CCD Cameras: The Meade Deep Sky Imager.

Brief Summary: The Yahoo DSI User's Group reports problems installing the camera's software. The usual error message is "DSI imager not found" when ready to take a photo. Others report no problems whatsoever. Those who have used it report that it gives good results. It is a 1-shot (RGB) color CCD camera at a very reasonable price ($299).

I am one of those users who gets the "no DSI" error message on the Windows XP computer I intend to use outside. Meade has a patch at their website, and I applied it; but it did not help. I was able to install the s/w on an old IBM 300GL running at 167 MHz, and the camera worked OK in my living room - albeit at a very slow download speed (20 sec.). I have not taken this computer outside for real testing due to weather, and the fact I would rather take a laptop outside than an old heavy klunker. I will post a revised review when it is possible; but for now I advise potential (and stymied) users to read ALL the messages posted to the user's group to decide whether or not to purchase one. In many users opinions, Meade rushed this product to market way too early. (On 1/1/2005 I got the DSI installed on 2 fast computers; but ONLY with the help of a SECOND patch posted 12/22/2004 by Meade on their official website).

As of early February 2005, I've worked out many problems with installation and operation of the Meade DSI camera; and images are being posted to this website at "Meade DSI Photos". I will write a much more in-depth review for this website and the Journal of the Association of Lunar & Planetary Observers (ALPO).

As of mid-May 2005 I've taken thousands of images with the Meade DSI and made hundreds of composites. Many of the composites are found at my "Meade DSI Photo" pages. These images illustrate many of the pros and cons of this low-cost color imager.

Multimeters: Sears Craftsman 3-1/2-digit multimeter, model # 34_81079.

Brief Summary: Available at Sears stores, this is much more than just a "Professional True RMS MultiMeter"; it's a indispensable measurement and research tool for anyone. It measures the usual: AC/DC voltage & current, resistance, capacitance, frequency, waveform duty cycle; and has a K thermocouple + IR thermometer (price: $99).

This is one of those "other instruments" that are useful for research - thanks to ROBERT LULOW for alerting me to it! The owner's manual specs are DC/AC voltage = 400mV to 600V, DC/AC current = 400microA to 20A, resistance = 400ohms to 40MegOhms, capacitance = 40nF to 100microF, frequency 5Hz to 10MHz, waveform duty cycle 0.1% to 99.9%, type K thermocouple -20 to 750 deg. C; and IR thermometer -20 to 270 deg. C (or -4 to 518 deg. F). Check p. 7-8 for resolution and accuracy specs. I have many digital multimeters but none with an IR non-contact thermometer - so I will elaborate on this - it is a poor man's infrared telescope. It's field of view (fov) is 1" at 8", 4" at 32", and so on. The manual also states that the useful range is 8 feet; but I can aim it at the base of a distant cloud and measure it's temperature !!! There is a laser pointer 15mm to the right of the center of the 13mm receiving lens, and I guess 8 feet is where the laser spot exits the left side of the fov. The lens is a milky-white lenticular lens like those seen on IR motion detector lights. I aimed the meter at a large pitcher of ice water and it read 32 F. I inserted a glass window and it read 60 F (room temperature). After trying quartz, silicon, and germanium windows; I surmised it's response was around 10 to 20 microns. The spec sheet says it is 6 to 16 microns. I highly recommend this meter as a valuable research and meteorological instrument.

An "atomic clock" is indispensible for observations where time must be known to the nearest second. These clocks have no atomic circuitry, but rather a small radio receiver tuned and synchronized to the long wavelength transmissions of radio station WWVB in Ft. Collins, Co. This clock normally costs about $20 at Walgreens drugstores, but was purchased when on sale for $13.50 AND when it had a $10 rebate. This model has 2 display modes. Shown are H/M, day, date, and temperature. The other mode shows H/M/S, alarm set time, temp.; and no day or date. This 1:1 image was made with the clock face-down on my scanner, with the rest of the face cropped-out.