Re: [APML] Traveler as guider scope?

[DPMESSIER@aol.com]

Kent,

Thank you for your in depth reply. I am going to try mounting the Traveler with it's own rings to a Losmandy plate I have on the top of the 155 and see if that eliminates the problem. I really would like to be able to leave everything set up and use either scope to image and guide.  It sounds to me like you feel there is a problem with the standard rings also?  Maybe a set of Parallax rings would do the trick.  We'll see what happens.

Thanks again.  

In a message dated 3/7/02 10:36:45 AM Eastern Standard Time, KGKIRKLEY@aol.com writes:


> David:
> I had the same experience you are having. 
> I wanted to guide my 155EDFS with a Traveler and at other times, shoot with 
> the Traveler and guide with a TV101. I experienced flexure in both cases.
>
> I ran a series of tests, putting barlows and guiding eyepieces in both 
> instruments.
> I would place the same star on the crosshairs of both instrument's eyepieces.
> I would pick a star at about 30-45 degress above the east horizon. Once 
> aligned I would allow the mount to track for an hour or so. Then I figured 
> out I could just slew the mount in RA instead of tracking in real time. I ran 
> this test with various mounting set-ups.
>
> The results:
> 1200GTO mount
>
> 1. Losmandy DSBS (side-by-side) Saddle, 155EDFS in AP rings on one side, 
> Traveler in AP rings on other side. Flexure evident.
>
> 2. Losmandy DSBS (side-by-side) Saddle, 155EDFS in AP rings on one side, 
> Traveler in Losmandy DR125 rings, less flexure but still evident.
>
> 3. 155EDFS in AP rings, Losmandy Plates top and bottom, Traveler in Losmandy 
> DR125 on top, flexure still evident.
>
> 4. 155EDFS in AP rings, Losmandy Plates top and bottom, TV101 in Losmandy 
> DR125 on top, flexure evident, although less.
>
> At this point I, like you, posted a query on APML and APUG.
> Roland responded that the Traveler and TV101 were really too heavy to be 
> flexure free guidescopes. He suggested a lighter weight guidscope, like one 
> of the 90mm f11's or his AP unit. I researched this and decided on the AP 
> guidscope which has machined aluminum bands around the OTA. After mounting 
> the AP guidescope atop the 155 with the DR125 rings and performing the same 
> test, no movement was evident.
>
> I still haven't figured out exactly what is moving when using the Traveler, 
> either for imaging or guiding.
>
> Kent Kirkley



David P. Messier

Web site:  http://www.geocities.com/dpmessier
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