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Joel,

I have one and hate the color, but am otherwise satisfied.

What is "black wrinkle paint" ? Where do I get it and how is it applied
for optimal esthetics ?

Where can I get a proper scope for CELNAV ? How much ?

Appreciatively,

Courtney



Joel Jacobs wrote:

> Fred,
>
> Your best bet is a Russian SNO-T sextant. They are very underrated, and have
> most all the features of the preferred brands, and even come in a smaller
> size for convenience. However, most of them are sold with only an
> astronomical scope which presents the image inverted, and IMO are useless
> for CELNAV. Configured with the 7 x scope, you should be able to buy one for
> $250.00 because they are a drudge on the market with out an erect imaging
> scope. You can read about them in detail at:
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3712084763&category=37971
> &sspagename=STRK%3AMESSE%3AIT&rd=1
>
> They wont meet your standards for good looks, but you can get some black
> wrinkle paint, and make them look as pretty as you like. They are a great
> buy.
>
> Joel Jacobs
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Fred Hebard" 
> To: 
> Sent: Saturday, March 20, 2004 12:15 PM
> Subject: Re: Sextant Comparisons
>
>
>
>>Doug,
>>
>>No, I don't collect older equipment.  I have been trying to acquire a
>>sextant suitable for lunar observations, so I look for sextants with
>>defects on Ebay that might still be serviceable.
>>
>>I have one British Husun that only has the "star scope."  It's a 2.5x
>>power scope.  It's my understanding that a more powerful one would give
>>more precise readings.  I checked this by buying an old Simex-type
>>sextant, which subsequently was sold.  I have been looking for another
>>Husun with the inverting telescope or another instrument.  The Cassens
>>& Plath was the first that came up which was suitable.
>>
>>In comparing the Cassens and Plath to the Husun, I would say, overall,
>>that I prefer the Husun at this time.  It's prettier, with the
>>silver-inlayed arc; this increases my fondness for the instrument.  The
>>black crinkle finish is nicer than the Cassens and Plath's.  All the
>>screws are varnished or painted brass; there's no aluminum to corrode
>>with steel screws or react with the brass or bronze (There's no
>>corrosion on my Cassens and Plath; it doesn't appear ever to have been
>>used for extended periods).
>>
>>The 2.5x scope on the Husun has a very wide field of view, wider than
>>the 4x "star scope" on the Cassens and Plath.  I have seen no optical
>>aberrations in the Husun, while the Cassens and Plath star scope has
>>chromatic aberration, which rather surprised me (reddish fringe on the
>>bottom of the image and bluish fringe on the top).  The aberration
>>makes it more difficult to check index error by measuring the sun's
>>semidiameter.
>>
>>The handle on the Husun is straight up and down.  This makes some
>>lunars easier, whereas the tilted handle on both brands of Plaths,
>>while it makes looking at the horizon easier on the wrist, makes lunars
>>more difficult.  When holding the instrument between shots or while
>>waiting, the Husun is less fatiguing to hold
>>
>>The star scope on the Husun is in close to the horizon mirror.  This
>>centers weight in the instrument, making it less fatiguing to hold.
>>Being close in to the horizon mirror, the smaller mirror does not
>>restrict the field of view of the instrument as much as one might
>>suppose.  I suppose the larger mirrors would be "faster" optically,
>>however.
>>
>>The perceived weight of the two instruments is similar.  I have not
>>actually weighed them.
>>
>>The lamp on the Husun can be swung around to illuminate my wrist band
>>when recording data.  The lamp on the Cassens and Plath is guided to
>>illuminate the scales only, making recording data more difficult.
>>
>>The box on the Husun is significantly smaller than the box on the other
>>instruments.
>>
>>These are my impressions after two days.
>>
>>Fred
>>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>Frederick V. Hebard, PhD                      Email: mailto:Fred@acf.org
>>Staff Pathologist, Meadowview Research Farms  Web: http://www.acf.org
>>American Chestnut Foundation                  Phone: (276) 944-4631
>>14005 Glenbrook Ave.                          Fax: (276) 944-0934
>>Meadowview, VA 24361
>>
>>On Mar 19, 2004, at 5:44 PM, Royer, Doug wrote:
>>
>>
>>>By the way,do you collect older sextants?Don't you also have some older
>>>British equipment you wrote about in the past?Just curious.
>>>
>


--
Courtney Thomas
s/v Mutiny
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619

   

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