Comparing a Quark with another solar scope "solution"

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SimonM
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Comparing a Quark with another solar scope "solution"

Post by SimonM »

As some of you know I recently dipped my toe into the solar space, with the purchase of a Quark.

It hasn't quite worked out as I hoped they would. I have a PSU that gives a mild electric "buzz" shock and a Quark that transmits this to my hand and/or cheek. I also have a line show up smack in the middle when looking through the Quark without an EP. I do this to center both the Quark and for WL, so the "problem" doesn't go away (for me).

I'm still waiting for Simon at the Wide-screen Center to get it sorted. As others have said, I should be looking to get it replaced/refunded. To be fair, he has forwarded my complaints and pictures to Jen at Daystar and they seem to be a little slow to respond.

I have twice said to Simon that my entry into the solar market was going to be (only) through a Quark, as I had considered the other routes a bit too expensive e.g. a Lunt or SolarMax scope. The problem is that I get hooked on doing something and then I look for better (usually more expensive) solutions.

My reasons for starting with a Quark were to get another view on the sun and with white spot activity being at a low it was tempting to look at h-alpha. I do like the simplicity of WL observing - use the wedge, align the scope and you have a while sun disc and (for the moment) some sunspots to look at. Brilliantly clear, clean, and crisp. I'm using the Baader Wedge which includes a Solar Continuum (green) filter, my smallest 5mm EP with a polarising filter, and UV/IR blocking filter. 8mm gives some room around the disc and something bigger just for centering. The Quark only gives a partial view in comparison.

Aside from the "buzz" and shocks, the operation of the Quark is simple enough. I'm using the default "up" position on the control and it seems to "work" - with just a few issues as noted. Switching to other settings will take a minimum of 6 minutes for the light to again turn green. At the moment sky conditions change quite rapidly, so varying the setup and waiting isn't always an option. My best guess is that if the setting isn't optimal, then you arrive at what is better and then stick to that.

So the setup is quite quick and varying the operation isn't immediate but will be relatively static. It takes me a few minutes to arrange my mount, align it north and adjust the legs, and then GOTO the sun - which always seems to be a bit off. I adjust the mount manually and also the PAE settings and it then tracks perfectly for WL - at which point I cap the scope, swing away from the sun, and switch to the Quark. I was considering making a solar finder or getting one to bypass the WL setup, but since I like looking at WL that's not been a priority.

So, I revisit what I wanted. The Quark gives a detailed view. In fact, with my 550mm scope, there isn't going to be a full disc. That's one up to the WL and probably a solar scope too.

For some reason, I keep looking at the Lunt 60 scope with a 1200 blocking filter. Would that be comparable to the results I will eventually get with the Quark? What are the pros and cons (cost aside)? I have noticed that many Lunt owners also list a Quark but they don't seem to be using it quite so often and also a preference for double stacking. I can see that in time I might add a DS unit. My original budget of about £1,100 is starting to creep up...

I do hope that Simon gets the Quark issues resolved. I have been updating about my problems as soon as they surface - within hours of getting some sunshine and within the first week of ownership. Realistically, it's not "my problem" to resolve. It's also why we don't just buy direct and bypass dealers.

I did read of the difficulties of getting a good Quark. With Simon's encouragement, I think this is a good solution (with just a few limitations). Am I kidding myself that the result will be equal to a dedicated scope?

I mentioned getting it replaced or refunded. The idea of keeping the current unit doesn't seem a good one. At some point, I will want to trade up to a better solar setup and it's not in my mantra to sell on something I know to have issues. I can't imagine selling a camera lens with a known defect (and a clear conscience) - you just don't say 'it's defective but probably good enough for what you need" unless you're giving it away.

My initial reservations about the Lunt scopes were their simple optics - I now realize that having an APO scope isn't a priority at one h-alpha wavelength. I wasn't sure about the blue filters that are prone to turn opaque. I since learned that they cost in the region of 8 dollars to replace and Bresser has good customer service and tends to replace them for free anyway. The pressure tuners have sometimes been criticized for leaking - but that is usually resolved by using the correct O-rings and lubricant. In comparison to the Quark, anything mechanical seems a welcome solution.

Any guidance for the "affected" Quark owner?

Simon


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Re: Comparing a Quark with another solar scope "solution"

Post by Montana »

If I were you I would just buy a Coronado PST, nice and cheap, 5 seconds to set up and just go with it, learn to view Halpha with it. Everyone forgets the humble PST for some reason.

It was the first scope I bought and it is always the first scope of choice when solar observing. I own loads of fancy stuff but the PST just keeps performing. Simple, easy and thoroughly reliable. You can't go wrong really until they age 10 years.

Alexandra


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Re: Comparing a Quark with another solar scope "solution"

Post by marktownley »

Hi Simon,

Whether the Quark gives a result as good as a dedicated solar scope really does depend on the Quark lottery, get a good one then yes, but, there are plenty that are not, as you know!

Can you get Simon @ WS to send you a replacement to see how you get on with it? Post yours back and let him deal with it.

Alexandras PST shout is a great way to cut your teeth at Ha and will get used regularly for years. DS etalons come up on EBay quite often.

Have you seen the double stacked SM40 solardave is selling in the buy and sell on here? Lots of images from it on the forum and gives excellent results.

Mark


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Re: Comparing a Quark with another solar scope "solution"

Post by SimonM »

Montana wrote: Mon Jan 25, 2021 1:34 pm If I were you I would just buy a Coronado PST, nice and cheap, 5 seconds to set up and just go with it, learn to view Halpha with it. Everyone forgets the humble PST for some reason.

It was the first scope I bought and it is always the first scope of choice when solar observing. I own loads of fancy stuff but the PST just keeps performing. Simple, easy, and thoroughly reliable. You can't go wrong really until they age 10 years.
I think I had a bit of "aperture fever" and thought that the Quark + 100mm F5.5 scope would provide more resolution. Simon at the Widescreen Centre was happy enough to endorse the product over the Coronado PST.

The setup time for the Quark is effectively zero because I also have to align my mount to the north, add the scope and "find" the Sun with the WL Wedge and use PAE adjustment or manual movement to set up the GOTO alignment. At that point, the Quark is already up to temperature. What might take the time is changing the band to go higher or lower. Perhaps this is a one-off adjustment that maybe confirms that +2 (or -2) is the best setting to always use?

My scope focuses at 0.5cm (0 - 8cm range) with the Baader Wedge and my 1.25" EPs. The Wedge is only 2mm longer pathlength than a regular Baader diagonal and about 5mm longer than the supplied SkyWatcher diagonal. I'm also using a Baader ClickLock 1.25" reducer and the EPs with a 1.25" barrel. I can't use the 2" barrels because of the additional polarising and UV/IR cut filter for WL after the Wedge. So I lose about 2.5cm switching to 1.25" barrels and a 1.25" reducer overusing the EP as 2" barrels.

With the Quark, I can use it directly in the 2" SW diagonal and the focus point is at 4cm (about halfway). Switching to my guide camera the focus point is almost unchanged. So Quark is more accomodating for finding focus over WL. I deliberately don't use my Baader diagonal because it has an unspecified UV/IR cut, a longer path length and I purposefully use the Astronomik L1 UV/IR cut filter. It would also make focusing a bit tight.

Simon


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Re: Comparing a Quark with another solar scope "solution"

Post by SimonM »

Duplicate (pre)post.
Last edited by SimonM on Tue Jan 26, 2021 5:44 pm, edited 3 times in total.


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Re: Comparing a Quark with another solar scope "solution"

Post by SimonM »

marktownley wrote: Mon Jan 25, 2021 2:44 pm Hi Simon,

Whether the Quark gives a result as good as a dedicated solar scope really does depend on the Quark lottery, get a good one then yes, but, there are plenty that are not, as you know!

Can you get Simon @ WS to send you a replacement to see how you get on with it? Post yours back and let him deal with it.

Alexandras PST shout is a great way to cut your teeth at Ha and will get used regularly for years. DS etalons come up on EBay quite often.

Have you seen the double stacked SM40 solardave is selling in the buy and sell on here? Lots of images from it on the forum and gives excellent results.

Mark
Over the weekend I tried to get a picture of the Quark without an EP but backlit with the Sun. I had to give up using a phone and revert to using my DSLR with a macro lens today.
DSC_0118_small.jpg
DSC_0118_small.jpg (919.57 KiB) Viewed 1089 times
The issue I have are that:

1. I wouldn't purchase a camera lens in a shop without looking through it and confirming that it is "clean";
2. If I wanted to trade up to a better solar "solution" then I would have trouble selling the Quark on, knowing that it has such a defect;
3. The electricity "buzz" isn't going to kill me, but it is pretty annoying too.

I suspect Simon at the Widescreen Centre also doesn't want to be stuck with my "reject"!

The line is on the inside of the Etalon, so it is hard to spot without actually using the product. Daystar Filters has a sophisticated scanner that seems to characterize the product and then rely on a go/no go test. My guess is that the better products go into the more expensive products and there isn't much that isn't recycled into at least one of the products.

I have been trying to get a video out of the Quark to post. It may seem sunny outside but there are precious few times e.g. today when either the clouds are "away with the fairies" or the treeline required me to relocate my equipment. I've got the "move" down to about 5 minutes.

The impression I get is that the WL is a very strong and detailed image but the view through the Quark is a little too soft. Perhaps I have to try some of the other settings - which takes a while, whilst waiting for clearer skies. Folks here, make it look easy!

There is always tomorrow's sun...

Alexandra has suggested a PST, in a weaker moment (confession #1) I have been looking (with envy) at some of the Lunt Solar scopes.

It would be good to get an opinion of how a "good and fully functioning Quark" (do they really exist) with my scope (at the full 100mm aperture or stopped down to 80mm) can be compared to a dedicated solar scope.

I have also been (confession #2) been "eyeing up" the Sky-Watcher SolarQuest Solar Go-To/Tracking Mount & Tripod. My SW EQ6-R Pro is very stable, but a bit heavy to lug about the garden chasing the sun.

Simon


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Re: Comparing a Quark with another solar scope "solution"

Post by marktownley »

SimonM wrote: Mon Jan 25, 2021 9:09 pm
I do call Simon most days to see how he is getting on talking to Jen at Daystar Filters. It does seem to take a while... :mad:
Sadly hearing this, being one of many Quark complaints from far too many people, it will take ages and ages for Daystar to get back to the retailer, and, if they do they will just claim it is within tolerance for the Quarks.

There's no magic rub (or Daystar will suggest) you can do to stop it buzzing and putting out 85v ac - it's trashed! If there's nothing on any external faces that is debris there is nothing you can do (short of voiding your warranty) to even attempt to remove said 'line' - it's trashed! The picture confirms it.

Stop waiting for a reply from Daystar, they're just burning up the time left on your statutory returns period. Return it and either get a replacement or a refund, but please don't delay any longer doing it. Don't be talked into 'hanging on' a bit longer for a Daystar reply. It's just a case of being assertive with the retailer and telling them how things are going to go forward.


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Re: Comparing a Quark with another solar scope "solution"

Post by SimonM »

I have arranged to send it back for a refund.


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Re: Comparing a Quark with another solar scope "solution"

Post by marktownley »

I think you've made the right choice there


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