INNOVATIONS Last Modified Jan. 16, 2010
Below are some ideas I've had over time...Being a tinkerer, I enjoy doing this sort of stuff...maybe some of these pictures/text will spark an idea in someone else...
Visiters to this page since August,'06
Light box
For taking flats in the field I made this light box from 3/16" foamboard, 4 flashlight bulbs and 2 white paper diffusers.
More adjustment
To make the counterbalance more adjustable, I mounted the weight on a sliding/clamping device to run on the bottom dovetail bar.
Illumination for polar scope
I felt the supplied polar illumination device was a bit fragile and too bright. I inserted a small red LED in the hole with a resister in line to cut down the brightness. In addition it flashs on/off making it easier to see the stars. This is powered by a battery pack with on/off switch.
Power Supply
Not exactly an innovation but I recently added this goodie to run the 110 AC stuff in the trailer. Quiet as a mouse and runs ~15 hours on ~1 gallon of gasoline. Roof Insulation
This is a view inside the observatory looking up at the roof. The scopes are covered up with a white tarp. This was actually an idea of a friend of mine who built an observatory with a similiar roof as mine and had a heat problem. I had used white polycarbon panels and didn't have quite as big a problem as he, but still had a lot of heat enter the telescope room. There is a themostat controlled exhaust fan to remove it, but it is warmer in here than outside.
I had used this product before but hadn't thought of using it in the roof. It's called Reflectix and is available at Lowes. I used the 16" wide stuff (it comes in 16", 24" and 48" x 25' rolls). It's about 3/8" to 1/2" thick, has what looks like 2 layers of bubble wrap in the middle and both sides have a tough layer of flexible aluminum foil with a built in stapling tab along both edges.
I stapled it up between the ribs that support the polycarbon panels. So far it seems to be real effective at stopping the heat "at the roof".
Handbox Storage
What to do with the handbox when not using it...this is the holder that comes with the LX200 GPS model (and can be purchased separately)with a little bracket from the junk box mounted on the tripod leg 
This way you really don't have to remove it to use itAltitude and leveling device
When you get 20 lbs of gear on top of the head and another 25 lbs of counterweights, it really hard to turn those small adjusting bolts that comes on these things. The longer threaded rods and bigger knobs make it easier to make adjustments...and did you ever wonder if the top was still level after loading all that weight?...did one leg sink into the soft ground? The black circular piece is a piece of 3/32" thick aluminum plate fitted between the tripod and the head and provides a place to set a small level to check at any time. Easy Leveling Device
And when you need to raise a tripod leg a little to level the head with all that weight on it and it below freezing and you can't feel you fingers anymore, it real frustrating...this little device makes it easy to raise or lower any of the three legs a tiny fraction at a time and see the level at the same time...Leg Leveler another view
This thing is surprisingly sturdy and all of the above mods are non-distructive since they're fasten with strap clamps and when removed leave no signs of damage... Field Power Supply Storage empty
The cord from the power supply (brick) to the camera is only 6 feet long and when used with my SN scope, the brick barely reachs the ground...much less have any slack to provide for slewing the scope...This storage bracket is near the focus tube (camera) and not only secures the rather expensive brick but locates it close enough to allow movement of the OTA without binding... 
Here's the brick in the bracket and secured with 2 velcro strapsLight source for flat fields
This is one of two hinged lights used for the light source for taking flat fields...it's simply a 12vdc camper dome light, not balanced in RGB light, but the length of exposure is adjusted to achieve the correct ADU levels...these are mounted on the wall on each side of the telescope and a little behind it...when not in use they fold up flat against the wall so as to be out of the way...
Tieing up loose ends
Here's a simple little idea...when I go to the field to image there's 6 or 7 cables I have to run from the trailer to the scope/cameras and of course when I'm done roll them up and store...not to even mention the trip hazard in the dark...this is 7 cables all 25 feet long with a cable tie every 8-10 inches...whether I'm setting up or taking down, it's just one cable to roll up which hangs on the wall in the trailer...DONE...and to avoid tripping in the dark, I cover the cable with most anything (this happens to be greenhouse shade cloth) and pin it down with wire insulation supports bent in a "U" shape
Next 3 images-Light box for small scope
With the newly acquired Williams Optic-66mm SD, there is a need for a light box for taking flats, but the scope is so small...so, keep it simple! the yellow part is a 3 vdc light source out of a hanging paper moon thingy with only one AA battery (the other is replaced with a piece of brass shim stock)...the dark grey part is school poster board taped to the light with black duct tape...the whole thing slides over the dew shield of the WO-66...inside the dew shield of the scope is 3 or 4 pieces of computer printer paper cut round and just laying on the lens. There is also an easily accessable on/off switch of the back of the light fixture...hey, it works... 
The inside showing the tiny light sourceThe Diffuser
Inside the dew shield are 3 or 4 layers of printer paper just laying on the lens to diffuse the light of the bulb...when done these are easily dumped out...Another simple light box
This is the same light source used for the WO-66 with an adapter to fit the SN6...the circular cardboard is 1/4" thick and has a cutout so the light source is a snug fit...the formed ring to fit over the dew shield is 1/8" card board so it can be easily bent into a curve and the whole thing is held together with black duct tape...the same deal applies here as with the WO-66...varing the # of sheets of paper diffusers laying on the lens or using 1 or 2 batteries and adjusting exposure times makes the light work for any filter as required... Another look inside
The only thing holding the WO-66 light source in this adapter is a friction fit...when/if it becomes worn/loose , a new layer of tape will fix that... Cableway in trailer
I installed a 4" PVC pipe fitting in the side of the trailer to facilitate running the umbilical cord for the scope/cameras into the computer and battery bank. When in use, a piece of terrycloth towel stops up the hole and when not in use there's a screw-in plug to keep the cold air/bugs out...Imaging/computer control station inside trailer
The umbilical cord leads into the table inside the trailer where all functions of the camera and scope can be controlled.Ahhh!...the comforts of home
I bought this AC last fall when my local "big box store" was giving them away. It's 5K BTU and should cool my 6x12 foot trailer this summer.
Travel cover
I fabricated this sheetmetal cover from aluminum coil stock left over from another job...It keeps the louvers/vents in the AC housing from whistling while underway and also keeps the dirt and debris from pelting the wires and compressor at highway speeds!...It's held together with pop rivets and 1x1x1/16 inch aluminum angle. It's held to the wall by two 1/4x20 nylon studs with nylon wing nuts. 