I was using my SM40 DS unit on my 80mm frac yesterday - seemed to be working normally.
Got it out this morning to do some more imaging and it seems to have broken.
Symptoms include focus as one edge of the sun, but fuzzy at the other. Tuning seems non existent, no difference throughout the range of movement. If I waggle/rock the tuning ring I can get multiple reflection artefacts. Looks like I might have the dreaded decontacted etalon. Is there any definitive test and more importantly is there somewhere I can send it ( preferably in UK ) to get it repaired ?
Thanks,
David
SM40 DS unit problem - help and advice required
- DJD
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 1455
- Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2012 7:27 am
- Location: Rochdale, UK
- Has thanked: 42 times
- Been thanked: 133 times
- Contact:
SM40 DS unit problem - help and advice required
Making the possible difficult and the difficult impossible.
Photos : https://www.flickr.com/photos/daviddench/albums/
Photos : https://www.flickr.com/photos/daviddench/albums/
- Montana
- Librarian
- Posts: 34769
- Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2011 5:25 pm
- Location: Cheshire, UK
- Has thanked: 18105 times
- Been thanked: 8941 times
Re: SM40 DS unit problem - help and advice required
Not at all what you want when we finally get a sunny day
It doesn't sound too good, but perhaps someone might know for sure.
Alexandra
It doesn't sound too good, but perhaps someone might know for sure.
Alexandra
- DJD
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 1455
- Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2012 7:27 am
- Location: Rochdale, UK
- Has thanked: 42 times
- Been thanked: 133 times
- Contact:
Re: SM40 DS unit problem - help and advice required
Alexandra,
The air was bluer than the sky :-)
The air was bluer than the sky :-)
Making the possible difficult and the difficult impossible.
Photos : https://www.flickr.com/photos/daviddench/albums/
Photos : https://www.flickr.com/photos/daviddench/albums/
- marktownley
- Librarian
- Posts: 42639
- Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2011 5:27 pm
- Location: Brierley Hills, UK
- Has thanked: 20948 times
- Been thanked: 10588 times
- Contact:
Re: SM40 DS unit problem - help and advice required
take some pics (of the sun) and post them...
http://brierleyhillsolar.blogspot.co.uk/
Solar images, a collection of all the most up to date live solar data on the web, imaging & processing tutorials - please take a look!
- swisswalter
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 17948
- Joined: Thu Feb 06, 2014 4:28 am
- Location: Switzerland
- Been thanked: 1 time
- Contact:
Re: SM40 DS unit problem - help and advice required
Hi David
sorry to hear that. I'm 99.99% sure it is decontact from the information you gave us.
Send it over to Oliver (beloptik)
sorry to hear that. I'm 99.99% sure it is decontact from the information you gave us.
Send it over to Oliver (beloptik)
Only stardust in the wind, some fine and some less fine scopes, filters and adapters as well. Switzerland 47 N, 9 E, in the heart of EUROPE
from 7 am - 7 pm http://www.nanosys.ch
from 7.01 pm - 6.59 am http://www.wastronomiko.com some times vice versa
from 7 am - 7 pm http://www.nanosys.ch
from 7.01 pm - 6.59 am http://www.wastronomiko.com some times vice versa
- DJD
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 1455
- Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2012 7:27 am
- Location: Rochdale, UK
- Has thanked: 42 times
- Been thanked: 133 times
- Contact:
Re: SM40 DS unit problem - help and advice required
Thanks everyone. I will contact Oliver to get some prices, thank you Walter.
David
David
Making the possible difficult and the difficult impossible.
Photos : https://www.flickr.com/photos/daviddench/albums/
Photos : https://www.flickr.com/photos/daviddench/albums/
- DJD
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 1455
- Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2012 7:27 am
- Location: Rochdale, UK
- Has thanked: 42 times
- Been thanked: 133 times
- Contact:
Re: SM40 DS unit problem - help and advice required
Just a quick update for anyone interested. The SM40 unit has been sent away for repair. It is definitely a decontacted etalon. Next question is why this has happened. I am quite sure it was not subject to any heavy trauma between it was working and not working, just stored overnight in its padded travel case.
As it is the front mounted double stack unit, I would not have thought thermal shock was the cause. It is not a new unit, could it just be an age effect , making them more vulnerable ? Any expert opinions ?
Best wishes,
David
As it is the front mounted double stack unit, I would not have thought thermal shock was the cause. It is not a new unit, could it just be an age effect , making them more vulnerable ? Any expert opinions ?
Best wishes,
David
Making the possible difficult and the difficult impossible.
Photos : https://www.flickr.com/photos/daviddench/albums/
Photos : https://www.flickr.com/photos/daviddench/albums/
- swisswalter
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 17948
- Joined: Thu Feb 06, 2014 4:28 am
- Location: Switzerland
- Been thanked: 1 time
- Contact:
Re: SM40 DS unit problem - help and advice required
Hi David
I once sent in an Etalon for recontacting. During the travel back to me, it decontacted again. There seems to be different qualities contacting an etalon
I once sent in an Etalon for recontacting. During the travel back to me, it decontacted again. There seems to be different qualities contacting an etalon
Only stardust in the wind, some fine and some less fine scopes, filters and adapters as well. Switzerland 47 N, 9 E, in the heart of EUROPE
from 7 am - 7 pm http://www.nanosys.ch
from 7.01 pm - 6.59 am http://www.wastronomiko.com some times vice versa
from 7 am - 7 pm http://www.nanosys.ch
from 7.01 pm - 6.59 am http://www.wastronomiko.com some times vice versa