Pics of my new toys

Nice "TOYS"
I hope you enjoy them

Very nice. The Kern is especially facinating to me. What does the equatorial mount do? Is it a powered function with a motor drive like some higher end telescopes? I wonder what all that gear sold for new... Probably over or close to six figures. I'm sure I am in the minority here but seeing these great instruments makes me a bit sad GPS came along. I hope none of those will require service.... could cost a boatload. Probably more than they cost you... Anyway...thanks for sharing. BTW... Will you be hauling these around to your presentations? You will need a bigger airplane.

I haven't really dug into the Kern yet, but it may be one of a kind. The information I was given is that it was going to be used on a ship to measure tide heights in the middle of the ocean. I'll try to post additional information as I get it.

As to hauling them around, my plane could handle one at a time - maybe 2. The bigger concern is my back and muscles moving them around. Gotta stay in shape to man handle them.

Really nice photos of some great instruments. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks, for sharing.

Great post Dave. How did you come across these? What are you going to do with them or did you just purchase them to admire and fool around with? You seem to have a nose for sniffing out bargains! (ie: Acer laptop)

Have a great weekend! B-)

A friend offered me a deal I couldn't refuse.

As to what I will do with them? I'd like to figure them out and be able to actually use them for demonstrations. Use them for real work - not likely, but who knows. I am always intrigued by the old technology.

And as I said the other day, any time any of y'all are passing through the Valley you are welcome to stop in and I'll be happy to show you these and lots of other toys.

Great toys! I have a T-3, but really liked the DKM-3 when I used it.

Nice collection!!...
I've always wanted a DKM because it looks like a bad ass instrument and also because my initials are DKM...
the only other thing out there in the world referred too as a DKM is the Drehkolbenmotor, an early gasoline Wankel Rotary engine... no where near as sexy ...

dkm

Kern DKM items show up on a fairly regular basis on eBay. DKM-2's are the most common. DKM-1's and DKM-3's show up fairly regularly. Just depends on what you are looking for and how much you are willing to pay. If it's something you want to actually use the tripods are an issue.

> A friend offered me a deal I couldn't refuse.
>
> As to what I will do with them? I'd like to figure them out and be able to actually use them for demonstrations. Use them for real work - not likely, but who knows. I am always intrigued by the old technology.
>
> And as I said the other day, any time any of y'all are passing through the Valley you are welcome to stop in and I'll be happy to show you these and lots of other toys.

I wish. Last time I was through the Shenandoah was 1988. I dropped in around Winchester after running up Skyline for a few miles while running north on my way to Connecticut.

Well, if you haven't been to the Valley in 24 years you are long past due! Y'all come on back!

Lovely instruments Dave - the Kern is intriguing - looks like a one off!

The Askania is also a fine instrument - There is some info on this in 1965 edition of Surveying by Bannister and Raymond if you are interested.

If you would be interested in my collection which includes some Geodetic Instruments including the 3A - it can be found on Picasa under the name of Maptack.

If I ever fall into a fortune I would be interested in making an offer!!!

Regards

MapTack

I’ve checked up on the Bannister & Raymond Surveying on the Askania - as I know these details can be hard to find. The details also appear in the 1959 edition: Here is a quick summary:-

The Askania instrument is designated type “Tpr”(after GIGAS) & reads directly to 0.2 arc seconds & angles may be recorded photographically. (The attachment of the camera is necessary for the instruments symmetrical balance during alidade rotation).

Suited to First-Order Triangulation, Determination of Lat. & Long. at Laplace Stations, observation of the passage of stars or artificial satellites and Flare Triangulation across wide non-intervisible station gaps. Camera shutters of Tpr units can be directly synchronised by radio control or by manual shutter release.

The broken telescope has a mag of 63x -Also additional eye-pieces of 80x & 40x.

Instrument weight of 31kg & when packed for transit 48kg.

Built-in chronometer.

The Hz circle is 20cm (8ins) & Vertical Circle is 14cm (about 6ins)

Centring is by centring pin sighted from two directions at 90 deg by shifting the footplates on a concrete pillar.

Fine levelling of the alidade is by a bubble observed in the micrometer reading eye-piece. The bubble may be removed from its housing and its length altered to cover about 60 to 80 divisions.- level adjustment must be checked on replacement. It is possible to adjust the movement of the alidade if temperature fluctuation causes a tightening of the axis of rotation due to thermal expansion.

Carl Bamberg’s Werkstätten für Präzisions-Mechanik und Optik (Friedenau, Berlin, Germany) was established in 1871 & in 1921 the Bamberg company merged with the Centralwerkstatte Dessau, forming a new company known as Askania Werke. (See the Geodetic Transit on the Smithsonian Museum site).

MapTack

Thanks for theinformation. I haven't played around with the Askania, but I did find a camera on eBay that was missing. I've got to get a mount for it.

Yes, the Kern is a "one off". It was put together by a company in Pittsburgh and a label on it calls it a "ship board star tracker".

Drop me an email & let's commisserate. [email protected]

Hi Dave,

I have sent you an eMail ([email protected]) directly from my eMail address, let me know if you received it OK.

"ship board star tracker". Does this indicate that the modified DKM-3A is a gimbal arrangement for use at sea? If so it must have been used for an unusual purpose??

Regards
MapTack