right ascension

BTW. I am using binoculars and sometimes a friend's Dob so I can't just turn a setting circle dial

For this you are probably better off just getting a set of starmaps, even the collins gem ones, and learning your way around the sky by star hopping.

Then rather than having to read the RA dec, you can just look at a starmaps and see that X is a few degrees left of rigel etc.

I only bother with detailed star charts and getting coords when I'm searching for something very faint or an asteroid.

I just bought the collins maps today - I'm having a look at them and drawing circles, that's todays activities