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Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2015 17:53:12 GMT
I have a chance to buy a computerized EQ mount , I plan on mounting an 8" Orion on it, it is rated for it. It's an older Celestron CG-5 ( craigslisting) the current owner says it's always a little off when he tries to use the computer. My question is here, I wonder if the lateral setting could be off or and this is just something I wonder period, how long is a computer program good for before the position of the stars change enough to be off slightly ? Or he could be simply off on his Polar alignment but he seems to know what he's doing . He's only asking like 250.00 for it. Thats well within my spending budget to try this project.
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Post by Rick in NWArk on Sept 28, 2015 18:23:43 GMT
I tried to get an inexpensive mount. I got a Synscan EQ6 that I thought would have been as good as a new Atlas, based upon the seemingly knowledgeable user's description and comments. What I got was something that didn't have the current firmware and the firmware couldn't be upgraded. I almost quit because of all the trouble I had.
I am no expert, but I am pretty sure that the computer control goes through the hand controller. That means it uses the same sky models, etc. that are in the controller. It doesnt make sense to me that the hand controller would have good gotos but the computer doesn't.
For my AVX, when I have a difference between Stellarium and where my telescope is actually pointing, its because of bad alignment.
--Rick
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Post by fondofchips on Sept 28, 2015 19:59:30 GMT
No such thing as a stupid question, best to ask first. My initial reaction is to advise some caution. Are you planning on converting the Orion XT8 to use it with the CG-5 mount? The mount will hold it OK, but the load is nearer the recommended payload for visual not camera work. Yes the mount could just be poorly polar aligned, but could also be faulty. You need to hear the motors running and check for play in both RA & DEC axis. However like me when I had an EQ5 all I did to align it was plonk it down level and set the North tripod leg with a compass app. If you are only observing then the alignment isn't critical. So if the present owner of the mount only does observing then he may not know how to accurately set polar alignment. Some days the clear spells are short and near enough alignment is all you have time for. I'm still having some hassle with alignment even with a obsy based mount, a fixed routine is necessary and near enough is sometimes all you have to play with. I had problems getting focus with a similar size Newtonian telescope, have a look at the topic I started when asked what could be done:- astrovideoforum.proboards.com/thread/1244/problem-focusing-102mm-mallincam-extremeI had some frustration with both my scopes, but with help from this forum I'm now well on my way to sorting it, but I had to part company with both my scopes to do it. Clear Skies.
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Post by davy on Sept 28, 2015 20:00:45 GMT
hi guys,the skywatcher eq mount can be driven via the synscan hand set or it an run from the mount to computer software (eqmod) the control cable to look out for is done by hitec astro.the eqmod is an interface for the likes of stellarium or cartes de ciel,synscan handsets can have there firmware upraded if its version three i believe this is done via a serial cable to the handset and a power supply to the hand set..personaly i would check all the settings on the handset are correct,,northern/southern hemispere settings ect,time date format,daylight settings mode,,,many things i made a muck of when i got my eq3/2, ther was a bluetooth module for the eq mounts as well. hope this helps
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Post by davy on Sept 28, 2015 20:28:38 GMT
i have the skywatcher eq3/2 and i used an 8 inch newt on it for a while,and had no probs with a camera on it,,,but i used in a small garden surrrounded by a large fence,tripod legs were not extended and the scope was balanced to perfection this was done via an extra weight on balance bar,it was at the limit weight wise but if the scope is balanced there is only a small amount of stress on the gears,manufactures specs will be documented a bit lower than what they can actually do in my experiance.rarely use the big scope now,,its an ed80 or st102 it runs now.
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Post by Dragon Man on Sept 29, 2015 14:02:50 GMT
Sorry I can't make any contribution about the CG-5 Crowy, I've never used one. I've been too happy with my Skywatcher EQ6 old black model to fuss with other brands. Mine has the old v2.5a hand controller like Rick mentioned he has, and it can't be upgraded. But that has never bothered me. Mine gives perfect GoTo's every time
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Post by Rick in NWArk on Sept 29, 2015 17:47:51 GMT
You have it on a pier, right Ken? Versus setup and take down of a tripod?
I've come to conclude that my polar alignment scope is screwed up.
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Post by fondofchips on Sept 29, 2015 21:28:19 GMT
The polarscope in a Skywatcher mount needs aligning, i.e. adjusted so that when you rotate it the circle is in the centre, not wobbling off to one side during the rotation. It's a bit like collimating a laser collimator before using it. If Polaris is on the circle in the polarscope and the polarscope is rotated in it's holder Polaris should follow the circle all the way round. See item 3.4 in this manual below www.firstlightoptics.com/user/AZ_EQ6-GT_instruction_manual.pdfAlternativeley give Alignmaster a try, 30 day trial is free. Video here: - Hope that helps.
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Post by davy on Sept 29, 2015 22:03:39 GMT
nice one harry putting up the tutorial video from the astronomy shed,, when I first started out I watched everyone I could find, brilliant tutorials I take my hat off to dion he has helped so many get into astronomy I would have went nuts with the problems when I started astronomy,, don't know how many times I was ready to throw my tripod over the next door neighbours fence,,, glad I didn't now
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Post by Dragon Man on Sept 30, 2015 10:37:37 GMT
You have it on a pier, right Ken? Versus setup and take down of a tripod? I've come to conclude that my polar alignment scope is screwed up. Mines on the normal Tripod Rick. But I leave it set up in the back yard permanently, Well, as permanent as one can leave a tripod sitting on buried bricks, with little indentations chipped into them for the spikey lumps on the bottom of each leg to sit in. It has been knocked by my mower a couple of times but I just tap the tripod legs until the little spikey lumps sit in the small indentations in the bricks again. Been doing it like this for years and GoTo's are always perfect. I forget the last time I bothered looking through the polar Scope. I use the old theory of "it it ain't broke, don't fix it". Maybe you could set some bricks in the ground, chip the dimples in the bricks, then set up and polar align. When you pack up mark where the mount sits on the tripod, so when you set up again you can just place the tripod back in the dimples and align the marks on the Mount and tripod. Here's how the dimple in the bricks look.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2015 12:08:30 GMT
Ken,
If you cover the mount from the elements, what do you use??
Chuck
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Post by Dragon Man on Sept 30, 2015 13:06:52 GMT
Good question Chuck. Over the years I have used several ideas. Originally I covered it with a cheap tarp. That was OK until the top of the mount wore through in about 3 months, so I bought another tarp and placed a folded towel on top of the mount, then the tarp. That worked Then after about a year the cheap tarp perished so my next step was to use a slightly better quality tarp. Eventually that tarp rotted through too. I think the hot Aussie suns kills them. Aftera few years of replacing tarps I decided to try another method. I bought one of those small camping toilet tents All looked good and it covered the scope nicely: but then along came a huge storm with pouring rain and huge damaging winds that downed lots of trees and put an end to that idea so I had to sit and think: What is a good weatherproof cover that people use outside long term? Then it struck me! People cover their BBQ's outside all the time, so off I went to the shops and bought a thick heavy Duty BBQ cover I still use it. It is excellent. I still place a folded towel on top of the mount so it won't poke through the BBQ cover, then the cover goes on. I tie it around the bottom part with a bit of rope. Tomorrow I will take a photo of it for you. I don't have any yet. In all the years my mount has been left outside the electrics have never got wet from all the rain and frost and snow. BUT!!!!!!!!! make sure you spray your mount and the tripod legs (or pier) with Insect Repellant Surface Spray or the local bugs will make a home out of it
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Post by Rick in NWArk on Sept 30, 2015 17:17:43 GMT
Thanks Harry & Ken!
I can see why you leave it there, Ken, its a very heavy mount to move back and forth. I wish I could keep mine out, but I can't due to fears that someone would try to steal it, hurt their back, and sue me LOL!
I'll give the alignscope a go with adjusting it the right way. I'm scared the screws are screwy because I tried adjusting it to no avail, but I'll try again on one of my many cloudy days.
When it gets dark earlier, I'll have more time to work with it on weeknights.
--Rick
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2015 20:53:06 GMT
Ken, That must be one heck of a BBQ cover, would be interesting to see. I supposedly get the AVX and the ES127 in tomorrow, will post a picture of a gazebo area we have right outside the hamradio "shack" window. Conjures up ideas of remote control and pier system for the mount since I have electric right there for power supply plug-in, red Christmas tree light at tripod "trip" points etc. Maybe someone will have an idea on future pier system since I am constantly tripping over my homemade mount feet. Understand about the insect spray and Rick possibly getting sued (above), all good points. Man this is all so much fun.
Chuck
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Post by Dragon Man on Oct 1, 2015 12:39:01 GMT
Chuck, here's the BBQ cover on the Mount Don't worry about the weeds around the bottom. I poisoned around the legs 2 days ago
P.S. That silver shed right up the back is our Astronomy Club clubroom and observatory It's in my back pasture. (or as we say in Australia, my 'back paddock')
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Post by Rick in NWArk on Oct 1, 2015 20:25:35 GMT
I was only half kidding about the suing business, but it is the USA, you know!
You'll like that AVX, I think, Chuck. I really appreciate that its light yet sturdy. And I'm not imaging so I can go past the 50% of its 30lbs weight limit.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2015 0:20:31 GMT
A lot of really good info here, Thanks !
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2015 12:33:11 GMT
Very good Ken, thanks for the picture. I knew that was a tounge-in-cheek about the suing Rick, but like you say litigation happy USA!
I wonder if Crowmans mount issue needs to get into the realm of Periodic Error Correction?? A whole other ball game eh?
Got the AVX and ES 127 in yesterday. The AVX tripod is very robust in my opinion, nice solid feel to it yet light enough so this senior can carry it around. The mount is the same way and Celestron even sent a nice manual that actually made sense to me. I am at 53% weight ratio with the 127 to I am comfortable with that, AVX handles it nicely after just two hours of using it last night on a cold and windy back deck, man it was just nasty. Since I am in a white zone (Appleton, WI) the first light on the 127 is nothing to brag about just yet, still need alignment work on my part.
AVX hand control seems to be a 2nd but working with a responsive dealer on that. The AVX Celestron Sky Portal WiFi adapter that just simply plugs into a AUX jack on the AVX worked just fine in conjunction with my smartphone (LG34C), couple of lock ups but that could be operator error. The GoTo function worked as advertised.
Do have a APU-1 on order as of this week, fingers crossed that all the mfg. process will fall in place in 4 to 5 weeks.
Will be busy today, continuing my learning process with this stuff. Gotta get that Polar scope installed.
Chuck
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Post by Deleted on Oct 8, 2015 20:10:57 GMT
Rick, Do you know the proper designation of that AVX (NexStar) hand controls bottom socket? The one used for hand control update and for pc control of mount. One fella said it was a 4 pin RJ-9 (RJ9/22). So I surmised it is a RJ-22, i.e. 4 pins no blank spaces on either side of outside pins. I got the AVX Sky Portal WiFi working, but its short ranged (25 ft!!) and I want to be ready with the hardwired part of PC control before the snow flys, if the WiFi goes Tango Uniform.
Chuck
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Post by davy on Oct 8, 2015 20:39:58 GMT
hi..ihad probs with trying to work out the ones for the synscan unit, yoou can get rj9 and rj11,cant remember what i used,,i now have a bluetooth box running my eq mount wireless.
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