AstroNebulee

That'll be it. Remember the lower the number the finer (slower) the adjustment, the higher the number the courser (faster) the adjustment. Cheers Lee

Ahh I see, it will be moving thats what the noise from the mount will be. That's because its moving so slowly you can barely see it move. If you change the speed just above the keypad circled in orange, one is more speed one is less speed. Then the speed indicator is circled blue in the attached image. So add more speed when centering your target for alignment (not to much or you will overshoot each time, speeds are 1-9) or to try it now just put to 9 and see that baby turn 😁 Once you get the alignment star in the centre I think the keypad will flash the up and right buttons, so just tap these 2 to proceed to your next alignment star, then repeat. Cheers Lee

That seems strange to me. With the mount switched on and connected to the synscan app you should be able to move the mount with the keypad. What are you using device wise with the synscan app? Cheers Lee

I don't use mine in ALT az mode anymore but what I used to do is the North level alignment. Firstly I levelled the tripod then place a spirit level on my scope and level it. Then I used this compass app on my phone that can be set to geographic North. Do a 3 star alignment, 1st star would be slight off but next 2 would be in fov then just centre them, you have to confirm in the app by pressing the up and right arrows I think after each alignment star. Maybe the firmware needs updating I'm not entirely sure though. I think there's one for the left hand mounting here? Hopefully someone can confirm. http://skywatcher.com/download/software/motor-control-firmware/ Cheers Lee

Yes I used an astro essentials dovetail bar from FLO here. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dovetails-saddles-clamps/astro-essentials-dovetail-bars.html It has a slot on the underside that the bolt head fits into do the dovetail sits flat on the wedge. I attached a bolt on one end to stop the whole thing slipping off were the dovetail not clamped down enough in the wedge. I used some hockey stick tape on the dovetail and this has stuck to the underside of the az gti mount to stop any unessesary rotation. It could probably be shifted a bit more up to be more in line but it is sufficient enough now and is more stable and I can adjust the Dec bolts much easier now.

Looking good George. I will say like I said to David in a previous post that your az gti mount could do with moving in the direction of the red arrow so the top of the mount is in line with the main pillar in your tripod. The reason I say this my setup was the same and I had awful trouble adjusting the Dec adjustment bolts as the were really hard to turn even with the clutch off. The top of the mount should be inline with the orange arrow, then it balanced better on your tripod too. A longer dovetail bar will help with this. 👍 Have you managed to get your redcat to be looked at and fixed?

Similar to what I do Steve. One power cable to AAP. Then power cables from AAP to az gti and 294mc pro. USB slots are :USB key for storage, 294mc pro (both in USB 3 ports) , eq dir cable and 120 mcs guidecamera (both in USB 2 ports.) 👍

I tried this last night but I can't zoom in close enough with my 294MC pro in video mode and asiair pro. I did try the smallest roi but still not close enough. I'll think again. Thank you though,the L3 is the answer when I've the pennies 😊

Yep, I'm going l back in the mount at the weekend as its cloudy for the foreseeable. Will check mine out, like I say just going to disengage the spring as I had it before. 👍

Really looking forward to your results Ray, as you say maybe a bit small a target but really worthwhile to try, M51 is a real beauty 👍

Thank you. Yes I've watched both videos before and previously I had the RA worm and gear meshed thus not using the spring I thought I'd try with the spring engaged but was worse so will go back to how I had it. That's great you got out with your scope and remembering to remove the L-Enhance. Hopefully you got some good data 👍

It's great 😊 I also say it's a hard target to image and get any real detail. I think it's more for the appearance of how the galaxies are grouped in the curved chain formation that makes the image special in its own right 👍

Well first time tonight in getting the scope out since 24th March. Testing the adjustments I made in meshing the RA motor gears together and re-engaging the RA spring here. https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/387014-skywatcher-az-gti-mount-owners-thread/?do=findComment&comment=4230370 There's a bit of play in RA in the mount now and when I tighten the RA clutch and move the mount there's play and I can hear the spring. 🙁 This was causing some unusual guiding in RA for me so I shall revert back to disengaging the RA spring and meshing the worm and gear back together to stop the play. So got another job tinkering at the weekend. I'd say the meshing of the motor gears is ok though. Just had around 10x120 sec subs on M13 & M3 to check. Early start in the morning and overtime, roll on Fridays and Saturdays when it's a clear night. Hope everyone else is having fun tonight.

Sorry, earlier I should of said I set my flat darks on the dark plan in autorun still 2 seconds long at same gsin as flats, but dfirsny make any difference. Cheers Lee

I just take my flat darks under the bias autorun section, keep the same exposure time and gain as my flats and put the cap on the scope. I don't use the asiair auto setting on my flats, I take 2 second flats and flat darks. This on my flat brings the hump on the histogram around the middle mark. I use a homemade flat tracing panel box and worked out how many sheets of paper I needed to use to get the histogram where it is based on 2 sec exposures. As long as they are the same exposure time and gain each all is good., 👍

I generally do 30 of each. My flats and flat darks are done at the end of every session and don't take long to do. I don't use bias frames. I have reused my master dark files I've built in a library since getting my camera in January so only used about 3 times 😂, regarding the degradation, is it because the osc can change a bit over a long period of time, so say take darks once a year maybe? Someone with better knowledge will be along shortly. Cheers Lee

That will explain that then haha, thank you for the link and advice. 👍 I wish I could remember and it's been a while since I processed anything and I am a baffoon and unique 😂 but if I remember rightly the issue starts to arise once I do a star reduction in shrink then after using fringe killer the issue becomes more noticable when using superstructure module. (I like to clear a lot of the smaller stars as possible, probably causing my issue) I shall have to do my basic Startools process and save the log file. I have been practicing in other forms of software, but struggling to find time atm. Thank you that's a very handy tip. Will this throw my focus off quite considerably or not really noticable? Cheers Lee

A new firmware update 3.38 for the az gti mount has been posted on skywatchers website as of Sunday. The release notes says it fixes a bug with the set speed extended command. I'm still running 3.36, not even upgraded to 3.37 yet (I've not felt the need to). http://skywatcher.com/download/software/motor-control-firmware/

That's very nice indeed 👍, really natural looking I've not heard of a tool called Graxpert, does in run in ps?I shall give your process a go thank you

I'm not sure how much amps the dew straps will consume being connected to the osc, they are quite thirsty things the dew straps. I think the USB ports on the back of osc are mainly for guidecamera, electronic filter wheels and focusers, things that don't draw much amps, it may prove too much along with cooling the osc and being powered through the AAP. I may be wrong though. With my 294 mc pro I wouldn't want to connect dew straps to my camera, not sure if it'd shorten the life of the osc. I think much better to use a separate USB Hub as you do. This is just my opinion 😊

I used to use a USB y splitter powering my 2 dew straps though via a talentcell battery pack and not through the AAP https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133587579957?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=LqJLnACaRFC&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=Fo3Iht4XRKy&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY Now I use this mains powered USB hubs via amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B099MLL1FG/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_F5QXHPZYG3CSQ9N2FYY7

Hopefully your next attempt will be flawless and work perfectly Laurence. We're you trying to plate solve the 'whirlpool'..... washing machine in your kitchen 😉

Yes I use a normal astro essentials dovetail bar here from FLO https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dovetails-saddles-clamps/astro-essentials-dovetail-bars.html I've used a bolt up through the groove so the head is recessed and out of the way (using a thread adapter to secure to the az gti as it a different size). I have since reconfigured the safety stop bolt at the end of the dovetail bar so it's flat headed on the top and not foul the mount and a couple of nuts below to act as a safety stop if it slides. Also a strip of hockey stick tape on the dovetail bar and underside of the az gti grips it perfectly and no need of a bolt in the dimple on the az gti to stop any rotation of mount on the bar.

It's looking great David. One thought. I noticed that the centre of the scope set up is off to one side and not in line with the centre of the tripod pillar. I'm only saying this as mine was in a very similar position and I had a lot of trouble adjusting my dec bolts when doing PA as it was quite hard to get any adjustment. I know yours is a lighter set up than my 72ed. Just maybe worth considering adding a longer dovetail to the scope set up and moving it in the direction of the red arrow to bring it more towards the centre. 👍

Very nice, I'm loving seeing all the az gti set ups this morning. The AAP is perfect in this position. It'll definitely help with balance as it's all inline now. Regarding the replacement of the plastic headed bolt for the saddle plate is a definite when pairing with az gti and sa wedge. 👍