Pier-14 Potential Upgrade - We Have 2 Options

Hi Steve, 

Excellent. Just one thing, would early autumn be too soon and out of the question?

Cheers, 

Ray 

Hi Steve, 

Excellent. Just one thing, would early autumn be too soon and out of the question?

Cheers, 

Ray 

That would come down to three things Ray :)

1, members wanting to do the swap

2, Members wanting it swapped this year

3, Pete getting it ready in time for when we are there in September

Steve

Looks like a beast!  

I have amended the original post to include both options :)

Epsilon works for me!

Hi Steve,

I am afraid I am making things more complicated by voting for the RH200 (I assume it is the newer AT version).

I look for diversity of equipment, and I am already a member of Pier 5 and using a Tak Epsilon.

I would be really excited to get some results from a Riccardo-Honders scope of such an advanced design. Images published on the web show really excellent results, even with quite short exposures. I see it as something like a RASA in FL and light-gathering power, but with the advantage of being able to use a full suite of filters.

I would be very happy to wait until spring 2024 to get access to such a juicy piece of kit!

old_eyes

I honestly am happy either way as I am not invested in Pier 5!  However, What would be better is a cloud dispersal system and air dehydrator just to the west of Fregenal de la Sierra! 

I honestly am happy either way as I am not invested in Pier 5!  However, What would be better is a cloud dispersal system and air dehydrator just to the west of Fregenal de la Sierra! 

 for the jobI have a very strong hair dryer but alas I doubt its man enough :)

Dear Steve, 

I think the hair dryer must belong to the missus, I really cannot believe you'd have much need for one, as what little hair you still have ought to dry naturally in a matter of minutes. Strange to think that when I joined Roboscopes you had a full head of hair. :) 

Richard no need to apologise as I was the first to complicate the matter by selecting this option and in agreement with your thoughts. There was one of these scopes fitted with a FLI ML-8300 camera at this location around 2018, set up by someone called Patrick Gilliland called 'Image The Universe' (ITU). You can find example images on Astrobin and more info on Stargazers Lounge and Facebook. It sounds though that you've already found some good image examples.

Poor Steve now has a problem as when I last looked it was 4 - 4.

Cheers, 

Ray 

Not a problem for me really Ray and the hair dryer if for my wig on 70's glam rock evenings:)

The only fly in the ointment is I have a Roboscopes member who wants to Join Pier-14 and donate his setup as his contribution to the syndicate, he is already a member of Pier-3 syndicate but is not using his E-130 at home in the UK because of the same problem we all have with crap skies and weather. He made the offer a few days ago and I thought I would add the option is all

His setup is obviously the E-130 I have mentioned

So we can welcome a new member to the group and upgrade to a much better scope than we have fitted now

or

Stay as we are and upgrade in the spring to the OS R200, it will take Pete at least 6/8 months to build it and sort it, as its not a nice scope to work on!

Now whilst I am not bothered what equipment we use as long as you lot are happy and getting what you want from the syndicate, I am bothered about growing the syndicates from a business perspective as the more members we get processing images the more people will see and perhaps join :)

The choice as they say is yours :)

Steve

Morning all

The main reason we offered the scope upgrade was because of the FSQ's less than stellar corner performance with small pixels cameras, we were hoping the upgrade would give all members a better experience on single subs as well as multi pane mosaics.

As it stands this morning, apart from my vote, this is a 50/50 split which leaves us with a difficult decision which could leave some members unhappy with the outcome!

How about this as a potential solution to keep all members happy?

In June, we install the Epsilon E-130 which will take or through the summer into Spring. Once Pete gets the R200 built, we will ask the same question again and if members wish to still swap over to the R200 then we will do so.

I must admit, I am rather hoping the Epsilons awesomeness wins you over in the meantime  :)

Steve

Morning all

The main reason we offered the scope upgrade was because of the FSQ's less than stellar corner performance with small pixels cameras, we were hoping the upgrade would give all members a better experience on single subs as well as multi pane mosaics.

As it stands this morning, apart from my vote, this is a 50/50 split which leaves us with a difficult decision which could leave some members unhappy with the outcome!

How about this as a potential solution to keep all members happy?

In June, we install the Epsilon E-130 which will take or through the summer into Spring. Once Pete gets the R200 built, we will ask the same question again and if members wish to still swap over to the R200 then we will do so.

I must admit, I am rather hoping the Epsilons awesomeness wins you over in the meantime  :)

Steve

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Steve,

that sounds like a good solution to me.

CS

Darius

Hello all

This poll is to some extent my fault so my apologise! I was building a brand new Tak Epsilon rig and as the (tens of) thousands of pounds started to add up I did start to wonder whether the 5 clear nights a year I can use it were good value!

I messaged Steve asking about whether or not I could host it in Spain and what that would entail. Steve said that he very likely wanted to swap the FSQ out and that if I didn't mind providing the equipment free of charge I could be a member of a pier. In its own right, I really like the idea of being part of syndicate so that was appealing.

In any event I wanted to think about it as it all moved quite quickly and it would mean I wouldn't even get a single day to play with it in the UK.

In between buying the kit and deciding on Spain, Steve offered up the R200 to the syndicate. A day later, unknowing of his offer, I said I'd like to go ahead with Spain. So here we are!

The E130 I have has hand-picked filters by Gerd Neuman himself to perfectly match the Episilon. On top of that, I paid for a 6200 to allow us to psuedo-rotate by cropping out a 2600 frame at various angles. The Epsilon is such a perfect match for CMOS cameras it is patently ridiculous, I don't think there's a better match out there.

When availability improves and my bank account recovers I do intend to swap the 130 for a 160, arguably the literal best scope there is for modern CMOS cameras. While I can't promise when that would be, it will happen.

So I am very sorry for the spanner I have thrown in the works. However, I want to be absolutely clear that I never intended to cause such a split and at the time it was supposed to be a great upgrade for all. My offer to supply and share the equipment absolutely stands if you'll have it.

Cheers

Pete

1,600 × 1,360

Hi, 

After having read Pete's post #6221 and seen what will be on offer as a quick replacement to the Fsq106 and the prospect of the RH200 a year or so later, I've switched my vote to the Epsilon. Really getting fed up with those stars from the FSQ106 despite going from a 6200 to the 2600 camera.

What I especially like is Pete's choice of the 6200. I would likely have suggested that a 2600 would have been a better choice, but it makes a lot of sense to have the option to crop out that size of image and allow for some rotation. :) With the crop I'm certain that the stars will be a huge improvement on now. Some matched filters as well, what is there not to like? :)

Cheers,

Ray 

Morning all

The main reason we offered the scope upgrade was because of the FSQ's less than stellar corner performance with small pixels cameras, we were hoping the upgrade would give all members a better experience on single subs as well as multi pane mosaics.

As it stands this morning, apart from my vote, this is a 50/50 split which leaves us with a difficult decision which could leave some members unhappy with the outcome!

How about this as a potential solution to keep all members happy?

In June, we install the Epsilon E-130 which will take or through the summer into Spring. Once Pete gets the R200 built, we will ask the same question again and if members wish to still swap over to the R200 then we will do so.

I must admit, I am rather hoping the Epsilons awesomeness wins you over in the meantime  :)

Steve

 

 

 

 

 

I am OK with this solution.

Dear Pete,

Thank you for the very generous offer to contribute your rig. It would be churlish to complain. As I said, my reason for voting for the RH200 is that I am already using the Epsilon 160 on Pier 5, and I have always been impressed by the capability of the RH200 (a scope I am never likely to get at home, not only because of cost, but its notorious sensitivity to correct setup).

I think Steve's suggestion is a good way forward as the RH200 will not be available for quite a while.

Is the plan now for the  RH200 be installed next year or be on a new pier? I am about to add Pier 14 to my memberships and just really curious to about the RH200.

Hello Daniel,
It's a little further up in the chat. Steve wanted to start a new poll when the time came.

CS
Darius

Is the plan now for the  RH200 be installed next year or be on a new pier? I am about to add Pier 14 to my memberships and just really curious to about the RH200.

Hello Daniel,
It's a little further up in the chat. Steve wanted to start a new poll when the time came.

 

CS
Darius

When availability improves and my bank account recovers I do intend to swap the 130 for a 160, arguably the literal best scope there is for modern CMOS cameras. While I can't promise when that would be, it will happen.

 

Morning all

At present we are still getting all the parts together to begin the RH200 rebuild, so no it has not even begun yet.. Peter Shah is still not looking forward to this, so he keeps telling me LOL

However, putting the RH200 upgrade debate to one side for the moment!

If you remember at the time of installing Peter Tuson's E-130 he promised to order a Epsilon 160ED to replace the scope as soon as he had spare funds. Pete obviously being much wealthier than the rest of us, this came sooner rather than later

So the 160 arrives next week as it happens, I doubt we will get a chance to swap on the Trip this September but we will be dropping the Telescope to Spain so as soon as the current great season of weather comes to an end in November we can look at performing the upgrade.

In my opinion the Tak-160ed will be a fantastic upgrade for Pier-14 sor the following reasons

• it will suit the 6200 sensor much better giving a better FOV making it a well rounded system throughout the year
• It will increase the resolution
• The E-160 has the smallest spot size across the field of any astrograph at 3um so it truly will use these new CMOS 3.76um tiny pixels to their full potential

Steve

 

I've just seen your message you cheeky bar steward! You know full well that 160 went on a bloody credit card!!!!!!!