To each his own, I say. If you want to do as I have for the past 20 years or so, head on out to the wilds with your gear, well, "just go do it". Nobody's stopping or criticizing you. Don't worry about those who may decide to band together in the effort to do it in a little more organized and comfortable way -- you'll never see them. But it is not valid to criticize them for trying a different approach. The answer to Dan's question about security from what is: from theft. If we had a secure location like the building at the communications tower site we've been talking about, we would feel safer about leaving valuable equipment there. That way, we would not have to pack up every time we wanted to observe from that location. But if you think you can leave a telescope or laptop in some shack in the wilderness and expect to use them the next time you head out, good luck. Even if 99 percent of the ORV users who drive through are "the nicest, most helpful, and courteous people anywhere," you can't possibly believe that 100 percent are. A power line is desirable because more and more, CCD cameras are the way to do astrophography and you need a computer hookup to do it right. Computer batteries run out pretty quickly. It's better to plug your computer into a power line if one's available. I have an inverter that runs off my car battery, but it's a pain in the butt and for all I know, some long night it could drain the battery. -- Thanks, Joe
4. Some say they want ìsecurityî. I would ask ìfrom whatî. The crime is in the cities not out in the wilderness. Out there you will find the nicest, most helpful, and courteous people anywhere. They will gladly risk getting stuck in the mud to help a total stranger get unstuck
The best investment for dark skies is a tank of gasoline and drive to the boonies.
Just go do it.
Daniel Turner