After reading Robert Bruce Thompson's books (Astronomy Hacks, & the illustrated
guide to astronomical wonders) I only bought filters in the 2" size, with my
1.25" adapter which is threaded for filters I can use them with any size ep! 
Buuuttt!!! be careful because some ep's are have long field stop tubes (the part
that enters the adapter) and is soo long that it they could damage the filter! 
RBT didn't mention this in his books, so I'll tell you, only buy 2" filters if
you have an adapter threaded filters, if you don't buy one! (its cheaper than
filters) But that said, I don't screw in filters anymore! I just pass them
between my eye & the eye piece!  That too I read in Walter Scott Houston's deep
sky wonders book!  He called it the blinking method, and it works really well! 
Once you can see the nebula, just lay the filter on your ep!  Cheers pay less &
have fun!  Shawn Haggerty  Avignon,  France




> Message du 01/06/08 05:37
> De : "Phil Lefever"
> A : skyquest-telescopes@yahoogroups.com
> Copie à :
> Objet : Re: [skyquest-telescopes] OIII filter for XT8
>
> > At 11:52 AM 5/31/2008, you wrote:
> >If I were to get an OIII filter for my XT8 should I get a 1.25" (for my
> >Pentax 10.5 & 14mm) or the 2" (for my GSO 30mm).
>
> Rick,
>
> The primary use I find for my OIII filter is for observing the
> Veil nebula, since this is a large object I had to but a 2"
> format model. I do use a 2"-1-1/4" adapter that is threaded
> for 2" filters with my smaller eyepieces from time to time.
>
> >Maybe more importantly, should I get one at all? Is 8 inches of
> >aperture enough to make an OIII useful?
>
> I have used an OIII filter with good results in my 80mm
> scope a number of times. I don't feel there is a minimum
> aperture for an OIII. It is important that you use the filter
> on the correct objects though. As John mentioned be
> sure to buy a narrowband/UHC/Ultrablock filter first as
> they are far more useful. Still the OIII does wonders on
> those few odd objects, like the Veil nebula and some
> planetaries.
>
> Clear Skies,
>
> PL
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------
>
> Phil Lefever - Burnsville, MN
> Amateur Radio Callsign - KB0NES EN34jt
> C8-SP XT-10 C102 80WV
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Posting Photos

Please do take full advantage of the captioning possibilites that exist only
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Forum Rules

This message, like the "Welcome Message", is sent automatically to new
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The "Welcome Message" covers a lot of things, so many, in fact, that
few people read it.  The page you are now reading lists what to do about
one thing that could really annoy you, and it lists three other things
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For yourself, if you find that you are overwhelmed by e-mails from the
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Three things that bug the moderators (so be warned and avoid) are:

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What will be done if these rules are broken?   We're not sure yet, but it WILL
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skyquest-telescopes:       Welcome and Introduction Page
                       Revised October 2003

1.  Introduction and Background

The  skyquest-telescopes forum was founded in July 2000 by Jeremy Vecoli.
His purpose was to establish a group in which owners of Orion SkyQuest
XT Telescopes (6" and 8" aperture dobsonian reflectors having a spring
tensioning system attached to their altitude hubs, and manufactured by
Guan Sheng Optical) could discuss their experiences with these scopes.

Since that time, Orion has expanded the XT line to include a 4 1/2" and a
10" model,  has changed from Guan Sheng to Synta as the manufacturer,
and has introduced a new line of XT Dobs, the Intelliscopes, which contain
built-in encoders, one of the essential components of digital setting
circles. (The computer, the other essential component of the D.S.C.'s,
is optional.)

Guan Sheng now supplies Dobs to other retailers and has just come out with
a new  12" model. As a result, scopes similar to the ones originally sold
exclusively by Orion are presently available from other sources.  These
non-XT (but essentially similar) scopes have been called XT-clones, a name
which is not meant to be derogatory.  Because of the mechanical and optical
similarities between the original Orion SkyQuest XT line and the clones,
the forum welcomes discussion from owners and prospective owners of the
so-called clones as well as from owners of XT's and Intelliscopes.

2.   Forum Scope and Purpose

Discussion relating to purchasing experiences (both good and bad),
problems with getting started and useful hints in that area, problems and
successes in making modifications,  problems and successes relating to the
use of these scopes, etc. is welcome here.  The purpose is to exchange
information among owners, prospective owners, new users, experienced
users and inveterate tinkerers.   The construction and modest price of these
scopes does lend itself to do-it-yourself modifications.   Some of the
modifications first proposed by members of this forum have, in fact, been
included into later XT models.  Apparently, Orion follows this forum from
time to time.

Getting full use of a telescope often means purchasing and using accessories.
Eyepieces, filters, finders, dewshields, fans, etc. can enhance the viewing
experience of any telescope.  But the effect of these accessories may vary
depending on the size and the focal length of the scope, and on the quality of
the observer's eyes and skies.  Discussion of these accessories is welcome on
the forum, PROVIDED that the discussion relates to their use in the XTs or
clones.

Although there are non XT-like small and medium size dobs sold, used, and
being home built, this forum has chosen to restrict itself to discussion of
the XT line and its clones.   The reason for this is simply to keep a common
focus to the group, thereby limiting the volume of posts that appear.  This
formula has worked well in the past, with members typically being able to
read every single posting without being overwhelmed. (As the forum grows,
however, this last is becoming less true.)

As Jeremy Vecoli first proposed, the forum was never meant to be an all-
purpose astronomy forum.  There exist other and better forums devoted to
equipment, to observations, software, amateur telescope making , general
astronomy, etc.  Our members are strongly advised to peruse and contribute
to these other forums so as to retain the XT-and-clone focus of this one.

3.  Posting to the Forum

The first postings of a new member will be reviewed by one of the moderators
before being passed on to the rest of the group.  This is done to discourage
spammers.  For this reason, your first postings may not appear immediately.
However, subsequent postings will eventually be accepted automatically
and appear within a normal time period.

Listeners ("lurkers" in net terminology) are encouraged to speak up, even
before becoming owners or users of the scopes we are interested in.  Your
questions may provoke answers that will be useful to you in making your
buying decisions or encouraging you to think about other aspects that you
have not yet considered.    Someone, sooner or later, is going to lead you
down a path that will end up saving you money, even if it is only by getting
you to defer any equipment purchase at this time.   And guaranteed, someone
will lead you to ways of getting more out of the equipment you already own.

The tone of the questions and answers, and the comments about the pros and
cons of various pieces of equipment or of various retailers has always, in the
past, been informative and respectful, even when something is being faulted.
Frank and honest advice to newcomers is always welcome.  But do provide
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Try to avoid posting "banter" type replies.   While saying "thanks" or
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EDIT YOUR RESPONSES!  PLEASE don't quote the entire message to which you
are replying.  It is good form to edit the message down to exhibit only
the essential points you are addressing, and to retain a reference to the
person or message to which you are responding.  Anybody wanting to see the
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long "me too" post, a post followed by all the messages preceding yours.


4.  Use of the Photos and Files Resources

In addition to the message board (archives) and the search engine which can
help you go back through earlier messages, the forum has a "Files" section
to which members can post and can, via the message board, notify the others
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We also have a "Links" section which may be worth perusing.  This may (if
you are luck) save you having to go back through all the previous messages
trying to locate a specific link mentioned earlier in the forum.

5.   Unsubscribing

You can do so yourself with the click of a button.  There is a substantial
volume of subscribes and unsubscribes which the server processes
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that you won't be able to resubscribe.


5.  A Final Word to the Members:

The message board and archive is open to the public to read.  The ability to
post messages, to reply to messages, and to browse the Files and Photos
sections is limited to you, the members.   It's up to you to make the forum a
useful one.

  We can help only by setting rules that might be helpful in that regard, and
trying, as non-intrusively as we can, to see that they are followed.  There is
no guarantee that something we think is helpful now will always be so.  And
so the rules may evolve with time.  But again, it's your job to make the
forum one that helps you and the rest of us to get the most out our
astronomical interests and investments.

                        Gene Baraff       October 1, 2003.

I moved them half the distance to the pivot point. I may relocate them a bit
more to the
outside of the board if there is an issue of flex or unstableness. This fix
requires very little
effort and no materials other than three short brass wood screws. The beauty is
that I can
keep experimenting with position until I find the optimum location with no
negative
consequences.

Sorry for not paying attention to the thread. I have been distracted by work.

Ranger Tim

"I wonder if a suggested XT newbee starter kit thread/poll/file is warranted."

Sure it is warranted! Is there truly no such poll/thread in existence? It should
perhaps be
found and highlighted, although this takes the discussion away from the realm of
this forum.
Ed Ting's page in the link section of this site does discuss beginner's issues
but does not
concentrate on the smaller equipment that one accumulates to make observing more
convenient or fun. Things such as LED lights, laser pointers, chairs, etc. are
more personal in
nature and should perhaps be part of the learning process, not bestowed upon a
new astro
buff by some divine advice from a seasoned pro. That said, are there some items
that are
universal enough to be thought of as no-brainers and a mandatory part of any
observer's kit?

critical473, you are welcome to mail me for my suggestions concerning a more
complete yet
efficient starter kit.

One also wonders, what the ratio of first time telescope buyers/users to
experienced
skywatchers using these Orion Dobs? Perhaps an even more interesting poll!

Arrghh! Looks like I should have got a smaller diameter Scopestuff
Ebony Star ring! 8-)

Hello group, I am trying to gain detail from galaxies using my XT10i..
So far all I see are fuzzy balls...  Is this as good as it gets with
this size scope??  I am using a 300 dollar 13mm Orion Lantanium, my
best eye piece...

Ken

Hi Ken,



Detail is a relative term, you will never get photographic detail using
direct observation, that being said you can have some awesome
experiences viewing galaxies directly with your 10". Try the whirlpool
(m51), the sombrero (m104), and M81 and 82 in Ursa Major. Use a good
wide field low magnification eyepiece that will help a lot, good luck.



John



-----Original Message-----
From: skyquest-telescopes@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:skyquest-telescopes@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of kenwolff55
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 9:29 AM
To: skyquest-telescopes@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [skyquest-telescopes] Galaxies



Hello group, I am trying to gain detail from galaxies using my XT10i..
So far all I see are fuzzy balls... Is this as good as it gets with
this size scope?? I am using a 300 dollar 13mm Orion Lantanium, my
best eye piece...

Ken





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Yep Ken
   Know you mean, the only things that help are 1) truly dark sky's 2) using
averted vision 3) move up to your highest power ep that will take the whole
thing in! other than that It just takes patience & hard study, when your eye
gets tired from really trying to tease out all the detail you need to take a
break, And then again thats why they call em faint fuzzy's! G'luck  Shawn




> Message du 02/06/08 17:28
> De : "kenwolff55"
> A : skyquest-telescopes@yahoogroups.com
> Copie à :
> Objet : [skyquest-telescopes] Galaxies
>
> > Hello group, I am trying to gain detail from galaxies using my XT10i..
> So far all I see are fuzzy balls... Is this as good as it gets with
> this size scope?? I am using a 300 dollar 13mm Orion Lantanium, my
> best eye piece...
>
> Ken
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

From: "kenwolff55" <ken@...>
> Hello group, I am trying to gain detail from galaxies using my XT10i..
> So far all I see are fuzzy balls...  Is this as good as it gets with
> this size scope??  I am using a 300 dollar 13mm Orion Lantanium,

Ken, the important thing is to observe from fairly dark skies. As John
mentioned, there are some galaxies such as M51(Whirlpool) and M104
(Sombrero) that show obvious detail. As for the rest of the faint fuzzies,
it's a matter of carefully looking for details. For instance, if the center
of the galaxy is slightly brighter, then you're seeing the central hub. If
one edge seems to be more sharply defined, that usually means there's an
absorption feature (dust cloud).  Also try to discern the apparent shape -
face-on, edge-on, or oblique. One thing that improves your powers of
observation is the practice of taking notes on each object observed,
describing exactly what you see in the eyepiece. There's a lot that you can
see in your scope - I recorded about 1000 objects with my old 10-inch
reflector.

Jack Kramer
Lily Lake, Illinois

I wonder if just placing, in addition to the existing pads, more pads, at the
locations
described would be advantageous?

Tom

--- In skyquest-telescopes@yahoogroups.com, "Jack & Lynn Kramer"
<llranch339@...> wrote:
>
> From: "kenwolff55" <ken@...>
> > Hello group, I am trying to gain detail from galaxies using my XT10i..
> > So far all I see are fuzzy balls...  Is this as good as it gets with
> > this size scope??  I am using a 300 dollar 13mm Orion Lantanium,
>

Ken,

I also have an XT10i and it's the most capable scope I've
ever owned.  (That goes back through a mess of 'em to
my first Tasco as a 10-yr-old, and an Edmund 6" F6).

It's sort of like setting up a race car, which I did in
my misspent youth.  ;^)  There's no one silver bullet that gives you
an advantage; rather it's a mess of small details that add up.

--Dark skies obviously help
--Getting dark-adapted as you *possibly* can, then carefully
guarding your vision.  If I'm looking at deep sky stuff I
even try to avoid bright stars in the FOV if at all possible
--Comfortable viewing position.  It's no fun if your body is
straining and shaking while you're trying to look through the EP!
--Try objects high in elevation (like M51) at first -- less atmosphere.
--Patience  :)  You'll find you're getting better at observing
without even knowing why for sure.

When things come together with this scope, the views are
astonishing.  The "whirl" in the Whirlpool Galaxy is subtle,
but it was one of the first things I saw after the scope
came last year.  You'll see the larger and smaller parts and,
on a good night, a hint of the interconnecting whorl.  I'd
never seen that live through an EP before and it was worth the
price of the scope -- I'll never forget that first view of M51.

This scope also gave me the first good views of the Veil
Nebula.  I think the break between the garden-variety 5" scope
and a 10" might be the most significant for amateurs.  These
relatively low-cost light-buckets have given us average Joes
a real shot at significant detail.  We thanks yuz, Mr. Dobson.

The globulars are terrific too.  I never get tired of looking at
M13!

--Mark Francis

--- In skyquest-telescopes@yahoogroups.com, "kenwolff55" <ken@...> wrote:
>
> Hello group, I am trying to gain detail from galaxies using my XT10i..
> So far all I see are fuzzy balls...  Is this as good as it gets with
> this size scope??  I am using a 300 dollar 13mm Orion Lantanium, my
> best eye piece...
>
> Ken
>
Hi Ken if you can see NGC 5128 from where you are try swinging your
scope to it, from a dark site definitely more than a fuzzy ball even
in my 4.5.
Brian

Hi folks,

I've been lurking for a couple of weeks, but this is my first post.
I have a recently purchased XT10i w/COL.  Optically, the scope is
living up to my expectations (especially when I get the collimation
right).  However, I've been having a heck of a time getting a low
warp factor.  The lowest I've obtained so far is about 5.0.  Most of
them are around 32, 47, 28, etc.  How in the world do I get it down
to +/-0.5 or lower (or even just below 1.0)?

More info:  I believe I've got the alt stop adjusted as well as I can
get it.  Using a 30" level on the top of the tube, it is within maybe
a quarter of a bubble of being level in all directions.  To get it
there, I had to remove all of the washers from behind the stop.  So
I'm not sure I can get it any closer.

I usually try to use a star (Spica, e.g.), that is at least 90
degrees away from Polaris, as my first alignment star.  Then I use
Polaris as my second.  I use a Telrad to get in the right vicinity,
then center the RACI crosshairs on the star, then go to my EP.  I use
the 25mm and defocus the star into a fuzzy donut to help get it
centered.  I've tried using the 10mm, but found it frustrating to get
the star in the FOV.

I've read some of the stuff regarding mod-ing the azimuth encoder.
But it seems most of these suggestions are aimed at getting warp
factors of near 0.  Shoot, if I could get it below 1, I'd be ecstatic!

Any and all help will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Skip

Hello Skip,
The single most important thing to do is getting the OTA set properly in the
base.

When I first set mine up I took a carpenters square and adjusted the stop bolt
to make the OTA perfectly 90 degs (to the base) when the scope is resting
against it. After I did this I get consistent warps 0.3 or better using a 12.5mm
eyepiece. The scope does not need to be perfectly level to achieve good warps.

A good tip when aligning is to sight in your first star, center it, then raise
the scope vertical. Select the star in the COL, quickly drop to the first star
and hit enter. Then move to the second star and you are done. The quicker you
can get the two stars centered, the lower your warps will be.

HTH and clear skies!
Dan


---- skip_orrell <skip_orrell@...> wrote:
> Hi folks,
>
> I've been lurking for a couple of weeks, but this is my first post.
> I have a recently purchased XT10i w/COL.  Optically, the scope is
> living up to my expectations (especially when I get the collimation
> right).  However, I've been having a heck of a time getting a low
> warp factor.  The lowest I've obtained so far is about 5.0.  Most of
> them are around 32, 47, 28, etc.  How in the world do I get it down
> to +/-0.5 or lower (or even just below 1.0)?
>
> More info:  I believe I've got the alt stop adjusted as well as I can
> get it.  Using a 30" level on the top of the tube, it is within maybe
> a quarter of a bubble of being level in all directions.  To get it
> there, I had to remove all of the washers from behind the stop.  So
> I'm not sure I can get it any closer.
>
> I usually try to use a star (Spica, e.g.), that is at least 90
> degrees away from Polaris, as my first alignment star.  Then I use
> Polaris as my second.  I use a Telrad to get in the right vicinity,
> then center the RACI crosshairs on the star, then go to my EP.  I use
> the 25mm and defocus the star into a fuzzy donut to help get it
> centered.  I've tried using the 10mm, but found it frustrating to get
> the star in the FOV.
>
> I've read some of the stuff regarding mod-ing the azimuth encoder.
> But it seems most of these suggestions are aimed at getting warp
> factors of near 0.  Shoot, if I could get it below 1, I'd be ecstatic!
>
> Any and all help will be appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Skip
>

First thing you want to do if you feel it's been leveled properly is do the
tests in the back of the manual to make sure the bolt ant the bottom is
correctly tightened and the side reader is ok (bent). I'll be the test show a
problem with bottom bolt tightness. You can also pick a 3rd object and hit
funtion button twice to get a better warp.
Bob



----- Original Message ----
From: skip_orrell <skip_orrell@...>
To: skyquest-telescopes@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, June 3, 2008 7:46:05 AM
Subject: [skyquest-telescopes] XT10i Alignment Problem


Hi folks,

I've been lurking for a couple of weeks, but this is my first post.
I have a recently purchased XT10i w/COL. Optically, the scope is
living up to my expectations (especially when I get the collimation
right). However, I've been having a heck of a time getting a low
warp factor. The lowest I've obtained so far is about 5.0. Most of
them are around 32, 47, 28, etc. How in the world do I get it down
to +/-0.5 or lower (or even just below 1.0)?

More info: I believe I've got the alt stop adjusted as well as I can
get it. Using a 30" level on the top of the tube, it is within maybe
a quarter of a bubble of being level in all directions. To get it
there, I had to remove all of the washers from behind the stop. So
I'm not sure I can get it any closer.

I usually try to use a star (Spica, e.g.), that is at least 90
degrees away from Polaris, as my first alignment star. Then I use
Polaris as my second. I use a Telrad to get in the right vicinity,
then center the RACI crosshairs on the star, then go to my EP. I use
the 25mm and defocus the star into a fuzzy donut to help get it
centered. I've tried using the 10mm, but found it frustrating to get
the star in the FOV.

I've read some of the stuff regarding mod-ing the azimuth encoder.
But it seems most of these suggestions are aimed at getting warp
factors of near 0. Shoot, if I could get it below 1, I'd be ecstatic!

Any and all help will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Skip






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi Skip,  I had the same problem and had to grind most of the plastic
off the stop to get the bubble perfect...  Make sure the base is on
level ground and test it with a level...  I also had a problem with the
alt hubs not being equal when measured from the bottom of the scope but
if you get the same readings with the level for 360 degrees its
probably not a problem...  Good Luck, I love my COL..

Ken

Hi, my name is Jeff and I live in Port Orchard Wa.  I've recently
purchased an Orion xt-10 dobsonian.  It came with some bonus upgrades
which included a 9 power RACI finder scope.  My starter scope had a
straight through finder scope that I mastered the "both eyes open
technique" to finding target stars.  Does anybody have an effective
techique in quickly homing in on target stars using these right angle
finders?

Jeff, I prefer a straight-through finder using the "two-eye method". Those
who have the RACI finders quite often have a 1x finder such as a Telrad
which gets them in the general area, from which they can more easily
navigate with the RACI. FYI the Orion finder bracket will accommodate other
50mm finders, so if you still have your old scope and it has a 50mm finder,
then you would probably be able to use it on the new XT10.

Jack Kramer
Lily Lake, Illinois

----- Original Message -----
From: "irwindvm" <irwindvm@...>
To: <skyquest-telescopes@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2008 1:29 PM
Subject: [skyquest-telescopes] Finder Scope tips


> Hi, my name is Jeff and I live in Port Orchard Wa.  I've recently
> purchased an Orion xt-10 dobsonian.  It came with some bonus upgrades
> which included a 9 power RACI finder scope.  My starter scope had a
> straight through finder scope that I mastered the "both eyes open
> technique" to finding target stars.  Does anybody have an effective
> techique in quickly homing in on target stars using these right angle
> finders?
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skyquest-telescopesYahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

> I've been lurking for a couple of weeks, but this is my first post.
> I have a recently purchased XT10i w/COL.  Optically, the scope is
> living up to my expectations (especially when I get the collimation
> right).  However, I've been having a heck of a time getting a low
> warp factor.  The lowest I've obtained so far is about 5.0.  Most of
> them are around 32, 47, 28, etc.  How in the world do I get it down
> to +/-0.5 or lower (or even just below 1.0)?

Based on the terrible warps you are getting I'd be willing to bet
money that your encoders are not working properly.  If you were just a
little bit off level, the numbers should still be close to 1.0.

During the daytime (when it's easier to work on the equipment) use the
encoder test functions found in the back of the manual to make sure
all the readings are within the correct range.  It's most likely the
tension on the base for your az encoding causing the problem.  This
corrected my initial problems.

John Wunderlin
Mineral Point, WI
XT10i

> Hi, my name is Jeff and I live in Port Orchard Wa.  I've recently
> purchased an Orion xt-10 dobsonian.  It came with some bonus upgrades
> which included a 9 power RACI finder scope.  My starter scope had a
> straight through finder scope that I mastered the "both eyes open
> technique" to finding target stars.  Does anybody have an effective
> techique in quickly homing in on target stars using these right angle
> finders?

Yes, keep both eyes open and purchase a Telrad ;)

John Wunderlin
Mineral Point, WI
XT10i

> The quicker you can get the two stars centered,
> the lower your warps will be.

I performed a test regarding this a couple of years ago.  I waited 5
minutes between the 1st and 2nd star alignment and received a .3 warp.
  Based on this, I never rush between the 2 stars, though now with
experience it only takes me a few seconds.

I'm wondering if anyone knows the definitive answer on this- does the
COL take into account elapsed time in making the calculation?  Mark? :)

John Wunderlin
Mineral Point, WI
XT10i

John,
That's a good point. I have always heard the quicker the better.
I'll try that next time I get out.

Clear skies.
Dan
---- johnwunderlin <johnw@...> wrote:
> > The quicker you can get the two stars centered,
> > the lower your warps will be.
>
> I performed a test regarding this a couple of years ago.  I waited 5
> minutes between the 1st and 2nd star alignment and received a .3 warp.
>  Based on this, I never rush between the 2 stars, though now with
> experience it only takes me a few seconds.
>
> I'm wondering if anyone knows the definitive answer on this- does the
> COL take into account elapsed time in making the calculation?  Mark? :)
>
> John Wunderlin
> Mineral Point, WI
> XT10i
>

One way to do it quicker is to bring the star out of
focus so it fills the FOV of your eyepiece (if you
don't have a retical eyepiece).  This way you don't
have to guess as to whether you've centered the star.

--- n8ie@... wrote:

> John,
> That's a good point. I have always heard the quicker
> the better.
> I'll try that next time I get out.
>
> Clear skies.
> Dan
> ---- johnwunderlin <johnw@...> wrote:
>
> > > The quicker you can get the two stars centered,
> > > the lower your warps will be.
> >
> > I performed a test regarding this a couple of
> years ago.  I waited 5
> > minutes between the 1st and 2nd star alignment and
> received a .3 warp.
> >  Based on this, I never rush between the 2 stars,
> though now with
> > experience it only takes me a few seconds.
> >
> > I'm wondering if anyone knows the definitive
> answer on this- does the
> > COL take into account elapsed time in making the
> calculation?  Mark? :)
> >
> > John Wunderlin
> > Mineral Point, WI
> > XT10i
> >
>
>

--- In skyquest-telescopes@yahoogroups.com, "johnwunderlin"
<johnw@...> wrote:
   How in the world do I get it down
> > to +/-0.5 or lower (or even just below 1.0)?
>
> Based on the terrible warps you are getting I'd be willing to bet
> money that your encoders are not working properly.  If you were just a
> little bit off level, the numbers should still be close to 1.0.
>
> During the daytime (when it's easier to work on the equipment) use the
> encoder test functions found in the back of the manual to make sure
> all the readings are within the correct range.  It's most likely the
> tension on the base for your az encoding causing the problem.  This
> corrected my initial problems.
>
> John Wunderlin
> Mineral Point, WI
> XT10i
>

***********

When I first got my XT10i it was obvious something was wrong even
before I got outside for the first time.
Turned out the azimuth encoder disk was slipping, no matter how
I fiddled with the tensioning. I finally roughened the Ground
Baseplate slightly where the encoder disc (J) contacted it, then
glued the disc down to the Baseplate with a couple small dabs of
epoxy.  Never failed to get warps below .5 after that; usually
they're .3 or below.  I even get an occasional 0.0.

BTW, it was obvious the disc was slipping -- I'd move the scope
in azimuth and the azimuth reading wouldn't change!  My slippage
problem was so bad I didn't need any any of the diagnostics to
see something was totally amok.  But they'll definitely help
you find a very subtle slipping problem.

Seems Orion could solve this by pre-drilling three small pilot holes
in the Ground Baseplate, drilling three corresponding holes in the
encoder disc
(with countersinking) and supplying three small woodscrews.  The
disc would be screwed down during assembly and there would be
no chance of it moving after that!

--Mark Francis
   Colorado

--- In skyquest-telescopes@yahoogroups.com, "Mark" <pal350@...> wrote:
>
> --- In skyquest-telescopes@yahoogroups.com, "johnwunderlin"
> <johnw@> wrote:
>   How in the world do I get it down
> > > to +/-0.5 or lower (or even just below 1.0)?
> >
> > Another way to keep the disk from slipping is to use a couple of
strips of double sided scotch tape on the bottom.

Dick

--- In skyquest-telescopes@yahoogroups.com, "Jack & Lynn Kramer"
<llranch339@...> wrote:
>
> Jeff, I prefer a straight-through finder using the "two-eye
method". Those
> who have the RACI finders quite often have a 1x finder such as a
Telrad
> which gets them in the general area, from which they can more
easily
> navigate with the RACI. FYI the Orion finder bracket will
accommodate other
> 50mm finders, so if you still have your old scope and it has a 50mm
finder,
> then you would probably be able to use it on the new XT10.
>
> Jack Kramer
> Lily Lake, Illinois
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "irwindvm" <irwindvm@...>
> To: <skyquest-telescopes@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2008 1:29 PM
> Subject: [skyquest-telescopes] Finder Scope tips
>
>
> > Hi, my name is Jeff and I live in Port Orchard Wa.  I've recently
> > purchased an Orion xt-10 dobsonian.  It came with some bonus
upgrades
> > which included a 9 power RACI finder scope.  My starter scope had
a
> > straight through finder scope that I mastered the "both eyes open
> > technique" to finding target stars.  Does anybody have an
effective
> > techique in quickly homing in on target stars using these right
angle
> > finders?
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------
> >
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skyquest-telescopesYahoo! Groups
Links
> >
> >Thanks for your input guys.  It sounds like a telrad is the
consensus answer to my problem.  In the meantime,  if I find an
effective way to quickly find target stars with the RACI finder I'll
comment on it.
> >
>

we have one of the older skyquest DOBS with the circular altitude
bearing that has the spring tensioner on it. Has anyone been able to
figure out how to attach the encoders on this kind of scope?

thanks

I recently had an issue with out of spec readings during the encoder
test on my 8 XTi. I tracked it down to a bent az encoder disk. This
was replaced and the readings are better now but on the high side. 93
to 119.  (125 is the top range recommended).

I also get readings above the recommended max of F3 on the first pair
of numbers on the second line during the encoder test. Mine maxes at
F8 at one point in the az rotation.

All of the above seems to indicate that the az encoder disk and the
az encoder board are too close together. ( Confirmed in a
conversation with Orion Tech Support.)

My question is what is the best way to increase the gap between the
az encoder disk and the az encoder board to get lower readings? Where
would be the best place to put a washer or two?

Can I remove the rubber feet and the bearing pads from the bottom
base plate and put a washer under the bearing pad then reattach the
rubber feet and pads? How are the az bearing pads attached? Are they
easily removable?

Any other ideas?

Thanks,   Dick.