ATM: Doing It In A Wheelchair

["Bill Milner" <wdmilner@qwest.net>]

Hello All,

In the past every time a discussion of telescopes for use by the handicapped
has come up, I have never had any pictures available for viewing that show
my first attempt at building a telescope for use in a wheelchair.  Now I do,
but they are not on a personal website.  With Mel's permission I am posting
this URL where they can be viewed.
http://community.webshots.com/user/flyrod98

In these pictures have tried to show some of the problems people in
wheelchairs are faced with in using a telescope.  First is getting to the
eyepiece.  Keep in mind that even with a big belly like mine, a persons feet
always arrive first when trying to get to the eyepiece straight on.  A fixed
eyepiece height would be ideal.  Perhaps a design like Bruce Sayre's RFT
with a light weight mirror.  For me personally, the ideal scope would be one
that is light enough to load into my van myself,  set up and take down
unassisted, and have a comfortable fixed eyepiece height with at least a 10
inch aperture.  My current project addresses the portability and weight
issue, but I don't feel I have enough experience with optics to tackle the
fixed eyepiece.  I believe a scope like I have described would work for far
more handicapped people than one that has to be hauled around in a trailer.

Regards,
Bill Milner
Email to wdmilner@qwest.net
Johnstown, Colorado