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Posts Made By: Tom Mengel

July 7, 2003 10:21 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Feeling and the dark

Posted By Tom Mengel
I don't really know if this is an "equipment" issue but here is a link to a article about being active in the dark improving one's touch sensitivity...

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=571&ncid=751&e=1&u=/nm/20030707/hl_nm/dark_touch_dc

Maybe a little "ammunition" for when the spose give you the "what good is being out there in the dark at night" line %;-)

TM

July 18, 2003 08:57 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Stellarvue Silver/OC Diagonal

Posted By Tom Mengel
Being frugal (yeah - as in, like CHEAP!) I saw the Stellarvue 1 1/4" Enhanced Mirror Star Diagonal (#D1028) for 50 dollars. It's supposedly a 98% reflective silvered mirror with some kind of over coat to keep the surface from oxidizing.

Since silver is quite notorious for needing polishing when exposed to air (particularly polluted air) how does this diagonal stand up? Anyone have one?

If it stood up OK it seems to be a good deal, and Stellarvue is a good name, but I've never seen it mentioned here on AM.

TM

July 18, 2003 09:17 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Re: A Good Deal?

Posted By Tom Mengel
Yeah - "Mom" is getting a bit pushy huh? Sounds a bit like Son may be testing to see how far the hook is set.

If I were you I'd offer to come meet this guy (maybe half way if he's up to it) and see it ASAP with a "friend who is a scope maker and professional optician of over 20 years" who will star test it right there and then. If it's truly a great TAK you give him the cash on the barrel for a really sweet deal, if not you walk. Either Mom gets her money ASAP and you get the scope with a smile on your face or your out gas/airfare money to go see it.

I bet he hedges. "Ahhh, Mom is sick and I gotta take care of her"). If not it may be worth the price (airfare or gas) just to bring it back yourself and not let the "Big Brown UPS Gorilla" (or whoever) get at it.

I know this can't be easy - hell if it were me I'd go nuts on the chance to own a TAK. But this is getting a bit fishy…

TM

July 25, 2003 08:31 PM Forum: Off Topic Discussions

cataracts operation and dark seeing

Posted By Tom Mengel
There has been tons of info. on LASIK surgery but not a lot on old fashioned cataracts. Has anyone had a cataracts operation and seen problems after the fact? Any suggestions on how to proceed?

Thanks!

August 8, 2003 04:01 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

"SOLD" ads with no original

Posted By Tom Mengel
This is a minor nit but - what about the folks who sell thing somewhere else and then put "Sale Pending" or "Sold" entries in the ads here?

I've found quite a few ads that looked like there were "doctored up" to seem to be modified original ads but there is no original ad to be seen, plus I check here often and don't remember ever seeing the original posting. Are these folks trying to gain bragging rights or what?

I'm not saying posting a "Thanks" or even a "Sold"/"Sale Pending" for a sale here on AM is bad, but If ya wanna sell off of AM, keep it OFF of AM!

TM

August 20, 2003 06:33 PM Forum: A Day in the Life of the Administrator

Mr. Warp????

Posted By Tom Mengel
Herb,

Who is this "Mr. Warp"?? Is he really trying to do a DOS job on you and AM?

If so there are some Federal agencies that may be able to help out ... last time I looked "extortion" was still considered a crime and I'm assuming this crosses state lines.

TM

September 23, 2003 05:44 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Hocky Puck sandwitch GEM mount weights

Posted By Tom Mengel
Just an idea (or maybe as a potential web business).

If Hockey Pucks do well for vibration damping why not make a free-weight/puck "sandwitch" to go over the dec. axis shaft and act as the counter weight on a HD GEM? In effect suspend the free weight from touching the dec. shaft with 2 pucks on either side? There would have to be a long "shaft collar" that would go tightly through the center of each puck and the free weight would need to have clearance from the dec. shaft (no direct touching) and be attached to the pucks.

This would create a relatively "dead" (vibration wise) weight that could absorb vibrations from the rest of the mount. If two smaller weights were used on the GEM's dec. shaft you may even be able to "tune out" resonate vibrations from the rest of the mount by moving them into different positions while the total combination still balanced on the RA shaft.

Comments?

TM

November 7, 2003 04:18 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Moon-beams from above ...

Posted By Tom Mengel
And you thought the WTC memorial and porch lights were bad... (!!!)

Check out this little doggy stinker about beaming solar power from the moon via. LIGHT beams ...

See : http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=10926

Quote (in part):

Each
terrestrial receiver can accept power directly from the Moon or indirectly, via relay
satellites, when the receiver cannot view the Moon. The intensity of each power beam is
restricted to 20%, or less, of the intensity of noontime sunlight. Each power beam can
be safely received, for example, in an industrially zoned area.

End-quote:

Dark skies will be but a (faded) memory (or only for those well heeled enought to get a space bound vacation). Not to mention the havok to nocternal wildlife.

Write your congressperson now!

TM

April 8, 2004 04:48 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Need 102mm to 120 mm refractor tube diameters

Posted By Tom Mengel
Hi all!

I'm making a really HD Az/El mount for my ST-80 (for now) and want to be able to move up to a bigger refrator later by adjusting some dec. cradle shoes so that any of these scopes will work. What I'm needing is the exact *OTA* outside tube diameter (not the objective or dew shield) so I can design the dec. cradle shoes to accept those OTAs. What I'd like is the specs. on the small Clesetron, Meade, and Synta 100/102/120mm class OTAs to cover any future bets for a new tube for the mount. (I've already tried to go to the appropriate web sites but no luck ...)

Thanks in advance for any info. you can send to me!

TM

July 22, 2004 06:46 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

My dream scope ...

Posted By Tom Mengel
There is a 12.5 inch F4.8 Porta Ball on the classifieds. As near a perfect as possible Zambino mirror. $2700 (and If I had it it would be GONE, wifely complains or no!)

Alas, don't got it .... cwy

TM


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