Posts Made By: Sheldon Wheaton

I'm not going to respond to this. It is still under My Message inbox. The only one I ever got there. No rating etc. I tried to use one of your support links under privacy policy and on your Anacortes site, but got an error msg.
Hope this works.

Thanks

Sent: 5/29/2004 11:09 AM
To: Shady
From: kendo44
Subject: Nexstar 8 GPS, at $1,800


We are interested in buying your above mentioned product (Nexstar 8 GPS) at advertised rate of $1,800. Goods to be picked up from your location for onward shipping to London. Cost and modalities of shipping to be born by us.

Payment for the purchase is by check through a debtor in US. The debtor owes us higher than our purchase. He will therefore be sending you a check for $7,000 to cover the cost of our order, as well as the Shipping costs.

On receipt of the check, you will cash and deduct the cost of our order .The balance you will send as we would instruct you to the Agency that will ship the Goods to us. If this arrangement suites you fine, please send us your address where to send the check, as well as the name to be on it. Also send us your phone number for easy communication.

Looking forward to hearing from you through >[email protected]<.

Thank you.

Best Regards
MR. KEN OWEN

Well, I was testing my new 2" Orion UHC and TV OIII filters last nght and they worked OK. I didn't think they improved the Saturn Nebula, but I was able to see the Helix Nebula and a few others I hadn't been able to from my light polluted driveway. The Orion doesn't really screw in as smoothly as the TV, but I liked the views through it better, as I could see more background stars, but the TV was crisper (not as smudgy looking wisps) The filters didn't seem to make much difference on the Orion Nebula..even with no filter. I didn't try on any galaxies, but I will try tonight.

Today I sat in the garage testing things out screw wise and the Orion seems to be harsher (coarser threads) in both my Denk II;s and the WO 2" diag. I held them up in my fingers and looked at the sky and the Orion UHC looked bluer and the TV OIII looked a little greener, kind of like when you compare Uranus and Neptune. You wouldn't notice unless they were close together or in the case of the planets you look at one and then the other specifically to compare color. I also have a 1.25" Lumicon OIII and I held it up with the other two and it looked to have even more green tint. I don't know if this means anything or not, I'm not an expert, but I know I got to see more than I had before and one was better on some objects than others and some objects it didn't make any difference at all.

I'll play with them some more tonight I hope as I got a new/used Vixen 22mm LVW to pair up in my binos. I like them mono and they are cheaper than Pan's . I have a pair of 30mm Ultimas and a pair of 13mm and 9mm T6's and like them all fine. Just wanted to see how the NS11GPS and NS8GPS handle the weight. No problem when I tested with a second 22mm LVW, but it was a little shorter in length than the two I will use tonight. I'll be placing the one up for sale with some other plossls I've accumulated.

Hope this helps. Right now I'd probably get a TV or Lumicon equivalent UHC filter due to the threading issue. The OIII worked better for the crispness, but a smudge wisp is a smudge wisp at this point of my viewing ability, and I'd be happy with the UHC if I could only afford one ( Bu tI have two _ I think the only way to really tell will be over time and in differnet seeing conditions and darker skies. I'll keep them all though for the extra objects I can now see.

I just called Celestron yesterday 4/5/04, about 9AM PDT, about getting a replacement leg for my 8i tripod. The plastic connector at the top had broken and woudn't support the weight of my NS8GPS anymore. (trying to get by on the cheap). I received an answer on the first ring from the Celestron receptionist and she put me through to a tech. I told him my problem amd that I'd like a new leg. I didn't expect any warranty service and I knew they are moving into a new place and are in dissarray, but he told me to send a check for $x and attn: it to parts. So far, so good. I mailed the check within the hr. Now I'll see when it arrives. I don't doubt that it will as Celestron has taken care of a couple other issues in the past like my finder bracket that broke when I first put it on the NS8GPS. I just haven't seen the problem with Celestron I keep hearinfg about. I know the e-mail route I used before isn't working, but the phone sure does and if you have a cell phone, it's pretty much an issue of managing your minutes to make a free LD call. I really like the products and service so far.

I'm with you on the Planets and Lunar viewing with the binos. I find I don't need a filter for the moon even with my NS11GPS and the details really jump out. I think a pair of any binos for the moon are well worth the price. I don't do much in the DSO arena yet, but do like to use the tour mode on the SCt's. I toofind the monoview better for them, but have only done so with the NS8GPS so far with the binos in the NS11GPS al the time. On an aside, I also have a Vixen FL102S that I haven't tried with bino's, but don't think it would be preferrable as I like the sharp crisp look through it compared to the SCT's when I've used them all in mono mode. I se no reason to change. I use the APo for weeknights when I don't have much time and don't want to wait for cool down. They all setup fast enough. I may try the LVW's in the bino anyway as they don't cost much used.

Great report Ron. I'd like to hear more. I've been struggling with the same decision of late. I really like my Vixen FL102S, but keep getting tempted to get the TEC140 and now you throw this one in the wringer. :S I have pretty much convinced myself to go the APO route and sell the NS8GPS and NS11GPS to get a really nice APO and mount. I'm using the Vixen GP for it right now with slo-mo. I like the manual capability in case you don't have power. HAsn't happended yet, but I like the assurance I can go when I want. The NS11GPS is getting a little hard to move since the shoulder surgery, but I like using my DenkII's with it. The moon looks great that way. I'll wait to hear more reports before I make anymore equipment decisions. I have enough to keep me going in my lifetime as it is, but......

Bill Meyers said:

I have never owned any of these but am considering gettng a grab and go scope and am leaning tgoward the Starblast but would like to consider the others also. Can anyone compare them optically, mechaniclly and especially ergonomically? Convenience is really important to me.
Thanks,
Bill Meyers

I just bought a Starblast and it is a blast to use. Ready to go out of the box. Nice views. Price is real good. I have pushed it with my TV 3-6 zoom. The two EP's it came with are satisfactory. I think I like it better than the ST80 and 90 I've had. I set it up on my portable craftsman workbench and can still use my Astro chair. IT's not my NS11, NS8 or Vixen FL102S, but it has it's pluses.

I sent you a PM.

Yes, I use the 13mm and 9mm T6's in my Vixen FL102S with the Denk II's. I have the dual power switch, but I like just the EP's I start with most of the time. The 13mm T6's spend the most time in my Vixen and NS8GPS and NS11GPS.