I am testing this message

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> From: Ruth Sullivan <godwit at worldnet.att.net>
> To: godwit at worldnet.att.net
> Subject: Re: Scope Decision
> Date: Friday, February 05, 1999 6:25 AM
>
>
>
> ----------
> > From: Ruth Sullivan <godwit at worldnet.att.net>
> > To: 76506.3100 at compuserve.com; Blind.Copy.Receiver at compuserve.com
> > Subject: Re: Scope Decision
> > Date: Thursday, February 04, 1999 6:30 PM
> >
> > I like to all birders know about my good experience with the KOWA
SCOPE.
> > I purchased my first KOWA SCOPE in September 1986. There was ferry few
> > birders what owned a KOWA SCOPE yet. In Dezember only owned the Scope
> less
> > than three month, on the Tahoma Christmas birdcount i dropped my SCOPE
> also
> > on concrete and had the same dent on the outside than Jerry. Years
later
> i
> > birded with Jim Flynn who also owned a KOWA SCOPE. Well he dropped
the
> > scope in to the sound, and his Scope had also no damage.I updated the
> Kowa
> > TNS-2 with the TNS-4.
> > In between me and my son Patrick we owned 3 KOWA SCOPES.
> > It was not to february 1997 when i went for the rare NORTHERN HAWK
OWL
> in
> > Cheny washington to meet David Mann who had a brand new Scope THE NEW
> > LEICA!!!!! It took only one look to this superb OPTIC to covience me,
> that
> > this was the scope for me. There was a long waiting time to get this
> Scope.
> > When i called EAGLE OPTIC i was NR. 72 So i went and purchased the
leica
> > from ABA where i only waited few weeks. But the price was much higher
> than
> > EAGLE OPTIC.
> > Seeing both Scopes side by side(my son still got his Kowa) one can not
go
> > back, there is the difference.One have to see the comparison in the
> field.I
> > would also never buy any Optic with out checking it out in the field.
> > For the price and durability you can beat the Kowa Scope, also it is
the
> > most popular.
> > Ruth Sullian
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ----------
> > > From: Jerry Blinn <76506.3100 at compuserve.com>
> > > To: Blind.Copy.Receiver at compuserve.com
> > > Subject: Scope Decision
> > > Date: Thursday, February 04, 1999 4:16 PM
> > >
> > > I have some input re: scope ruggedness.
> > >
> > > I have a Kowa TSN-4, the straight Flourite (ED) glass model. It is
> > mounted
> > > on a Bogen 3221 tripod with a quick-attach type head. I take
> meticulous
> > > care of it -- the only scratches occurring when other people get
their
> > > grubby hands on it. Until recently. . .
> > >
> > > I was unloading the scope (on tripod) from my trunk. I extended the
> > > tripod legs and very dumbly forgot to lock one of them. I stood the
> > whole
> > > thing up on the concrete in back of my car and turned to grab my
camera
> > > bag. The far leg collapsed completely, leaving the scope sitting on
a
> > > two-legged <G>, tripod. Of course the tripod fell backwards,
pivoting
> > the
> > > scope nearly 6 feet, in a free-fall, to the concrete.
> > >
> > > WHACK!!!! ...which my wife heard from within the house!
> > >
> > > The scope hit exactly on the edge of the objective lens mount area.
> The
> > > hood was not extended, and the canvas cover was open, so they were of
> no
> > > help. The metal barrel was dented just in front of the objective
lens.
> > The
> > > hood was very hard to extend, because of the dented barrel underneath
> it.
> > I
> > > was certain that when I looked through it, I would see a kaleidoscope
> of
> > > little broken bits of lenses, prisms, screws, shafts, pullys, valves,
> > > pistons, tires, carburetors, etc.
> > >
> > > Not So! Optically and mechanically the scope is perfect!!! The only
> > > problem is that I have to work a little to extend and retract the sun
> > > shade, and the lens cap fits funny on the bent barrel.
> > >
> > > This is one person's experience, with one incident, of one model of
> > > Kowa scope. Trusting that Kowa is as careful in the design and
> > > construction of their current models, this may be helpful information
> re:
> > > your current search for a scope.
> > >
> > > Re: focus mechanisms -- think very carefully, and test scopes, before
> > > buying one with a helical focus mechanism, the kind with the big ring
> > > around the barrel. Make sure that is your cup of tea, especially in
> > quick,
> > > or very precise, focus situations. Some like it, many don't. In my
> > > ~opinion~, many don't know what they are missing by having it instead
> of
> > a
> > > focus wheel of the Kowa/Leica type -- I watch them struggle. Others
> > swear
> > > by it...
> > >
> > > Jerry Blinn
> > >
> > >
> > > E-mail from: Jerry Blinn
> > >
> > > AviSys Web Site: <www.avisys.net>
> > > AviSys EMail: <support at avisys.net>