Posts Made By: Andrew Box

December 26, 2007 10:46 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

affordable dual axis drive mount

Posted By Andrew Box

Hey, what's a decent dual axis mount that could be autoguided that isn't too expensive or could be found used? GM-8 is just too expensive, although I know they're very good quality. Just wanting to get some ideas.

January 16, 2008 01:41 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

W.O. doublet or meade triplet?

Posted By Andrew Box

Hey everyone,

I've read good and ok things about the new 5000 series 80mm meade apo triplet, and also about the William Optics 80mm doublet ED scope. Some say the meade is quite excellent, especially for the money. Some say the W.O. ED is 'just' a semi-apo, but of fantastic build quality and good optics. I just want to get some nice high-contrast wider fields of view than the f/10 SCT can offer and probably will also do some imaging with a digital SLR.

Any suggesions on which way to go? Anyone have either of these scopes?

Thanks!

May 4, 2008 04:54 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

C8 clock drive - camera etc too heavy?

Posted By Andrew Box

Hi, I'm hoping someone here could help me figure out what's going on with my rig. It tracks ok without the camera/crayford focuser attached. It also tracks ok when the scope with heavy camera/gear attached is pointed east (mass working with the drive due to gravity) but not west (mass working against the drive due to gravity).

My mount is a celestron dual fork mounted "classic 8" SCT basic clock drive, circa 1994. Single axis clock drive. I've recently cleaned and regreased the internal setting circle rings and they slide nice like they're supposed to now and don't hang up. The small motor gear and big gear both look ok, not boogered up etc.

Is the motor just getting weak? Do I need some kind of counter weight for looking at the western sky? Or just a newer drive? Are there more gears inside the motor assembly that might need greased?

Thanks in advance!

Andrew

June 3, 2008 03:57 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

canon 300D - capturing w/K3CCD...how?

Posted By Andrew Box

Hi, anyone know if I can capture images and use the preview window and focus tool in K3CCDtools with a 300D digital rebel and USB cable?

If so, how do I need to configure the software settings? I can see the camera as the 'WIA KISS digital rebel' under twain devices, but when I select it I can't capture images or anything. It just shows a 64X64 outline in red. I thought K3CCD supported the 300D series? Do I need DSLRfocus instead?

Thanks!

Andrew

October 11, 2009 08:16 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

ultima 8 PEC - weak drive or user?

Posted By Andrew Box

HI,

Any reason an ultima 8 PEC base would only track when the OTA was weighter pretty heavily to the east? Is this normal? The drive won't even rotate the forks when it's balanced totally neutral. I'm running on a fresh 9V battery.

Could the gears be binding somehow? How does the worm-gear mesh adjustment work and should I mess with it? I really expected for all the cult status this drive base has for it to be less feable. It's pretty much unusable as-is since I'd have to get a huge counter weight to stay east-heavy all the time.

Perhaps I'm doing something wrong here...but the single spur gear non-byers mount I traded up from was stronger than this.

Thanks!

October 17, 2009 03:45 AM Forum: Equipment Talk

celestron drive base 12V jack

Posted By Andrew Box

Hi, I want to use the 12V input on my ultima base but I wondered if someone happens to know if positive is tip or ring?

Tip is almost always positive, but I found out once when making my own power supply that for guitar effects pedals - it's not.

Thanks!


October 21, 2009 02:29 AM Forum: Digital SLR AstroPhotography

focusing pains

Posted By Andrew Box

Hi, what's the best way to get well-focused images through the OTA (I have a C8)? My camera is an EOS digital rebel and I get really tired of fighting the matte focusing screen, which prevents focusing on anything but very bright stars. I tried a cheapo split-image screen for this camera, but it was a pain too. As far as I can find, there is not a transparent screen available for this camera.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

November 23, 2009 10:47 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

CCD board cameras - USB?

Posted By Andrew Box

HI,

I've recently been looking at inexpensive board cameras intended for use in CCTV systems. Of course, they output analog composite video signal which won't work well with most computers and imaging software. Does anyone know of a USB board camera, preferably B/W with decent sensitivity that might be adapted to a life as an autoguider? It seems like none that I can find are USB or if they are I can't fine a vendor who will sell to the public.

I'm currently using a 1st generation microsoft lifecam (1000 series). It's ok, but not great in low light and I don't need it to be color.

December 6, 2009 05:07 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

b/w USB board camera

Posted By Andrew Box

HI,

I've recently been looking at inexpensive board cameras intended for use in CCTV systems. Of course, most output analog composite video signal which won't work well with most computers and imaging software. Does anyone know of a USB board camera, preferably B/W with decent sensitivity that might be adapted to a life as an autoguider? It seems like none that I can find are USB or if they are I can't fine a vendor who will sell to the public.

I'm currently using a 1st generation microsoft lifecam (1000 series). It's ok, but not great in low light and I don't need it to be color.

Thanks!

December 6, 2009 05:41 AM Forum: Pictures of Me and My Telescope and........

ozark setup

Posted By Andrew Box

Here's my rig in its current incarnation. I made the pier using a 4X4 in 300 lbs of cement with a couple of 2X4s each in 80 lbs cement to stabilize it laterally. It's not bad for how cheap it was to build.

This is kind of an amusing pic b/c I forgot my 12V deep cycle this trip and had to power my drive base and relay box off the ol' lawn tractor.

I live in Kansas City, so it's nice to toss everything in the back of the Honda (60 mpg) and run down south for the weekend. The skies are super dark out there! Now all I need to do is practice, practice, practice getting some nice views and photos.