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Posts Made By: Paul Johnson

October 27, 2003 04:42 AM Forum: Refractors

Used: Tak FS-78 at $1100 vs. TV 85 at $1600

Posted By Paul Johnson
TV would include TV's high end 2" diagonal (Everbrite?). I already have a 2" Meade UHTC but would guess the TV is better.

Would the extra $500 be worth it for the diagonal and 7mm more aperture?

I also understand Tak extras are as pricey as their scopes and there is some sort of issue with coming to focus with the FS-78 (you need to add or remove some part of the scope to allow it to come to focus).

Otherwise I've read nothing but glowing reports about these scopes. Any input appreciated. Soon I'll be out there looking at the stars instead of my computer monitor.

November 4, 2003 01:30 AM Forum: Eyepieces

New scope, new EPs?

Posted By Paul Johnson
I've got a Nexstar 8i and bought the celestron EP kit. I've since purchased a 19mm Axiom EP and generally like it.

But I found myself wanting a grab and go scope and have now purchased a TV 85. I want to make sure I have eyepieces that will not be a limiting factor in my viewing from what is supposed to be an awesome little refractor.

Any suggestions for lines of EPs and focal lengths for that scope (or my original for that matter)? Will I be fairly unhappy with the Celestron EPs and included barlow if I use them exclusively in the TV-85?

Thanks in advance.

November 5, 2003 11:58 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

1.25" vs. 2" eyepieces

Posted By Paul Johnson
This probably reveals my newbie status, but it seems to me that a 2" eyepiece would have more light flowing through it than a 1.25" eyepiece, but thought I read in a post recently that it doesn't really matter. Is aperture only important on the front-end of the scope? Wouldn't that also mean that a 1.25" diagonal should perform just as well as a 2"? I also have seen a number of high end eyepieces that have both 1.25" and 2" skirts, and if it did make a difference in performance you'd think companies would make both models instead of just making a 1.25" diameter EP fit into a 2" hole. Is this just personal preference?

Enlightenment desired (no pun intended, really).

Paul

December 1, 2003 06:59 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Telepod head unscrews when I rotate it!

Posted By Paul Johnson
I think the used telepod head I just bought may be broken.

When I turn the telescope counterclockwise on the azimuth plane the telepod head has a tendency to unscrew (not from the tripod itself, but to disassemble the top of the head from the part of the head that is screwed to the tripod).

Any ideas of how to fix this? Also, the tension knob meant to control azimuth rotation is also apparently broken--it has no effect. I disassembled the mount to see if I could fix this issue and a small bit of plastic fell off the tensioning bolt itself, which I imagine used to be a part of the bolt when it was working.

Any ideas how to fix this? I tried greasing the contact areas that the head is supposed to rotate within rather than unscrew, but that hasn't really helped.

Thanks in advance.

December 2, 2003 06:08 AM Forum: TeleVue

Telepod head

Posted By Paul Johnson
When I turn my telepod head counterclockwise on the tripod it has a tendency to unscrew rather than just rotate. Any ideas how to fix this? The bolt that keeps it from moving in that direction also appears to be broken.

Thanks in advance,

Paul

January 17, 2004 08:11 AM Forum: TeleVue

Vintage of TV 85

Posted By Paul Johnson
The serial number is 2103. Any idea of what its age might be?

Thanks

January 17, 2004 08:17 AM Forum: Refractors

4" premium apos

Posted By Paul Johnson
I've located a TV NP-101 (used) for about $3K, OTA only. While that's a discount on the retail price of this scope, I'm wondering that if I'm going to spend that much, shouldn't I also consider a 4" Tak or AP?

The Taks may be too big (you lose on portability) and the AP's just too much money. This scope is primarily for visual observing as a pal to an 8" SCT.

Any ideas?

September 2, 2004 05:51 PM Forum: Refractors

Aperture size sweet spot?

Posted By Paul Johnson
I'm looking for opinions on the refractor size sweet spot. I've got a TV 85 that I really like but am feeling a little under equipped on aperture at 3.5". But obviously increases in aperture size start to seriously add weight and one loses portability and thus usability. What are experienced users' opinions about the sweet spot to preserve portability but open things up a bit? Is a 5" too big?

November 22, 2004 01:41 AM Forum: Eyepieces

Nagler Type VI vs. Radian 5mm

Posted By Paul Johnson
Is the Nagler worth $40 more? I don't wear glasses. A couple of reviews anecdotally said they thought the Radian may be sharper, but the Nagler has wider true and apparent fields of view. I'd be using in a TV 101mm refractor, f/l 540mm (f/5.4), mostly for planetary (with Powermate from time to time).

Thanks for any input, in addition to other eyepieces that might make sense with this scope (Nagler type V 26 / 31?)

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