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Posts Made By: Bill Byrd

May 11, 2003 03:05 PM Forum: Wildlife Photography

Texas Toad

Posted By Bill Byrd
This guy is one of a couple of toads that hang out in an opening in our brick retaining wall. They are able to squeeze into a pretty small space when they are frightened. Otherwise, they hang out and wait for "dinner" to come by. Note friend Sluggo at upper right. No, Sluggo does not become dinner, as far as I can tell. Maybe slugs taste bad to frogs.
Bill in SA

May 20, 2003 09:48 PM Forum: Wildlife Photography

Hibiscus

Posted By Bill Byrd
Not too wild but kinda pretty. Needs a spider in it to make it complete. Sorry if this is too large but it looks so good at this size.
Bill in SA

May 24, 2003 09:12 PM Forum: Wildlife Photography

Texas Toad

Posted By Bill Byrd
Here's another shot of one of our toads. He was out this am when I went to get the paper. This guy and his friends hang out in a brick wall by our front door. One of the bricks has been partially broken off and they squeeze inside. They take turns poking their heads out to nab bugs that get too close.
Bill in SA

June 10, 2003 04:10 AM Forum: Wildlife Photography

Night Lizard

Posted By Bill Byrd
Some kind of gecko? Pretty common here in S TX, USA.
Bill in SA

August 16, 2003 03:08 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

R200SS Rear End

Posted By Bill Byrd
Anyone have a pic of the back end? I'm curious what it's like.
Bill in SA

August 19, 2003 01:18 AM Forum: Telescope Making

Two Piece Truss Tubes

Posted By Bill Byrd
I'm doing an 8" "travel scope" and thought it might be good to have the poles telescope or separate into 2 pieces. After pricing monopods for telescoping poles, I decided to try 2 piece tubes using some cutoffs I had laying around from a previous scope project. The picture should tell the story for the most part. The side with the bolt has 2 tube inserts and a washer that all help to keep the bolt fairly straight in the tube. The larger fender washer is used in between the tubes when assembling to give the tube ends something to rest flat against. My total lengths are only going to be about 30" so I think this will work. Assembled and tightened, the 4' test poles (2' on either side of the joint) are pretty solid. At 30", there should be very little flex. I hope. Anyone else using something like this?
Bill in SA

August 30, 2003 10:29 PM Forum: Insects - Flowers and Other Small Stuff - Photos

Orange Butterfly

Posted By Bill Byrd
This morning I noticed a couple of these guys doing aerial acrobatics and chasing each other around some Lantana flowers. They would swoop and tangle and then land and feed. They'd go back to fighting for a minute or two and then drop down and feed some more. This shot is more luck than any skill on the part of the photographer. I'm in S TX...anyone know this species? Just curious.
Bill in SA

September 6, 2003 01:27 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

Orion/Vixen R200SS

Posted By Bill Byrd

I just received one of these (Thanks Paul!).

1st impressions:

Very compact for an 8" scope- 9&1/8" Dia X 27&3/8" long

Very little clearance between mirror and tube

Solidly built- Metal tube

HUGE secondary- Expected

Thick spider vanes- To support the HUGE secondary

Definitely a specialty scope- Not for everyone

Fairly light weight- Thin primary? GM-8 should hold the
OTA with no problem

Focuser seems okay- A Feathertouch or DX-1 would be a
nice upgrade

Mirror end of tube completely closed- I'm a fan (pun
intended) of active cooling/boundary layer elimination;
don't know if there will be an acceptable way to do
that with this OTA

Spider/secondary very close to open front end of OTA-
Some sort of dew/light shield will be needed

Tiny finder- Bigger finder will be used

The OTA is just so darned CUTE!

1st light report when the rain stops.
Bill in SA




September 6, 2003 06:07 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Re: My grab & go scope

Posted By Bill Byrd
Ah...They just don't make them like they used to! And there's a reason why!!
Bill in SA

November 2, 2003 04:49 AM Forum: Telescope Making

Rotating Rings?

Posted By Bill Byrd
Anyone ever make rotating rings for a scope? Any resources on the web?
Bill in SA

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