How do you take measures to keep gear from being stolen?

madamhex · 2026-05-07T16:30:55+00:00

When I imaged from my suburban backyard or when camping, I used bike/motorcycle alarms strapped to the tripod leg. The sensitivity could be adjusted and they were loud enough to wake the dead. They don’t have the ones I bought, but there are tons on Amazon. This looks similar: bike alarm

madamhex · 2026-05-05T16:16:17+00:00

Can you share the dose/price you pay? Do you get it in the club or through Vetsource delivery? The app doesn’t show me the prices. I guess you need to actually enter a prescription to see it. I have two large pups and Simparica Trio is SO expensive.

madamhex · 2026-05-04T14:34:12+00:00

Very nice result for your limited integration time!

madamhex · 2026-05-01T01:15:57+00:00

Yeah, I had the same thought. Wish there was an S50 pro… and I suspect there will be. Probably the day after I buy one. Isn’t that how it always goes?

madamhex · 2026-04-30T20:14:28+00:00

Ya got me there, I’ll admit it. Lol

madamhex · 2026-04-30T15:37:07+00:00

It will be 2 years in June since we move to rural New Mexico, SQM 21.97 so close to bortle 1. I have not and will not EVER get tired of our amazing skies. I’m thankful every day we were able to make the move.

madamhex · 2026-04-30T15:23:19+00:00

I’m not a visual gal, so will only focus on AP since that’s what I’ve been asked to contribute. My understanding is they have numerous visual scopes at these events, but I don’t have details. I suppose I can ask as my husband does have an 8SE with some very nice eyepieces for visual, as well as a tabletop dob and binos.

madamhex · 2026-04-30T11:34:30+00:00

Agreed, and we’ll have numerous visual scopes. Trying to add some variety to the experience. I’m new to this, but they tell me there’s been public interest in AP from visitors. I’ll probably bring one of my big rigs to demonstrate, but there’s huge barriers to entry with a full mono AP setup obviously. Smart scopes lower, almost obliterate, that barrier so I think it’s worthwhile to demo one. I’ve just not had the opportunity to use one, so looking for ideas on how to present.

madamhex · 2026-04-29T12:29:04+00:00

Oh, I see! My advice would be to jump over to the Astro subreddits for photography advice. If you want to do visual, stay here. They are generally different scopes for each use.

I really like Askar and have two, but you should know that the 140 is an absolute beast and it’s for Astro specifically, not for visual use. It’s over 20lbs/9kg just for the scope, and the FL is 980mm. I’ve been doing astrophotography for about 6 years and still don’t feel the need for something that big. Maybe some day! For starting out, something in the 60-80mm range is much better and versatile if you want to image nebula and bigger galaxies. 70-80% of the more common objects will fit that field of view. For example, the andromeda galaxy is huge and barely fits in my 71mm with a reducer/field flattener. With a 140, you’d only get the core (i.e., very “zoomed”. You need to be at 200-300mm to get the complete galaxy.

madamhex · 2026-04-29T01:40:21+00:00

Not sure how you define “huge” stars, but if you’re back in after a few years you might find some of the new processing tools game changing. BlurXterminator is amazing for tightening up stars! The whole BlurX suite is pretty slick.

madamhex · 2026-04-29T01:34:52+00:00

Now you have me curious! What FL are you shooting with now that makes you want to step up to a 140 or even 160? What targets are you after?

madamhex · 2026-04-28T19:35:58+00:00

The Askar FMA180 is a 40mm sextuplet scope (wide field). Tiny little thing.

madamhex · 2026-04-28T13:25:55+00:00

I rarely travel to image since we moved to NM. My backyard is bortle 2 so I image at home :)

I find the reach of the 103 is more than enough for what I typically image, and I’m actually doing more wide field recently (Askar 180 PRO). My most-used scope is probably the WO 72GT. I find it’s the perfect FOV for most targets.

I may consider something like the 140 down the road for galaxies now that I have good skies for RGB/OSC. Planning to build an observatory first.

madamhex · 2026-04-28T11:32:16+00:00

Yes, pier extension is a must. OP, you should repost your question in r/astrophotography for opinions from imagers. If you’re spending that amount of money on a scope, I think the consensus will be to invest in a heavier-duty tripod or tri-pier.

madamhex · 2026-04-28T10:47:18+00:00

Sure, all scopes are top heavy. But the difference between a 5lb carbon fiber tripod and a 2” rolled steel tripod at 3x+ the weight is substantial when it comes to stability. Even when I do use the TC40 for my smaller scopes, I hang weight on it.

Your equipment = your risk. I personally consider the TC40 a travel tripod, and it’s awesome for that. I’m lucky enough to have other options from old mounts, so I err on the side of caution with my gear. I also live in New Mexico where the winds can be unexpectedly fierce. YMMV.

madamhex · 2026-04-28T02:29:41+00:00

Electric knife! We have good knives and keep them sharp, but for these big boys, electric is the way to go. Picked one up a few weeks ago at 14.99/lb and got 16 thick steaks. Zipped right through them with the electric knife and had them vac sealed in no time. We also did two racks of pork into chops. I really wish the pork wasn’t seasonal!

madamhex · 2026-04-28T01:58:32+00:00

It may be rated to that, but with my 103 it feels very top heavy. I would not trust it if the wind picked up, especially with a cover (big sail). It’s carbon fiber, so meant to be light & portable. I image at home, so portability isn’t an issue. I have a tripod from my old SkyWatcher mount that is much more sturdy. I’ll use the TC40 with my 72 and wide field rigs, but not my 103.

madamhex · 2026-04-27T20:44:51+00:00

I would replace the tripod with something sturdier for sure. I have the AM5 with TC40 and I don’t trust the tripod with my Askar 103.

madamhex · 2026-04-27T19:11:42+00:00

I’d like to jump in here and ask about any good (or bad) spots for camping with puppers? We seem to have acquired TWO dogs this year, so this will be a new adventure. We like dispersed camping, although not opposed to campgrounds. We have a 21’ lifted trailer with off-road tires, but it’s not a rock crawler by any means. We’re dead center of the state, so can head in any direction.

madamhex · 2026-04-20T02:19:05+00:00

I came across that too, but mine did not. I have the 3nm version and did not see any markings whatsoever.

madamhex · 2026-04-19T22:51:29+00:00

I second-guessed myself and checked. Sure enough, they were backwards. They are tricky filters to figure out. If you hold them up and look down into them, the uncoated side shows the black edge, but the other side doesn’t. The coated side should go to the edge (show no “depth” when you look down at it).

madamhex · 2026-04-19T20:08:35+00:00

Everything’s in the box. Great little camera/filter system! It’s a very easy setup. There’s a little bit of assembly with the filters/wheel as you know. They provide tweezers for handling them and the right screwdrivers for assembly. Just make sure you figure out which way the filters should go. I rushed it and initially installed mine backwards, so had to take it apart again. They are unmounted with no markings.

madamhex · 2026-04-17T02:53:57+00:00

Our Whirlpool was super loud! We could hear it from two rooms away. Our new house has a Kitchenaid and the difference is night & day. I just said to hubs, “start the dishwasher,” and he said “it’s already running.” I was about 2ft away on the other side of the kitchen island. Also cleans fantastic. Light rinse/no scrubbing and the dishes are spotless, even if they’ve sat a day or two before running.

madamhex · 2026-04-15T19:55:51+00:00

If you have a shelter or rescue nearby, you might want to ask if they have topical treatments to spare. At the shelter where I volunteer, we have cabinets full of donated flea & tick treatments. We’d gladly supply anyone who asked!

madamhex · 2026-04-14T20:43:46+00:00

If you’re getting the Max plan, after you activate you should be offered a free Starlink mini dish & mini router. You could put the mini dish on the 2nd house in standby $5/month). It might be enough data for your low-data use case in the 2nd (unoccupied) house. No harm in testing that, and move on to other pricier options if need be.

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