SmokeyJoe

Doh😁, Made so many little mistakes myself. Got into a real panic once for an hour or so because my new EQ goto mount wasnt working. Only to realise I hadn't engaged the clutches! 

Thanks Globular, I wasn't considering a range of magnitudes but a descret value, I suppose that's what comes of living in the digital age.

According to Clear Outside my local skies are Bortle 4.  Although I live in Norfolk, about 20 miles from Norwich I live in the middle of a new build housing estate, which causes quite a lot of local light pollution.  in a town which seems to have a new estate built every year (old airbase being completely redeveloped). 

My Father house, in the middle of nowhere, in Kent has much darker skies but is also listed as Bortle 4.  

I am confused

1 hour ago, stringB said:

I can see how to turn the 4 DC outs on or off individually. Are you saying that you can adjust the voltage at each output?

Yes there is a slider associated with the dew strap, allows you to control the voltage,don't think it is enabled until you plug the strap in. also I bought my straps from RVO, they have a built in adjustment wheel. 

I run my dew strap directly from one of the 5v outputs on the asiair Pro, the app even let's you turn them up and down,, you don't need a dew heater controller. 

I think the warning was more about a smooth supply (an therefore tracking) than overloading anything. 

2 hours ago, Davey-T said:

I think there's a warning in the ASIAIR manual about maximum reliable current draw through the ASIAIR, I run the mount through a separate supply cable from the same 24ah lithium battery

I have definatly seen a warning some where in the asiair documentation about not powering the mount through the asiair. 

If I can't get to my main pc (cos the other half is using the office) I use a 10 year old HP pavilion laptop.  Stacking is quite slow (about an hour for 100 2-3 min subs plus darks and bias) but it if fine for post processing.  As the song says it ain't what you've got it's the way that you use it. 

Hi GrampyG hope you have sorted your problems out, here is the addy for the zwo website, loads of info available, the forums are useful. I believe there is an asiair Facebook page as well, although I haven't used it personally. 

https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/

If you are using a Dslr you will probably find that the focusing part of the app does not work. You can get round this by using a focusing mask and zooming in on the star in preview mode. 

1 hour ago, rnobleeddy said:

Assuming it's a 9x50 finder?

YMMV, but I used a 9x50 finder with a Zwo ASI120 and an EQ5, and the EQ5 was the limiting factor in guiding performance. 

Going to be a while before I can upgrade the mount. No point spending extra cash for no gain. Better off putting it in the new mount savings jar. Spent far too much money in this hobby going down the wrong path. 

Thanks Knobby, this is my preferred option (the cheapest) just wondering about the others. Luckily I already have the adaptor from a previous equipment path I was going down.  

Current kit is :

SW Ed80 Ds Pro, Eq5 goto, Cannon 450D and an Asiair Pro. 

Next step is to sort guiding, the cheapest way for me to do this is to purchase a Zwo ASI120mm mini, and use my existing SW guide scope.  My question is this....

Given my current setup what difference could I practically expect between the following guidescopes

My current bog standard SW guide scope. 

The Zwo 30mm f4 mini finder/guider. 

The SW Evoguide 50mm f4.8 finder. 

Is it worth spending the extra cash given my current equipment?

I love my Asiair Pro, complete game changer, it has its problems (the WiFi range is terrible, TL-WR902AC is on the shopping list).  I'm using it without guiding and with a refurbished Canon 450D at the moment (roll on Christmas). Couldn't be happier, PA is a dream, getting 2-3 minute subs every night.  The only niggles  I have are the aforementioned wifi range, and that it restricts you to ZWO equipment, but I suppose that means there are no communication problems. Now I want a dedicated astro cam, auto focuser, filter wheel........  

I'm on a really restricted budget at the moment, bought the wrong scope 8 years ago and it has taken me till now to get the beginning of an AP rig.  The Asiair Pro is the best £300 odd quid I've spent on astronomy would highly recommend it.  (It works with sky safari as well).

Thanks Dave a little pricy for me at the mo given the current climate, looking to spend sub 100 quid so probably going to go with plug in psu, extension lead, weather proof box, and a rcd. Just wondering about plug in psu. 

Sorry, didn't read your setup properly, saw the dslrs and jumped to conclusions. The only suggestion I have is to  try the zwo Asiair forum. At the above address.

Just a quick question of my own. How are you powering your Asiair.  Just looking into buying power supplies and extentions etc as everything is run off a SW powerbank at the moment, which gives me just under 2 hours before the mount stops tracking. 

It seems the focusing does not work with dslr cameras. I'm using a 450D so instead of using the focusing function of the app I use the preview function, slew to my favorite star slap a focus mask on the front of the scope use the zoom function in preview to get a nice close up of the defraction spikes and Bob's your uncle

1 hour ago, Davey-T said:

Thanks Dom, got it all working now with help  from the Facebook folk, it could do with some better instructions than those above.

Got autoguiding working fine, hope they introduce autofocus sometime.

Dave

Have you downloaded the manual? Not brilliant but better than what's in the box! As regards focusing I use a bahtinov in preview mode, works a treat as a cheap solution. 

Have you had a look at the Asiair forum 

https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/

This is a link to the zwo home page you will find a manual for the asiair Pro here as well. 

You should be connecting to the asiair in settings on your phone/tablet before running the app. 

I have had no problems at all with my Asiair, in fact I would say it is the best bit of kit I have purchased although I am not guiding yet (roll on Christmas) but I can go from me and my set up sitting in the lounge to taking lights in under half an hour.   On a bad day polar alignment takes 10 min.  I know there is a problem with wifi range as the aerial is inside a metal box (some people use a WiFi booster strapped to the mount legs) there are rumors of a dongle to solve this.  Don't give up on your Asiair when you get it working it will make life so much easier. 

If I use a 10Amp 12V supply with a cigarette lighter socket like this one

https://www.harrisontelescopes.co.uk/acatalog/power-supply-10a.html

And and a splitter  that give me 2 cigarette lighter sockets could I power both my Eq5 goto and my Asiair Pro (with 1 dew strip attached) 

Thanks guys on order.  

Most websites that sell reconditioned cameras will list the shutter count. 

+1 for 450D, second hand is the way to go, there are a number of sites selling used dslrs bought my 450D for 80 quid couldn't be happier.  Just keep an eye on the shutter count. 

I'm currently looking for a power supply solution.   I live in rented accommodation with no outside sockets so wiil have to run an extension cable out of the window down to the scope. I'm currently looking at a weatherproof electric box to house the scope end of the extension.  Am I correct in assuming any transformer for the mount (or other equipment) has to be housed within the box.  

Any other suggestions would be helpful.  Currently using a SW power bank to power my eq5 mount and asiair Pro.  

Hi Gary, 

I bought the sw200p + eq5 as my first scope and while it is great for visual I wouldn't recommend it for AP.  Once you start adding cameras, guide scopes etc it soon becomes too much for the mount.   Now my 200p is languishing in the loft waiting for a bigger mount and I am using a Ed80 which works fine with the eq5 although I'm not guiding yet so limited to 2min subs.

I have heard some good things about the smaller newts in the SW range, 130 & 150 maybe that's the direction to go in. 

Clear skies

Dom

8 hours ago, michael8554 said:

Hey Joe, (Where You Goin' With That Telescope In Your Hand ..........?)  :-}

What length are your exposures ?

Are you using the Recommended settings in DSS ?

Michael

Hi Michael

Exposures ar 1 min for lights and darks, 

I am using recommended settings for dss.