dtastro

The body on my Redcat 51 seems to be loose...it's only been used a handful of times.  Does anyone know what the cause is?  Has something come loose?


 

Does anyone use a solar filter with the Redcat 51 ?  If so which one - thanks

Just received a WO Redcat 51, but there were no instructions or quick start guide. Also there's a hex key in the case...no idea what it's for. Does anyone own  a Redcat 51 that can advise - thanks

On 04/10/2019 at 08:43, newbie alert said:

You want it shorter than 400mm?

Not any more...I've bought a Redcat 51 🙂

On 02/10/2019 at 09:36, Rusted said:

A really excellent effort!

Until the next gales?

Nah...it's pegged down with heavy duty pegs and now has guy ropes on.

On 02/10/2019 at 11:29, spikkyboy said:

Did similar to our unused summer house. Bit more permanent.

Fibreglass dome from fibre sports basildon sizes and colours to order. Was about 380.

The brick pier is about 5 feet tall and was hollow. I filled with strong concrete about a foot from the top. 

I then sank u shaped 10mm anchor bolts down suspended on a bit of wood and poured 2 gallons of fibreglass resin and left to set.

This then gave a platform to fix a 10mm thick steel plate to and be able to level with the lock nuts and pre drilled holes to fit the scope finally attach to that. Very solid.

Great setup...Love the camo on the dome

Can anyone suggest a reducer for the Esprit 80ED?

I started imaging about 10 days ago and had mixed success. I'm capturing in APT and stacking in APP, but my processing has been a bit hit and miss, the pics below have been re-processed as I've learned more.  Here are my efforts since starting. M45 -Pleiades, M31 - Andromeda, NGC7308 - Wizard Nebula and IC59 Ghost Nebula.  All taken with an Altair 183C Pro TEC, Esprit80ED and EQ6-R mount, captured with Astro Photographic Tools and stacked in Astro Pixel Process, finished off in Photoshop.

In an effort to shield myself and kit from all the neighbours lights and street lamps I decided to make my own makeshift observatory that I can take down in summer, if I want to.  Initially I was going to make it from 25mm pvc tubing, but ultimately decided on 36mm...much better.  It's roughly 3m x 2m and 2m high, and blocks out everything.  I had to make some tweaks to the top and ended up putting some corrugated plastic on the tarp at the top, and then another tarp over it. The seating area is now watertight and nothing sags.  I've since put a larger folding table in and put a black shower curtain across.  There's a small red bike light over the table, but it's not very good so I've ordered some red light tubing...to be installed soon.

Earlier in the year I built a pier made from concrete blocks and that's been a rock steady platform, with a good view of Polaris and the sky above.

Included are my very first astro images - The Wizard Nebula NGC7380 and Andromeda M31

 

I ran everything as admin and it seems to work...so problem sorted - thanks all

2 hours ago, Anthonyexmouth said:

APT is the only one i have set to run as administrator. Its APT that causes the issue, I got pointed in the right direction after going on the APT forums. 

I'll try that

2 hours ago, dtastro said:

Thanks will check them all later.

 

None of them were selected to run as admin...so back to square one.

3 minutes ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

Yes if you right click the shortcut:

Click "Properties"

Then under the "Compatability" tab check the "Run as Administrator" checkbox"

The click OK or Apply.

BUT as I said I think a better way is to check all other programs you are using are NOT set to run as administrator and it should then work as well.

So do the same as above for PHD2, APT, and all your EQMOD stuff and I bet you find one of them, or more, has the checkbox ticked so just deselect it on all of them.

Steve

Thanks will check them all later.

8 minutes ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

Hi,

Now then I had this issue sometime back and I am sure I have cured it.

I think I searched this forum and found another thread with similar issues and a reply by  @Anthonyexmouth  said as above but when I looked into it APT was already set to run in Administrator mode, so that set me thinking and checked PHD2 which was not set to run in Administrator mode, when I did set it then it all worked. So I was very grateful for this suggestion as it led me to get it all working 🙂 

Some weeks later I bought a new computer to run my Astro stuff and when I set those programs I wondered what would happen if I made sure no programs were set run in Administrator mode and hey presto all worked perfectly. 

So I am no computer Guru by any means but it makes sense that if you set a program to run in Administrator mode then any other interacting with it or using the same application that it is linked to (by opening it from within that application) also needs to be in the same mode, because even programs opened by that will also be running in Administrator mode. But I tend to think unless there is a reason it has to run in Administrator mode then don't .

Sorry for the ramble, that's just normal for me 🙂

This was my thread by the way just so you can see if it is the same issue.

how-to-connect-apt-and-phd-to-mount-solved-i-think

Steve

Is there any way to set the shortcut to make sure it's in admin mode when opened?

Last night I couldn't guide in PHD, there was one instance of EQmod open in APT for the mount, but PHD failed with a port error when a second instance of EQmod was opened by PHD for mount.  I did notice that if the mount was connected in PHD then it failed in APT.  Any advice pls.

Solved it...found the locking nut for the dowel. Tightened it and will try next clear night.

Even though I've had my EQ6-R mount a couple of years I've only just started using it, due to string of illnesses over that time.  I've noticed that when using the azimuth adjustment knobs  during PA the clamps can be tight, but I can rotate the mount slightly by hand which is enough to throw off the PA.  The dowel, when fully screwed in is not facing forward, but a few degrees clockwise. Has anyone else had this problem, if so is there a fix for it?

I just hooked up my EQ6-R mount with an EQDir cable together with a Pegasus Pocket Powerbox, both running to a usb 3 powered hub. From the hub I ran a ran a 2.7m usb 3 cable and 5m usb 3 active booster cable to my laptop in the conservatory.  Slews absolutely fine through Cartes Du Ceil, but not yet able to control it through Stellarium (which I would prefer to use).  Does anyone use this setup with Stellarium.  I'd really like to get this working.  I've tried using Stellarium Scope even though it's very out of date and no success getting it to work.

Would the Skywatcher 80ED and Altair Astro 1600M PRO TEC camera be a good combination for deep sky?

Do you keep the mount on after setting it all up. If so what do you use to keep it weatherproof when not in use?  Just started buying all the bits to start mine.

Just bought a the Synscan Wifi Adaptor for mine so have to try that out when the weathers is better. One less cable to trip over. Hoping to control it from my Android phone.