Posts Made By: Gerald Dunn

William Wrote "The reasoning given was that I needed bigger aperture than 9.25" to support higher magnification to combat light pollution for observing DSO.

Perhaps this forum has a different opinion?"

William- Aperture wins every time. Now using it to combat light pollution is an interesting view point. If the optics are equal in quality then "they" are correct. Now, I once owned a C-11, and my gosh did it have nice views. A strange thing happened, I brought it out about a dozens in the first three months, but after the excitement of a new scope wore off it only came out a dozen times in nine months.

Then I decided I needed a second scope to be more portable and cool faster than my C-11. So I bought a TV 101, didn’t like it. Then I bought a TAK 102,loved it but wanted more aperture. The Celestron 6” refractor seemed in order. Nice scope, but way too much purple. That steered me to the AP F/6 5”. What a great scope. Mars was out then and I loved the views it put up of the red planet.

I decided, after many more trips out into the back yard with the AP than with the C-11 that it was time for the C-11 to go. And so I sold it. Spent the rest of the summer with just one scope and thought I would never need another scope.

Well I went to a star party and started looking through the larger scopes and I was getting aperture fever all over again. Decided a C-8 would do the trick (when I started in the hobby some years before, this was my first scope). I got a great sample from a nice guy in North Carolina off of Astro-mart.

I told my wife I had two scopes that served different purposes and I would never need to get another one. I was set. That was until one night I decided to do a shot out with the two scopes on the planets (Jupiter and Saturn). SCT won; no, let’s say a draw. I had two scopes with equal views but one cost 1/12 as much as the other one. To me it seemed a no brainier. I sold the AP here on Astro-mart in two hours for as much as I paid for it.

Life moved along; me and my C-8, as happy as two bugs in a rug, but I made the mistake of buying Binos. Now I wanted more light and that necessitated more aperture, but I had learned my lesson and I wasn’t going to get sucked in again. This time I went to star parties with my Binos in hand and started asking people if I could use them on their scopes. Everyone accommodated me and I was able to settle on the 9.25.

This scope really is the perfect middle of the road scope; not too big, not too small, great views of the planets and great views of DSO’s. Mounted on a GM-8 it is perfect for visual work. How does it rate against the big dobs; well I never owned one because they looked like way too much trouble and are just too darn big. Now does this answer your question; I doubt it, but I sure did enjoy telling my scope buying tales.

Gerald: Still current owner of C-9 1/4

Come on! Someone that is new to AM lists a Orion 80mm refractor 4 days ago and someone gives this person a zero rating for not responding to his queries. Really, that's a joke! You've lost no money, you've had no agreement, the person just didn't answer your e-mail. So what do you give them as a welcome to AM? A big fat ZERO rating; same as a person that stiffed someone out of an item or money, Jeez! People like this should be band from this service! Herb, there has got to be a way to link a done deal to the two parties and cut some of this nonsense out. IMHO!

Gerald ~

Why would you even bother looking through some cheap eyepieces with field of views of 60 degrees when you are sporting around three thousand dollars worth of top end eyepieces? You have enough eyepieces to cover multiple focal lenghts, and with all those eyepieces why do you need a barlow?

You might want to add the 22mm Nagler type 4, I think that would complete your collection.

8) Gerald

Sorry for being a bit dense, but when I went to support, I either missed or didn't see where to select whether you want a coffee cup or a t-shirt during the process. I am hoping that I don't forfeit the coffee cup ( in case anyone is reading, this is my choice) for being stupid and not being able to follow instructions. Any chance someone might enlighten me as to where or who I might be able to direct my selection too?

Thanks a bundle! 8)

Gerald

I have found that a really cool picture of an eagle perched on a tree over looking the lay of the land with a stunningly beautiful vividly colored background with mountains and tree surrounding this regal creature or even a brand new shiny telescope doesn't get me to click on the support link faster than a picture of some really hot chick looking provocatively into the camera(how's that for one long run-on sentence)! I find that Herb and company are trying to take advantage of my mid-forties weakness for pretty women and believe this is an underhanded marketing campaign. I am asking them to cease and desist or I might be compelled to support some more.

Thanks,

Gerald

Herb,

Do believe there will be a point that you have crafted the support, sponsor function is such a way that there will not be this constant campaign for funds? The desired effect would be to have the members of Astromart not need the prodding and provide the funds required.

However, relying on the group as a whole doesn't seem to work, and usually when that happens it is due to a lack of clear direction. When you say the site is in danger some respond because you have given clear instruction at a particular level, but that group is still the minority. That would lead one to believe the message still isn't clear enough, because if it were then a majority would respond. I don't believe that has happened because if it had then you would not need to send out dire messages about the site failing.

I am not looking to suggest a way, you clearly have a vision, only wonder if the final goal is to set up the fund collecting in such a manner that doesn't require years of discussion and lots of your stressing whether this site can stay afloat.

Thanks,

Gerald

If I decide to support before my current support time runs out does it:

A) the support time runs concurrently with my current support effort

Example: current support efforts are 1/01 to 6/30 support again in 3/01 total support time runs to 8/31

Or

B) the support time is appended

Example: current support efforts are 1/01 to 6/30 support again in 3/01 support time runs 7/1 to 12/31

Thanks,

Gerald

There is no doubt that the hobby of Astronomy had a boom as many similar hobbies did during the late 90's and into the 2000's with everyone buying cool stuff with the "extra income" from the home value increases.

But now it appears to be the wild wild west and every man for himself during this recession; so now that the long tail of most businesses have been impacted what are the other small guys trying to do to stay in business?

Are they cutting prices so much on items that they had dealer agreements on and the dealer is doing nothing? That is a bad business practice if that is what is happening. To the customer that seems great but in the end that business model cannot sustain enough sales to make a profit.

The dealer allowing that affects the healthy business as well. It takes customers who would normally buy from a healthy small business(who has been wise and managed his/her company well) and allows the other small business to suck dollars way that they won't even make a profit on. Thereby presenting the buyer with a good deal in the short term but in the long term that great small business that hosts a website has to endure this competition until the other small business goes out of business and it affects their healthy bottom line, but wait, they in turn end up in the same situation as the other small business because of the bad business practices of others. Kind of like having someone sit in the last spot on a black jack table and not knowing when to take one for the good of the rest of the table.


Now the other issue is the dealer cutting the prices on the item(s) and not providing kickbacks to insure the same margin for the small business dealer. If that is the case then any agreement that was negotiated needs to be punted no matter how big the name is.

Now this is all totally speculation : ) I defiantly buy brand specific, but if their bad business practices is a determent to the small business as a whole I will stop buying their brand. I don't want to go back to the days buying from a department store. Quality sucks and they provide low end crap.

Gerald

If money isn't an issue, then I say buy them all. However, I have owned both the 31mm and the 35mm(twice) and the 31mm is a serious waste of cash in relate to views that each produce. The 35mm wins hands down. With a focal lenght of 2666 you're are much better off sticking with the 40mm Pentax.

Gerald

Having owned both mounts and price reflecting each of their values; Losmandy used $1500, and Celestron used $900-1100 are both good mounts (I have sold both and now mount a 9.25 SCT on a GM-8). However, if I can pass on one valuable lesson I have learned from buying items for this hobby it is this: It is a marathon and not a sprint. The new mount from Celestron looks promising and you said that is what you want. So wait and see what the over all opinion is once it comes out. Then make your choice as a fully informed buyer. You'll be much happier in the end, and you won't spend a lot of time reselling items here.


Gerald