operated smoothly for many years.
#15
Posted 23 February 2009 - 02:54 PM

#16
Posted 23 February 2009 - 05:57 PM
Cheers, Bill
#17
Posted 23 February 2009 - 06:19 PM
Chas
#18
Posted 26 February 2009 - 07:26 PM
I remember the adds when I first became interested in astronomy 1967-69. 50 cents a week allowance and mowing lawns was not going to make me a owner of one so I am thankful there was Edmund Scientific to buy pieces for ATM.
This scope is all disassembled so I need to do a little restoration and put it back together.
Robert
#19
Posted 26 February 2009 - 07:40 PM
You were under paid. In 1960 I was making $1 a day delivering papers and $3 or $4 a week cutting grass. I paid cash for the scope after months of saving and I still have it and find it very worthy for observations today. Maybe my best ever investment. Cheers, Bill
#20
Posted 26 February 2009 - 09:21 PM
Bill
#21
Posted 02 March 2009 - 09:21 PM
#22
Posted 05 March 2009 - 02:47 AM