Re: CCD camera cookbook

[akelly@ghgcorp.com]

>   Three of us here in little ole London (ON) are looking at building a CCD
>camera, specifically, the ones as described in the CCD camera cookbook.
>        
>        We would love to hear from anybody who has:
>        1) built one of them;
>        2) modified the original plan, & how so.

I built my CB245 about 15 months ago and recently modified it in accordance
with the low-dark-current (LDC) upgrade recommended by Berry, Kanto, and
Munger.  It has been an absolutely delightful imaging system.  I use it with
everything from a 100mm telephoto lens to my 32" f4 Newtonian. Some of my
photos are available from http://wwa.com/pub/ccd/images, if you are
interested in seeing the results.

    
>        One modifcation I would really like to hear about is any possible
>change to the cooling system.  I have seen these cameras built by amatures
>at a few starparties, and the only thing that really turns me off is the
>bucket of anti-freeze sitting onthe ground.  Surely there must be away of
>eliminating this by use in more/better peltier coolers and a better heat
>sink system.

After evaluating all the alternatives and operational parameters, I built my
cooling system as recommended by the designers:  liquid cooled with a bucket
of water (NOT anti-freeze!)as the heat sink. I have used many air-cooled CCD
cameras, with their relatively heavy and bulky camera heads, and have seen
modified Cookbooks...IMHO it is not a good trade-off.  The only objection I
have to my current configuration is the noisy automotive windshield washer
pump to push the closed-loop coolant.  As soon as I replace it with a quiet
little submersible pump I will be totally satisfied.  The bucket of
heat-sink water (my "light bucket," as I have it labeled) is not nearly the
hassle that it may appear to be.

The temperature stability of the liquid-cooled CB245 is excellent. This,
coupled with the bias voltage "drift subtraction" feature of the upgraded
software, makes it possible to re-use dark frames from previous sessions.
In short, the Cookbook system is getting somewhat mature and sophisticated.


>        Also would like to hear about image processing software.  I use
>Corel Photopaint for my business, but it does not handle FITS format.  I
>would like to hear of any FITS format imagesoftware, for either DOS, Win or
 OS/2 platforms.  
>        Thanksyou all for your attention.
>        joe

Again, after considerable evaluation and testing, I have found that I MUCH
prefer Berry's CB245.EXE and MULTI245.EXE softwares for processing Cookbook
images.  Obviously, these are tailored to the Cookbook system, which is a
plus; but, even more important, they 1) process files in Cookbook and FITS
formats and will save as FITS or TIFF formats and 2) provide the full range
of processing necessary to calibrate, add, scale, and mask Cookbook images
to their best advantage.  The only processing capability that one might
desire which Berry's software does not accomplish is deconvolution (MED, etc.)

Please don't hesitate to jump right into a Cookbook build as published!  Let
me know how it goes and e-mail me with any questions or problems you might
have.... I may not have all the answers, but I've been there..8-)..

                                        Al Kelly