Posts Made By: Jim Carpenter

Have you tried http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RoboScope/

Jim

I've been thinking about putting together a QRP station in a box to take to star parties for a daytime activity. Anyone else doing this, and if so, what's your set-up?

Jim WD5BKO

Early morning sunlight on a centerpiece. D70/18-70 kit lens.

Jim

From my rear deck a couple of weeks ago. D70/kit lens. As-is except for re-sizing in PE2.

I see a lot of posts here and elsewhere regarding the use of Red dot and similar "unity" finders. Many people complain about the "window" or "lens" of these finders being too dark or too heavily coated to allow the user to see "through" the finder. They miss the point -- the reflective coatings are necessary to make the projected image of the red dot visible. To properly use a red dot finder, you must have both eyes open. Align one eye on the red dot finder and let the other focus on the sky beyond. Your brain then interprets the red dot as being projected out on the sky beyond. It doesn't matter that you can't see clearly through the finder because you're seeing the sky with your other eye.

There is also a thread going in another forum regarding a new red dot type finder that has been recently announced by a telescope manufacturer which is actually based on a gun sight. Hello! My original red dot finder was a $9.95 Daisy BB gun sight modified per Phil Harrington's book, "Star Ware." Besides the fancy gun sight now being sold by the telescope manufacturer, Walmart carries a similar (but less feature laden) red dot gun site for $29.95 which is easly adapted for use as a telescope finder. Cabela's and other sporting/hunting/outdoor retailers carry similar items.

Jim

A few weeks ago I posted an image of a sunset taken from my rear deck. Here's 180º the other direction for the early sunrise on March 9. D70/18-70 kit lens - resized in PE2 - no other adjustments.

Jim

Here's a series of shots taken through a moving train window with my Canon A510 pocket camera. It was a snowy day and we were on a our way from Denver to Breckenridge on the Ski Train. These are all in a mountain valley just east of the Rollins Tunnel. The first is a yellow schoolhouse. Some manipulation of levels and contrast plus cropping and resizing in PS Elements 2. These point and shoot cameras can be pretty amazing when you don't want to tote that big DSLR around.

I saw this wrought iron fence being engulfed by a tree while strolling around the Garden District in New Orleans a couple of weeks ago.

Jim

Saw this while my wife and I were taking our evening walk. D70/Sigma 70-300 APO.

Jim

This little guy was standing at our patio door a couple of weeks ago while it was snowing outside. Taken through the sliding, double-pane door. D70/Sigma 70-300 APO.

Jim