Your portable telescope has to be outside, but what do you do if you would like to be inside where it is opposite of outside? Inside is warm in the winter and cool in the summer (and no bugs). This is one of the many reasons I like Remote Video Astronomy, and particularly so when using our camper to get away from city lights. In my 1/20/2015 post I describe using one of my portable RVA setups and show a picture of how I ran the single USB cable from the telescope in through the storage compartment of our small pull behind camper so I could operate my equipment from inside the camper.
Recently we decided to get a bigger camper. It all started with getting a bigger truck, and then deciding to go with a fifth wheel travel trailer (the type that attach to a hitch in the center of the bed of the truck for more stability, better maneuvering, etc.). This camper was much better sealed and there was no easy way to run the USB cable inside. So I took a page from my book “Beginning Remote Video Astronomy … So, what’s the matter”, question 42, to make a pass through port in the back of the new camper like I have done at my house.
I purchased two waterproof outlet covers with gaskets and a short piece of 1” diameter PVC pipe. I decided to use 1” pipe in case I ever want to run multiple cables inside. After checking with my local dealer where I have my camper serviced to find a “safe” place on the back of my camper, I had them drill a 1” hole though the back wall. They then cut a short length of the 1” PVC pipe that matched the wall thickness and inserted it in the hole. They also mounted the outlet covers over the hole on the outside and inside of the camper for me.
Recently we decided to get a bigger camper. It all started with getting a bigger truck, and then deciding to go with a fifth wheel travel trailer (the type that attach to a hitch in the center of the bed of the truck for more stability, better maneuvering, etc.). This camper was much better sealed and there was no easy way to run the USB cable inside. So I took a page from my book “Beginning Remote Video Astronomy … So, what’s the matter”, question 42, to make a pass through port in the back of the new camper like I have done at my house.
I purchased two waterproof outlet covers with gaskets and a short piece of 1” diameter PVC pipe. I decided to use 1” pipe in case I ever want to run multiple cables inside. After checking with my local dealer where I have my camper serviced to find a “safe” place on the back of my camper, I had them drill a 1” hole though the back wall. They then cut a short length of the 1” PVC pipe that matched the wall thickness and inserted it in the hole. They also mounted the outlet covers over the hole on the outside and inside of the camper for me.
There is plenty of room to run one or more cables inside. I use a short piece of foam that came out of one of my eyepiece cases to insert inside the pipe when it’s not in use.
When I set up out in the wild, I just open up the outside outlet, pull out the foam and insert the USB cable into the pipe letting the spring loaded cover down to hold it in place. I then go inside, open up the outlet and pull the USB cable on into the camper and attach it to my laptop. I am then all set for my RVA operation in the comfort of the camper.
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