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    Re: Sextant precision, SNO-T
    From: Courtney Thomas
    Date: 2004 Oct 4, 21:09 -0500

    Fred,
    
    Glad to hear the SNOs are good sextants.
    
    I bought two in that... two cost about the same as one, of the more
    sought after flavors. But I must say, the hairy part was dealing with
    the rascals who had 'em. I was lucky I now realize that I didn't lose my
    arse.
    
    I wouldn't recommend that anyone else do it unless they are willing to
    potentially come up with nothing, at worst, and a lot less than they
    hope for, for sure.
    
    The last one came with no inside packaging, the instrument loose inside
    the wooden box, dirty as hell and the wooden box hanging out of the
    shipping packing. That was after I made very specific requests about the
    packaging, which was entirely ignored.
    
    AND payment had to be Western Union'd  to Russia in advance, plus it
    took months to receive 'em. Thrilling stuff !
    
    But now that I've resuscitated 'em, I must say.... I like  :-)
    
    Cordially,
    Courtney
    
    
    
    Fred Hebard wrote:
    
    > On Oct 4, 2004, at 6:08 PM, Alexandre Eremenko wrote:
    >
    >> Dear Fred,
    >>
    >> By the way, your table shows pretty large variation of the index
    >> error from day to day. This seems surprising to me.
    >> Is this what it should be? Is this related to the air temperature?
    >>
    >>>
    >>> I started out with
    >>> inferior equipment to what you have,
    >>
    >>
    >> ?????? What do you mean? Cassens and Plath?
    >> Or Husun? In the table you sent me you seem to mention
    >> Cassens-Plath, if I understood your abbreviation "C+P" correctly,
    >> which everyone says is the top sextant of those still produced.
    >>
    >> When I was deciding what to buy as my first sextant, the choice
    >> was essentially between a 1945 "Gothic" Husun (full size
    >> brass frame,
    >> two scopes) and a "new" 1990 SNO-T which was cheaper.
    >> I think I decided for SNO-T for some sentimental reasons,
    >> as a former Soviet citizen, etc:-)
    >>
    >>
    >> Alex.
    >
    >
    > Alex,
    >
    > The large variation in index error from day to day is associated with a
    > weak spring in the horizon mirror, I hope!
    >
    > I started out with a $35 Davis sextant, then went to a Husun which had
    > a broken handle.  I may have uncentered the index while trying to
    > remove the handle.  In an effort to get a more powerful telescope, the
    > Husun's was 2.5x, and more accuracy, I then bought a _used_ Cassens and
    > Plath.
    >
    > Although I have not examined one, I believe a Tamaya Spica would be the
    > top sextant of those produced today in the old non-communist countries,
    > from what I hear.  Cassens & Plath are very accurate and precise, but
    > there are some failings with them which I have outlined previously;
    > others also have commented on some failings in their bubble horizon
    > attachment, in comparison to a C. Plath (note that C. Plath is a
    > different company from Cassens & Plath).  The Cassens & Plath is good
    > enough, however!  In sextants from the old communist block, the
    > Friburger and Sno sextants have good reputations, and from what I hear,
    > may be as good as the Tamaya and C+Ps.  Thus I am not sure that the
    > Cassens & Plath is superior to your instrument, but I agree it would
    > not be noticeably inferior.
    >
    > Many of us who do not speak Russian are leery of buying from Russia,
    > having heard some horror stories.  It is difficult for us to assess the
    > honesty of the various dealers.
    >
    > Fred
    >
    
    
    --
    s/v Mutiny
    Rhodes Bounty II
    lying Oriental, NC
    WDB5619
    
    
    

       
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