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Thursday 10th Early start on the Moon with the 7". Thin, high cloud softened the images. Producing poor contrast.
The image scale of the longer focal length [84"] was a surprise. I am more used to the 6" at 60". The extra focal length of the 7" f/12 needs no GPC.[Barlow] The sheer size of the bigger telescope is always a shock. It stretches the very limits of the dome due to the mounting offset.
The 
2" extensions and racked out focuser show how far I had to stretch to reach focus. There is usually a 2" solar prism or 2" star diagonal to eat up excess focal length.
I am fitting a Baader solar foil filter over the 7" objective to keep the OTA cool. No point in having the "innards" exposed to the sun all day long when not active.
When I turned onto the sun, in H-a, there was heavy "simmering." Only a lighter splodge and two proms to see. The larger prom at 8 o'clock is teasing me due to the poor seeing conditions. I'm using the PST BF to avoid noise with the Lunt B1200.
9.00 59/53F. Complex, thin, high cloud has moved over the sun. Rather like wind torn, vapour trails. Time for a break!
10.20 60/56F Eastern sky white. Westerly wind quite strong. Seeing poor. Still struggling to capture the prom.
It clouded over. Giving me an opportunity to check the balance in all positions and drive all over the sky on the Simple paddle.
The drawtube of the 3.5" FT focuser is so heavy that small adjustments seriously affect the for and aft balance of the telescope tubes.
So I need to reinstate the sliding weight bars to compensate. Otherwise the balance will never be safe.
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