Mackem

I had made a card Bhatinov took me ages with a Stanley knife.🤪 Couldn't print one as it was to big for my print bed for the Evolution 9.25. The card mask is top the PLA+ lower I found a STL that split it into quadrants bolted together.

What I wanted to print first was the fitting for the EAF. (When it finally was available to buy it was expensive.) The actual fastening holes in the print were distorted so I just ignored them and drilled fresh ones. The distorted hole is visible on the tube. Any similar small holes on any prints now I ignore them and drill.

My daughter got me into it a while ago. She had the Ender 3. But she suggested I wait and get one of the early Ender 3/ V2s Took me quite a few benchies to get it tuned in, what was causing me problems was the belt tension got it right by printing a small disc between tightenings. Have to say I was impressed with this intricate test print not much later.

Handy to know about the Vonets power, I was looking at them a couple of weeks ago. It's still sitting in my basket on amazon. Also did some searching for whether you could butcher an aerial onto the pro. It is possible (and I have a mini rechargeable soldering iron on the way via aliexpress.) I see there's people offering to do it for around £50 on the likes of ebay. Can't believe they thought having the WiFi inside a metal case was a good idea? Looks like they've done better all round with the new plus version. Yeah I now realise about the limitations of the az only mount, I should have done more research before jumping in head first 😅 but the offer on the Evolution was too good to risk missing out. Hopefully don't follow suit with my choice of guide scope. Thanks all for taking the time to respond. Barry

Thanks for the info Geoff. Forgot to say I got the Celestron f6.3 focal reducer from FLO same time as the above stuff. Found out the hard way about the camera hitting the base 😲 😳 on the single arm! Even without reducer. Luckily I was standing right next to the scope as it was automatically slewing. Interesting about using the diagonal, haven't tried it but I think it will still be close especially with the wires out the backend of the camera. I will have a look see some time. But as I think I will be doing imaging as well as EEVA I was thinking along the lines of an equatorial mounting system . I have had this in my FLO basket for two days Sky-Watcher EQ6-R PRO 😳 Haven't clicked through yet and so tempted. If I do I will have to sort a scope to go with the celestron mount to give to my grandson's. My daughter and son in law along with the boys have recently moved to woolly back country, no street lights and open country all around their home. Barry

Well that didn't go as planned 😕 2 years later and I may be a bit further informed but no further on with the Astro! Took a strange wobbler that knocked me for six and still none the wiser as to the cause. ( Had to give up my beloved Jag too because of blinding headaches and short term vision problems. ) still not a 100%. But getting there. Did manage to get a couple of hours viewing and a few stretches but no saved data. But thanks to the excellent advice from the nice people on here I got mostly sorted 👍 From my startup of home built PC . Samsung Tablet S4. Google Nexus. Celestron Nextstar Evolution 9.25 ( Huge discount 🍸 damaged box. The box that was damaged was the tripod and the packaging had protected it anyway ☺) StarSense Explorer ( Heavily discounted ) And from FLO. ASI 533 MC PRO Asiair Pro ZWO EAF ( Didn't have the correct attachment to focuser for the 9.25 ☹ they were extremely helpful and took back the incorrect one supplied no problem. ) and no replacement available at the time. So I 3D printed a few different designs which all worked perfectly 👍 . HP ENVY X360 Ryzen 7 13.2 foldable touchscreen laptop ( another sale item. When I was 3D printing the focuser attachment I did a search for anything else for the 9.25. Ended up printing brackets etc. And perfect sized backfocus adapters for the camera in different versions. When I was laid up I made a bhatinov mask out of heavy card horrible few hours with a Stanley knife 😥. But it worked. I knew you could 3D print smaller masks, the 9.25 mask was to big for my print bed. I kept searching and found a design that split the mask into parts and clipped together. It was spot on 🍺. Couple of quids worth of PLA and saved a bundle. I also made a dew shield from a £6 silver backed yoga mat. Bought a £5 flock heated steering wheel cover from ebay undid the stitching opened it out and voila 12v dew heater. Just to be on the safe side bought a temperature adjuster with thermometer off Aliexpress I think it was £4 🤔 Less than £10 for a dew heater for my scope. Yep that's me saving pennies while splashing out on the big stuff 😃.. Barry

Once again my thanks for extremely helpful advice. David lot of food for thought there. Thanks for taking the time. The problem with the night owl looks like it will be lack of availability. I have decided to go for a better camera from the start, hopefully making the right choice and it lasting me! My main program image processing work will be done on my desktop with NVMe drives and built in wifi, bluetooth. So the priority for the laptop or windows tablet would be capture software etc. And being able to run them. Whilst out and about as well. As if I'm correct some software only runs on windows. My Tab S4 is a brilliant android tablet fast and high resolution very responsive, I'm typing this now on it's keyboard. I have an assortment of external drives for storage. I have done a lot of reading and viewing on YouTube to try to find the information I require, but once again end up with mixed messages or a problem I hadn't thought of popping up. Or I end up watching astronomy videos with nothing to do with what I'm looking for.😂 Ended up on an Aussies tube a guy called Dylan O'Donnell, who just seemed to make sense even if I hadn't a clue what he was talking about half the time. I have no problem viewing my PC, tablet and phone wirelessly to my TV. Using Samsung's own software and I also have HDMI and ethernet powerline and wireless senders available which I use now and then with my projector. (For 3d movies usually. ) My router is near my TV and cable box in sitting room, both connected by ethernet, I have a hidden ethernet cable which leads to my dining room where I will set up an Asus wireless router as an access point specifically for astrophotography. Which would mean one pane of glass between scope and wifi. I will put the Hyperstar on the back burner for now, and get a focal reducer . Definitely purchasing depending on availability. Celestron focus motor for the 9.25 the only one I have seen and know for certain fits my scope. Either the celestron f6.3 or the Night owl f4, any advantage with my scope of one over the other? I will get the ASIAIR pro and a ZWO camera. I can run from the mains to start with, then will think about a power pack for the accessories. Dr Strange mentioned the ASI533mc on another thread. Which to me after viewing reviews, looks like it would suit my needs. I have also looked at..... ASI294MC PRO ASI183MC PRO ASI533MC PRO The three of them cooled. Any thoughts? (Or a better camera in price range for what I intend to do?) I find it strange that less and larger pixels can be an advantage sometimes in astrophotography, over smaller and more megapixels. Just seems counterintuitive. Once again thanks for any information you can supply. Just to reiterate I know very little on this subject, so if you see I'm making a mistake or I'm missing something totally obvious, please tell me. The one thing I can't do is slow down, I have set course and need to start rowing.😉 I haven't used the scope outside yet! Skies have been woeful when I have had a chance to view. Also why I think a colour camera would be advantageous, as I would need more viewing time for getting all the filters done for mono. I bought my grandson an led white A4 tracing board a while back, that got me thinking about the needed flats. So I bought an A3 one with 3 brightness levels, it's pure white and has no obvious banding. Would this work? Or has my grandson got a better tracing board? Cheers Barry

Thanks Stu. Yeah I've hit the EEVA Section. Like you say it can get confusing, I'm having to learn a whole new vocabulary just to understand the basics. I'm steadily jumping about topics to try and grasp the basics. Which I should have done first.😂 Barry

Thanks for the warm welcome people! Also thanks for the useful information Dr Strange . Just been reading some back issues of your old Marvel comics! 😄 Still breaks my heart my father threw out my comics collection when I left home to get married. I had the originals of Dr Strange and Spiderman and the Hulk! Ah well who wants to be a millionaire. 🤑😂

People once again thank you for taking the time to respond. Your dedication to your hobby does you proud. I should make it absolutely plain that this is just a way for me to fill my time when I'm bored on an evening and can't sleep. (Which sadly happens a lot after I turned 60.) I can't count the times I've been sat in my garden with a cigar and whiskey, looked up and wished I had a telescope to get a closer view. It being reasonably portable I'd be able to stick it in the car for use at the caravan in Teesdale. Where my grandsons will be able to use it too. Where viewing on a screen will stop any fighting over the eyepiece. I also love looking at your wonderful pictures, both here and ones I've viewed on the internet. And yes I know I will be lucky to get close to the quality of the pictures on here. When I decided to jump after reading the reviews for the Evolution on Sky at Night. (Probably should have called here first. ) As it had a lot built in, naively, I expected to wack an astronomical camera in and view on a tablet or laptop. But the choices are so numerous and the chance of making a mistake huge. That's where I'm going to start with a camera and with remote viewing on a tablet even if its standing next to the scope. I seriously have no interest in squinting through an eyepiece, my eyesight is terrible. But I would like the camera to be able to be used with Fastar in the future. I will make a start on Noahs posts hopefully something's will sink in. So as it stands I need a camera and the means to send the pictures to a tablet. I was mightily impressed with controlling the scope with the tablet and was hoping I could have the image from the scope on the tablet or laptop as well. Maybe I will get seriously hooked who knows. Thanks for your advice. Barry

Thanks Olly I have reread your post 3 times to try to force the information in. This is nothing to do with the way you have written it, all down to the way my brain works. As soon as numbers become involved my brain shrivels up and hides in a corner. I've had this problem all my life not exactly number blindness but if it isn't obvious my brain does a runner. Yet I can replay Jim Montgomerys save in the 1973 FA cup final in my head as if it had just happened. As it is I think you're correct and maybe I should leave the Hyperstar till later. But still leaves me with looking for a decent camera that would still be good for use with Fastar in the future. Thanks for your time. Barry

Thanks for the tip.

May I ask if that's your choice of 2021 or the availability of the Hyperstar? And the reducer, is that is another part I need to acquire for my 925 and Hyperstar? Thanks for your time. Barry

Thanks for that Gfamily. I notice that has a power brick, hopefully the one I'm after will have it included. But looks pretty standard . Might give me a bargaining chip in purchase price. Hopefully someone will have experience with these.

Well there's an hour of my life I'm never getting back. 😂 I've read it all so feel obligated to comment. And the glenfiddich told me too. I came in to learn what eeva was, thinking, as being new here start from the beginning. Took me quite sometime to realise nv was night vision, confirmed a few posts later by a helpful contributor. Yes I waded through it all. As an ex admin on a footy forum I have to say I was impressed with the restraint, (and lack of anglo Saxon.) We always had 1 or 2 posters insisting on posting in the wrong forum. No one got banned, but eventually they would end up on everyone else's block list and posting to each other not realising no one else could see their posts.😉 And no I'm not saying anything like that should happen on this happy site. No matter what the hassle surely it has to be majority rule? Visual observing is not my cup of tea, that was one of my main reasons for not continuing when I was younger. To be honest visual observers impress me, their patience and dedication and only a written note or sketch to remind them of good seeing. Now with all the fantastic electronic equipment available and turning into a night owl as I get older, I'm back with a passion and raring to go. As for NV surely a sub forum in eeva is the way to go? It's electronic and I would get to it eventually as it sounds interesting. I wouldn't even know about it if it were only in the observer's section. Or this extremely long thread. No offence meant to anyone 😎 Lifes too short as it is. Barry