Chuck, It is pretty much a height issue, my 6 inch f5 works well but I designed it for standing because that was the comfortable position that required little bending or stooping for many years. I bought a chair that matches my needs and that puts me in a standing position, the trade off was less off trail access. The f5 does make it so the eyepiece height is never very near the ground and little variability and it's on a pier now so tripod legs are not an issue. Refractors with a diagonal allow different viewing positions as well, in relation to the tripod. The Grim works well for me, but a have found one telescope position that does not work when the eyepiece can only be in one position, straight up. I do encourage people with my type of chair to come out to SPOC. The ADA scope was pretty well designed, but generally refractors work better for me than reflectors. Kudos to Kim Hyatt and Bruce for always setting it up. Comfort of eyepiece position has always been paramount to me and generally that means designing and building your own.
I went to Winchester after a dog walk, I did not realize there was no sidewalk or ramp anywhere there. I look through a scope with a G-11 mount, which is the same mount I own. The biggest problem is they over water (its always city, state, and county governments that don't practice water conservation) so the ground a little too soft and if someone sets up on the last flat space next to the parkway it leaves a side hill I am nervous about, anyway its hardly ADA compatible, really. I have been on most of the parkway form 13800 south to 3900 south, there are other good places for a Sun Party with better access. Seems they are more for the people setting up their scopes than the public. Anywhere on the parkway you will get the same passerby's. From the parking lot you cannot see that scopes are set up either, the parked cars hide them. I would also think your f 10 may be better for solar applications. F10 makes the height much more variable. Take the Andy for example it ranges from a tall ladder to a step stool. Other than the obvious, the problem with ladders becomes foot fatigue and pain, unless you have some sort of platform. The problem with platforms is they rarely are adjustable to multiple heights unless they are very big. My feet would ache after a night on the 20 inch. I am not going to get into a modern vs old tech refractors, but there are very good computer designed APO's out there that are f7 that don't have the problems long tube refractors have. I have never had a problem resolving doubles with my 6 inch f5 Jaegers. On 9/20/11, erikhansen@thebluezone.net <erikhansen@thebluezone.net> wrote:
To begin with when I am at SPOC I am usually occupied operating the Grim. Be careful evaluating what you think is accessible, I find few people have a clue. Evaluating it based on Deloy would also be a mistake, his seated position is very different than mine. Manual wheelchairs are much less hampered by curbs (and set much lower) than powerchairs, I would say if you think Winchester Park is disabled friendly you are mistaken.
Erik, I'd really like your help when I make the 6" f/10 refractor on a Gerrish mount. It could be the perfect ADA scope for chair-bound users, without resorting to a video feed to a screen.
FWIW, when I was at Winchester, I set up on the pavement adjacent to the grass. The luck of the draw, as I was the last one to arrive with optical gear. If I know in advance that you are coming, I will continue to set up on the pavement. The view is still over grass so the imagery didn't suffer at all.
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