Starmate | Astronomy, Astrophotography & Weather | Rob Beck

Site Map

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:52:30 +1300

starmate

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:46:24 +1300

Setup.exe

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:31:18 +1300

LX200 UserMan

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:30:42 +1300

LX200CommandSet

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:27:24 +1300

Starmate Products (Archive Resource Only)

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:00:09 +1300

The Stamate product range was actively sold during the min-2000's.

Two varieties were made, one providing full wireless control of a scope, and the other providing a means to convert any scope into an LX200 compatible scope so that certain hardware and software designed for use with LX200 scopes could now be used.

The most popular application was using the LX200 emulator with Meade's autostar software when imaging with the original Meade DSI cameras.

Please note that these products are no longer manufactured and sold by I welcome contact from existing users, and and happy to provide design files if you want to make you own. Just contact me.

What's Up

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 09:19:42 +1300

Welcome to Aimee Jean

Born on Monday 16th January 2012. Aimee Jean Beck, the latest addition to the Beck household.

Kath had a quick 2.5hr labour, and Aimee and Mum came home on Wednesday.

So far so good. Mum and baby doing well. Cameron (2 1/4 yrs) is still very curious about his new sister.

It has been great to have my Mum here for the week, and Dad comes back up to help out tomorrow.

My jobs for the next few weeks is building a Cameron prrof fence so he can play outside without the risk of running away, and building the last deck on the South Eastern corner of the house. Only 4yrs late! And a herb garden for Kath. That'll pretty much take care of the 2 week parental leave.

Hopefully we'll also get some clear skies, as we have had not one this year! Looking at the Observatory webcam history page shows a constant layer of cloud.

22/01/2012 6:40 PM

New Anemometer

I installed a new anemometer today. My old one had one of the three wind speed cups broken off. So now the wind speed will be more accurate.

Should be able to measure down to 2km/hr and up to 160km/hr. Hopefully it'll never be tested to 160km/hr.

12/01/2012 7:02 PM

Webcam History

I have created a self-indexing page that shows a history of webcam captures. Currently it updates with a new image every 30mins, but I may change that to 60mins.

To access, just click on the webcam image on the main page, or click this blog screen capture image.

For the tech geeks out there, the page is a php script that automatically scans all images then sorts them by reverese date.

On the weather station PC, I had to write a C# applet that automatically renames and ftp uploads the webcam image every 30mins. The applet will only update to the ftp site if the image is taken in the daytime and the image has not already been uploaded.

9/01/2012 9:32 AM

Starmate Kenya

Doing a search on google maps for Starmate and found the Starmate Hair Salon in Nairobi Kenya! Far our. No street view here, so I will have to visit there one day for a cut and blow.

7/01/2012 8:58 AM

Unidentified bird

The observatory snapped this shot this morning. I have no idea what sort of animal it is.
Looks like a kaka or kea, but we ain't got those around home.

Anyone got any ideas?

31/12/2011 6:56 PM

BoP Rain

Crickey it's wet. Any hope of seeing Lovejoy naked eye is well and truly gone :( Certainly has been wet here in Matata. Although my weather rain guage in Waiuku is showing 0mm. I think it must be blocked again.

Bay of Plenty Rain Radar 8pm 30/12/12 courtesy of NZ Metservice

30/12/2011 8:20 PM

Comet Lovejoy

Comet Lovejoy, or the great christmas comet of 2011, is so far alluding me.

Great images and observing reports are coming in from around NZ and Australia, but to my frustration I have yet to catch a glipmse. Early morning wake-ups culminated in hourly alarms from 2am this morning, olnly to be denied by cloud. The west and north were almost always clear, and my view from the window in my bedroom is facing west, each alarm gave me hope with a clear sky out of the window!!

And now we have an ex-tropical cyclone heading south from the coral sea, the next few days might also be in vain. With reports of the tail being circumpolar now, and the head up by 2am tonight, we'll keep persisting. But with each night the comet brightness dims as it moves away from the sun and back to it's cold normality.

Keep looking up.
27/12/2011 9:19 AM

27/12/2011 9:19 AM

RC Cars

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 23:56:07 +1300

Just for a bit of fun. Really for Cameron, really! Got four cars at the moment with various mods.

Thunder Tiger Phoenix ST 2 with Tamiya Stock Brushless motor and ESC.
Tamiya DB-01 Durga with Hobbywing EZRUN 3300KV sensored brushless motor and ESC.
Hopped up with:
- Differential Joint 51286
- Differential Rings 51287
- TRF501x Eccentric Belt Tensioner 53967
- 950 Bearings for use with Tensioner 51090
- Slipper Clutch 54018
- Differential Pulley (or 84015 black) 53988
- Center Pulley 53989
- Reinforced Drive Belt 54140
- Assembly Universal Shaft (Front) 54015
- Assembly Universal Shaft (Rear) 54016
- Carbon reinforced A parts 54033
- 18 & 19 tooth pinion 53965
- 20 & 21 tooth pinion 53966
Bit too much dosh on a an average car, but still a lot of fun.
Kyosho DBX custom. Brought 2nd hand for $100. Was a gas powered car, but converted to brushless. Some random chinese motor and ESC, but it's bloody fast and a lot of fun. I added a 2.4GHz controller, and refurbished the battery, but apart from that, it's the best value $100 I've found for a RC Car.
Traxxas Summit XL
Super fun truck with heaps of controls, dual speed, diff locks etc.

Thunder Tiger Phoenix ST 2

Tamiya Durga

Kyosho DBX

Traxxas Summit

Weather

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 21:37:20 +1300

Current Weather - Times as UT+12

Last 24Hours. 9am - 9am NZ Actual Time

Last 72 Hours

Last 7 Days

Rainfall - Rain Gauge reset each day at 9am

Astronomy

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:36:47 +1300

Please note that these products are no longer manufactured and sold by I welcome contact from existing users, and and happy to provide design files if you want to make you own. Just contact me.

Contact

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:10:48 +1300

Name:
Email:
Subject:
Message: