Posts Made By: Floyd Blue

I was wondering if anyone else had a lot of problems with their new NS8GPS?

I have had 3 new scopes from them in 3 months. The 1st scope would not find north and would spin around in cirlces for 10-15 minutes if you let it.

It was replace with another new scope. This scope worked for a few hours and then began to make GPS alignments with all the wrong corordinates. Longitude, Latitude, and time and date were all wrong. It also gave me a Code16 error once. This scope was sent back to the factory after much discussion and they said they went through it completely and replace the Dec motor. I got it back and had the same exact problems with the GPS the second time I took it out.

This scope was replaced with a 3rd new scope. It has a different secoundary mirror cover on the front and I noticed that the Alt level setting marks on this scope actually lined up when the tube was level. The other 2 always pointed upward by 10-20 degrees with the marks lined up.

I have had the 3d scope out 4 times now with out any problems. It aligns quickly and acurately. The Go-To is very good and tracking is also excellent. The optics are aligned well and it seems to work very well overall. I must admit I am still concerned, but I have a 100% guarantee from Woodland Hills for return and replacement with a scope of my choice ( Meade or whatever ) should this scope give me problems.

I would like to say that at Mt Pinos last Saturday, a new Meade 12" GPS made 1st light and it was DOA out of the box, The Dec motor refused to move the scope and it would not perform a GPS alingment. Maybe the manufacturers are slipping in quality control! I am not sure but I feel this is probably true.

Has anyone else seen any problems like I have described with a Nexstar GPS?
Thanks,
Floyd

I have just been lucky enough to find a deal on 4 Naglers!
I got 3 new ones, 31mm, 17mm, 12mm and one use 20mm Type2!
I finally figured out that the view is related to the quality of the EP. :^) So I went ahead a bought some really nice ones. Added to my Meade UWA 4.7,6.7,8.8 EPs and the 2" 11, 13, 14mm, Gary Russell SWA EPs. I finally have a good selection that covers the entire range of power.

It is very good to buy a great Telescope, but you have to compliment it with a good EP to make it really shine! :^)

Appeture is one factor, but sometimes bigger is not better. If you live in an area where the air quality or transparency is not that great. Or if you live where the light polution is high, then a smaller 8-10" scope can be an advantage over a 11-14" scope. I find that on many nights my NS8GPS gets as good a view and sometimes more detail, than the 15-16" scopes in our group! That to me is fantastic. On the really great nights with fine air and dark skies the larger scopes do show their stuff, but those nights are few and far between.

Dark skies to all and I hope you all find the right combination of scope and EPs!

Floyd

Here is a picture of a wasp I did a while back. I have always liked catching the bees and stuff on flowers.

I am wondering if someone can answer a question about the secondary mirror offset.
I just got a new LaserMax collimator in today with holographic grid.
When I put the secondary shadow on a wall I see the mirror is offset away from the focuser. it is centered verticaly, it is only offset away from the focuser.
Is this due to the offet of the secondary mirror? I seem to be able to collimated fine with this offset. I am aware that usually there is an offset with the secondary, but have no idea of how mush or which direction is normal.
Thanks for your help.
Floyd

The pictures look good, but unfortunantly you can not see through the scope in a picture.
The optics could be screwed or missing.
The only thing I really don't like about your deal is that he is not willing to deal with you to protect your money. He is only interested in getting the cash and quickly.
1st of all I can not see why a church would get the scope to begin with and then sell it through someone like this guys mother. I don't know, sounds funny. I would not buy it unless I could actually look at it in person I think.
I bought a set of Naglers from a Window that didn't know how to sell on line. A friend helped her out by selling them on Astromart. It was $1300 and I was a bit nervous, but it was just as described and they arrived by overnight delivery. They were like brand new just as they said. It could be that this is a straight deal with wierd circumstances! It could also be a deal like happened to the guy I know and it is a good on the outside and completely screwed set of optics. All it takes is to put the scope away wet once and it can be ruined in a few days.
Not trying to rain on your parade, but I can't help but think you need to cover your ass somehow. I still think that a trip is in order or at least he accepts escrow at your expense.
Floyd

My secondary offset is about 1/10 of an inch, maybe a little less. The formula calls for 1/10 inch so I quess that is OK.
I just wish I could get the shaddow of the secondary to be in the center with the holographic collimator. Just can't seem to get it to collimate and still stay in the center. It collimates fine but the shaddow is always off-center. Not just the offset, but usually a little low as well. I guess I just can't worry about it. I am not sure if I should move the secondary by adjusting the spider bolts to see if I could get it to the center, or just leave it alone.
Any input as to the fix for this problem?
All the articles that I can find on the internet are not that informative about this.
Also, I keep reading that I should see the secondary as a perfect circle when looking through the focuser with a film canister with a hole drilled in the top. I see a perfect circle of the reflection of the primary that is lined up pretty much with one edge of the secondary, but I still see the secondary as a slightly oval shape. The circle of the primary has a crescent of the secondary to the left of it, not too large but still it has one. Is this a problem?
I did not built this scope only just bought it not too long ago and am trying to check out all the optics and get the best collimation possible.
Thanks all.
Floyd

Ahhh spring, a time of flowers and showers and when beauty abounds with fragrant meadows.
here is a pic and poem of mine. Hope you like it.

Here is a shot of a sunflower with a little visitor aboard.
Floyd

Here is a shot of the local wildflower display this spring. This show all the various types in a tight cluster. Hope you like it.
Floyd

A little shot of a puffball and flower.
Floyd