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EMS 5 star party - Disscusion Thread.


Daz Type-R

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Lots of alcohol for those cloudy nights ?

 

On a positive note warm clothes, heater, and a chair to sit on while drinking your beer.

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On 09/06/2019 at 22:29, bryand said:

Some folks have been concerned about getting large RVs and caravans up to the site.  The best route isn't the most obvious:

If you're coming up the A396 from Tiverton and the M5, don't turn off for Dulverton or for Winsford, but continue on the A396 and take the B3224 heading for Simonsbath.
When you get to Exford, note the White Horse pub just before the bridge over the Exe (decent bar meals).  Continue toward Simonsbath about a mile and then turn left towards Dulverton.
This takes you over Winsford Hill, heading Eastward to approach the campsite from above, along wide and not very windy roads.

 

Hope that helps,

Bryan

Agree , thanks for the heads up Bryan. Do we have to bake the cake, or is shop-bought good enough??

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12 hours ago, Derbyshire Dave said:

Do we have to bake the cake, or is shop-bought good enough??

All forms of cake are accepted.?

Edited by tuckstar
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Lots of cake talk. What if you don't like cake (or your figure at least) ? ;)

Bring extra beer I guess?

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10 hours ago, BAZ said:

Cornish Pasties, a meat and vegetable cake........sort of. ?

Meat in a pastie ? you are going back a bit arn't you

 

Edited by Ibbo
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Just as a matter of interest, how many scopes are people taking ??

 

I would ideally like to take a Dob and a refractor / mount, but logistically i'm not sure if there will be room. (i'll be in a camper van with limited space)

And theres bound to be the situation where i wish i'd got the Dob for deep sky views if i don't bring it.

 

Maybe just a refractor will suffice, i don't know...

I had planned to dabble in a bit of imaging, but as its my first 'Star camp' maybe i should just break myself in and stick to 'easy visual' this time around.

 

What do you think ? 

I am a novice where camping is concerned.

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If it's anything like the last one we'll be stood around Pete's dob as he rattles through the catalogues. I spent more time looking through his scope than mine that weekend. And that was a big influence on my eyepiece choice. But that's what star parties are all about. 

 

Just bring what ever you have room for. Some just set an image rig up and, when their not swearing at it, leave it running while they go looking through the visual guys scopes. I spend most nights flitting between my own scope and then other people's. 

 

I used to take my little frac to kelling, but just didn't use it, so I just take the dob.

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Unless you are well versed with setting up an imaging rig without getting gremlins, then make things as easy as possible for yourself Rob. It's the road to pain trying to sort out a rig and get it running sweet without much cussin'. The Golden Rule of imaging is; If it can go wrong, it will! ?

Take your Dob and enjoy the views a dark site can offer, particularly as the camping lark is a novelty as well. 

 

Just my personal view mate.

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Thankyou.

 

There was also a minor concern with me getting the Dob through the camper van door ! ?

Now i've seen the van, there's no issues. (Had it been a 14" or 16" solidtube i'd have struggled, but my 12" is ok.)

 

As there will be no Lunar or Planetary viewing to enjoy (New moon on 28 Oct, Jupiter & Saturn, Mars not visible, Venus at Inferior Conjunction on the 26th)

it my make more sense to leave the refractor / mount / tripod, batteries, dew gear etc behind and just enjoy the deep sky views with the dob ?

This would make a lot of extra room in the van for my food and beer.....

 

Perhaps i should look at getting a little tracker and use it for some wide field DSLR shots...?

 

I will have a chat with Doc and see what he thinks.....

 

Here it the campervan we have hired for the EMS Star party.....

 

http://www.derbyshire-motorhome-hire.co.uk/bella.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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What I have done on all my star parties is leave my gear set up outside the tent all weekend just put them under a very good weatherproof cover that way the caravan is free from clutter. Only thing I used to bring into the tent was my eyepieces at the end of the night.

 

I haven't got a dob now so will bring both my refractors as they don't take up to much room. Maybe you should bring your dob Rob, because the whole point of a dark site star party is to go and track those fuzzies down. We will share your dob and my triplet, best of both worlds.

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  • 2 months later...

I can only echo Andy's advice of taking warm clothing, I have done a star party where it was supposed to be "warm weather" and it got down to -4°C. I didn't take my warm gear as I thought I would be warm enough, not when there is ice on the inside of  tent! 

I take a King sized 13.5 tog duvet too, I wrap the scope in it for transport and then can use it as extra bedding if needed.

Good water proof boots are a must to keep your feet warm and dry, even if it's not rained, the dew can soak footwear, been there too! Get cold feet and you'll never get warm again for ages.

 

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 09/06/2019 at 22:29, bryand said:

Some folks have been concerned about getting large RVs and caravans up to the site.  The best route isn't the most obvious:

If you're coming up the A396 from Tiverton and the M5, don't turn off for Dulverton or for Winsford, but continue on the A396 and take the B3224 heading for Simonsbath.
When you get to Exford, note the White Horse pub just before the bridge over the Exe (decent bar meals).  Continue toward Simonsbath about a mile and then turn left towards Dulverton.
This takes you over Winsford Hill, heading Eastward to approach the campsite from above, along wide and not very windy roads.

 

Hope that helps,

Bryan

@bryand can i just check that you mean travel along the B3224 towards Exford, drive through Exford then turn left on the B3223?

 

If so there is a big blue sign at the junction of the B3224 and the B3233 saying unsuitable for long vehicles and caravans !!!!!

 

 

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6 hours ago, Daz Type-R said:

@bryand can i just check that you mean travel along the B3224 towards Exford, drive through Exford then turn left on the B3223?

 

If so there is a big blue sign at the junction of the B3224 and the B3233 saying unsuitable for long vehicles and caravans !!!!!

 

 

Yes, that's the route. The bit that is unsuitable for long vehicles and caravans is the Dulverton end of the road.  Going to the campsite, which is at the top of the hill out of Winsford, you never reach the dodgy bit.

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Ok, so I think I’m being stupid here, but the campsite EHU is 10 Amp only, assuming that will be at 240 volts, is that 2400 watts (2.4KW)?

 

Just thinking about an electric blanket for overnight, as will be in the tent and after my last tenting experience when it was cold the missus is fretting. 

 

Dont want to waste cash on one and it trips the EHU the second I turn it on.  Just figure a heated blanket will be more efficient and less likely to cause grief with the EHU than a heater.

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if you definitely going in a tent without heating then it should be fine.  If you were in the caravan then you have heating so no problem there.

most electric blankets are about 2-300 w i think. there are also some gas heaters you can use in a tent i think?

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13 hours ago, Daz Type-R said:

Ok, so I think I’m being stupid here, but the campsite EHU is 10 Amp only, assuming that will be at 240 volts, is that 2400 watts (2.4KW)?

 

Just thinking about an electric blanket for overnight, as will be in the tent and after my last tenting experience when it was cold the missus is fretting. 

 

Dont want to waste cash on one and it trips the EHU the second I turn it on.  Just figure a heated blanket will be more efficient and less likely to cause grief with the EHU than a heater.

I've been using a heater similar to this - one (well never had to use it in autumn yet, only in spring) 400/800 watts. Puts out plenty of heat to warm up after getting back in the tent, don't need it on once in bed.

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I use one of there and just on the 750w setting, it's plenty. I have found a place where it's comfortable and put a mark with a marker pen on the thermostat, so that I can just set it and know it's just bob on. Cheap, doesn't make a noise save the click of the stat and it doesn't give off any light.

 

 

https://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/pel00939/2kw-convector-heater/dp/HG01003?mckv=scAePsoDO_dc|pcrid|224680501655|kword||match||plid||slid||product|HG01003|pgrid|48556618033|ptaid|pla-821858593100|&CMP=KNC-GUK-CPC-SHOPPING&gclid=CjwKCAjw29vsBRAuEiwA9s-0B9X8sP-d5fTR3AcEPFN7Ej8YW_brojyAvE-j2lJRl97Xx2nG58yY-BoCcZEQAvD_BwE

 

Edited by BAZ
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Guys.......recommendations please.

 

While i was at Kelling i noticed some of you had what i assumed was a 'changing tent' ? Quite fancy, some of them

Telephone box sort of shaped (not as tall) and held in place with tent pegs, ropes etc.

 

Are these used to keep scopes protected outside ?

They would be ideal for Dobsonians.

The important bit : are they robust enough in the wind ? (Obviously not in a gale etc)

 

If they were indeed there to protect your telescopes, can you recommend me one ?

I'm happy to pay a premium if its good quality and will do the job.

I must keep my scope outside as its too big to stay in the van, and i'm sharing this time.

I have one of those scope coats, but its not terribly well thought out.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

 

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Really good question Rob, I think Allan the Plumber has one, be very interested in the replies.

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Thanks.....

 

So they are primarily designed to house an outdoor loo or for washing etc ?

 

The one you linked to on eBay looks ideal Steve.

Good price too. I will make some enquires. Thanks for posting it.

 

My main worry would be if it gets windy.

Kelling had plenty of trees for protection but this place in Devon looks a bit more exposed ?

But if i mount it on the leeward side of the van and use the van as a windbreak or possibly the hedge maybe that would suffice ?

 

 

 

 

 

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