Astrokev

Brilliant. Thanks Dan, these are really helpful - thanks so much for taking these. Now to digest them and cherry pick 😉

So, after a whopping 8 months without an observatory post (or many other posts on SGL for that matter) I'm trying to get back into it …..

First of all, I need to bring my obsy thread up to date, not that there's been much change in the intervening months, but enough to warrant a post or two. I'll do this over the next few days, but to wet the appetite, I've finally got my electrics installed, which is making life a lot easier, but more changes are in the planning. I'll post a few pics to show my layout.

Pleasingly, the obsy is in regular use - or at least as regular as our crazy weather has allowed over the last few months - but it's far from perfect, so I probably need to do more work. My imaging "skills" are moving forwards at a snails pace, but it's all good fun. I ought to start posting some images in the relevant sections to hopefully accelerate my learning!

Stay tuned....

On ‎21‎/‎11‎/‎2019 at 12:36, JamesF said:

Anyone heard from him of late?  He seems to have gone very quiet since finishing his observatory and doesn't appear to have logged in for almost a month either.

James

Haha.

Sorry James - I didn't know you cared! 🤣.

Life just got in the way I guess.  I've been quietly active in the background, but unintentionally let my SGL presence lapse.

Trying to get back in now. A few upgrades to my kit are in the pipeline, which I've covered in another thread. I also plan to bring my obsy thread up to date. Not that much has changed, but I'm not sure I actually tidied up the loose ends. Anyway, keep an eye out on the DIY- Obsy section soon.....

Kev

49 minutes ago, JamesF said:

You'd be surprised...  I'm getting towards this:

1) mount
2) main camera
3) guide camera
4) filter wheel
5) dew controller
6) main OTA focuser controller
7) guide scope focuser controller

Then I have to wonder what I'll do if I want an automated rotator, automated covers for taking darks (both OTAs, probably) and flats, or switch to a dual-scope rig.

James

Thanks James.  I'm interested in your mention of dew controller. What model do you use? I wasn't aware that these (or some of them) needed a USB port. I've no plans to get a filter wheel, but focussers are a possibility in the future, so I guess planning for the future is the right way to go.

Can I ask what you've done for power supplies to the mount and other kit? D'you use a power box at the mount, or are these supplied separately from your warm room. PPB's are hugely expensive and I'm trying to avoid needing one of those!

many thanks

kev

28 minutes ago, Danjc said:

Not worries, what would you like me to label ? The connections to and from the PPB the USB hub and onto the laptop and power. 
I now have a slightly different setup but still uses the PPB and USB hub that’s all setup I can nip out and take pis off if you want. 

Thanks for the quick reply Dan. A few pics of your current setup would be helpful whenever you've got nothing better to do. Thanks.

In the above pics, do the PPB 12V outputs power the mount and the Hub?

What is connected to the USB hub - the ASI cam, the PPB, and what else?

many thanks

kev 

5 hours ago, Yawning Angel said:

I went with the 7 port USB 3, 12v powered StarTech : https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00SCE4E0I/ - It's aluminium bodied and well made. You might need to cover the tell-tail LEDs, depending on how annoying you find them

I then replaced the mains power brick with a feed from a 12v PDU, the same as powers the rest of my kit

Thanks Alex, this is useful.  I'm not sure I need 7 ports but I'm guessing they do a version with less USB ports - I'll take a look.

Interesting pics Dan, I'm trying to design a new cabling system for my rig and this is helping, but I'm finding it a bit tricky to trace which cable goes where.  Is it possible to post a simple diagram that shows the connections, or label the pics?

thanks

kev

Thanks for replies so far.

Browsing the forum, Startech USB hubs seem to get lots of mentions. Would this be a good solution - at least for my data needs?  Any particular models (USB2 or 3 ?) that I should consider?

thanks

kev 

1 hour ago, stash_old said:

1. Get a hub next to the Pier so use existing cables from devices to hub. Then run a USB active extender cable 5 or 10m from Warm room to hub. Decent powered hub £50). You didn;t say if your Laptop had usb 2 or 3 ? Good quality 5 or 10m extender cable £30. 12v or 5v (DC) power to hub extra £15 - total £100 approx

2. Run Usb active extender cables (5-10m) for each device back to laptop (now in Warm room). 3 x USB extender cables £90.

With both the above and ASSUMING your Laptop has either a RGB or HDMI socket place a small 14inch (or less) screen next to the pier or against the Warm room wall - latter preferred as I assume you would be able o run data and power through the wall! You will need to put the screen into purpose made box to keep dew off and stop glare (switch off when not in use).  Second hand 14 inch screen RGB - £10 or HMDI £30

Pro's

1. No new learning curve for either Remote Desktop or RPI Linux/Indi

2. Simple and tried method.

Con's

1.. Extended Active USB cables do slow the USB links down as there are like adding a new USB hub. 

2. Extra power for Hub (if option (1)) and Screen.

or do as Julian has suggested 🙂 maybe  a secondhand Laptop/Desktop in warm room to Remote Desktop to original Pier laptop to reduce costs - just need wired RJ45/Ethernet between Laptop pier and warm room - assuming you have ethernet in warm room already - if answer to latter is no  Use TP-Link 8 port hub (£15) and some rj45 cables with connectors already attached and set the 2 PC's with fixed IP addresses on the same network (e.g. 192.168.2.2 and 192.168.2.3 ) - google full info.  Secondhand I5 Windows desktop with ssd (240gb) and 8gb memory + screen  for around £150 - would allow you to do Post processing while you wait for clear skies 🙂

Thanks 'stash'. Loads of ideas there. Will have to go through it a few times and consider the way forward.

I'm leaning towards the pier hub idea if I'm honest.  Sounds neater. My lappie has USB 2 & 3. I presume USB 3 would be better for speed?

I also have HDMI ports so the second screen idea is sounding attractive. No network as yet in the obsy.

The other thing I forgot to mention in my post is that I could probably benefit from getting some anti-dew bands, as I'm fed up blasting my expensive objectives with a hairdrier whilst balanced on a slippery stool in the dark 😖.  I guess I may need to consider a hub that has power outputs aswell, or get a Pegasus box (though these seem very over-priced for what they are?).

Options, options....

2 hours ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

IF you have any additional computers\laptops, you could keep the laptop, local to the mount\cameras as you have it now, and just use remote desktop to control it from your 'warm' room.

An adjunct to that would be to use a local to mount Raspberry Pi4, to control all your equipment using INDI\Ekos, which in turn is controlled using the laptop in your warm room.... 

 

Thanks Julian. Some good suggestions there, although going the Raspberry Pi route sounds like a whole new learning curve. I've got an old laptop kicking around but not sure this is up to the job as the screens hanging off 🙁, but something to think about.

HI All

My current cabling layout is shown in the diagram below. My scope etc is housed in a small observatory, with a warm room, and the cabling layout is quite simple (not unlike myself!). As shown, I currently have my laptop next to my pier mounted EQ6 for EQMOD control of the mount, and for easy access to the guide cam and imaging cam (I don't yet have a separate imaging cam, but this is rising to the top of my wish list).

So, my question is - how do I most simply change my layout to be able to move the laptop into the warm room?  Challenges as I see them -

1. The ASCOM cable is too short (warm room desk is about 4/5 m away from the EQ6, via underfloor conduit.)

2. The CMOS cam cables are too short.

3. With the laptop in the warm room, manually focussing the cameras is very tricky without being able to see the screen.

I've considered possible solutions - longer USB cables for the cameras (but is 5m pushing it?), buying a USB hub to mount on the pier/scope to plug cameras into. For focussing - electric focusser or second screen on the pier linked to the laptop?

I accept that to some this re-design may appear rather basic, but I'd really appreciate a few pointers, ideas and general advice on which solutions would work best. Ideally I'd like to keep further outlay to a minimum but recognise I'm going to need to give the moths an airing!

Many thanks

Kev

This was a quick set of 2 minute exposures taken with my Esprit 100 and Nikon D300 @ ISO 800, just before packing away my stuff at silly-o'clock the other morning.

I just wanted to see what I might be able to capture with this combo as a reference for a future more dedicated imaging session.

Processed in APP and PS CC.

This is a slight crop of the original image. It was great fun trying to identify individual galaxies!

15 hours ago, TerryMcK said:

I bought one of these from Amazon 
EasySMX Wireless Game Controller, 2.4G Wireless Game Controller, Dual Shock, TURBO for Android Phone or Tablet with OTG Function & PS3/PC/TV or TV Box (Black and Red Joystick) [2020 Edition]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07RLQH47P/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

It is well made and solid.

Thanks Terry. It looks good. Have you had any problems with it?  I've heard / read that some wireless controllers can have a small delay before the motors start to move?

Also -  does it hold it's calibration between sessions?  Again, I've heard that some require re-calibration every session, which sounds a bit of a faff.

Thanks

8 hours ago, JamesF said:

Not that it has had as much use as I'd hoped, given the astonishingly poor weather that much of western Europe seems to have had for the last six months.

James

Yes, the weather has been diabolical over the last few months. Last imaging session I had was Dec 1st. It's beyond depressing now!

2 hours ago, JamesF said:

Nice to see you posting again, Kev.  You've been very quite since your observatory was finished.

James

Yeah. I've been sitting in it watching the clouds drift by

Been off SGL for a while as you say. Need to raise my game!

Obsy still not fully finished (are they ever). I should revisit my obsy thread and tidy up some loose ends. I assume yours is up and running now?

5 hours ago, Merlin66 said:

Check out:

Thanks Merlin. I did have a quick search through previous SGL posts but most, as with this one, are a few years old now, so wondered if these recommendations may now be outdated. I'll have a read through though - thanks for pointing me at this.

Hi All

Please could someone advise on a good wireless gamepad to control EQMOD using a Windows 10 PC ?

Had a quick look on Amazon but there's loads of different types and I'm a little unsure what to get!

I had a cheap wired version, which has just failed  

Many thanks

Hi

I'm hearing good things about APT and am considering giving it a try.

I have a Nikon D300 which I believe is supported, but I've seen on the APT site that it requires a serial cable to connect the DSLR to the PC. But, it also suggests that the serial cable is not commercially available, with some instructions to make one. I'm a bit surprised and confused by this.

Does anyone else use a Nikon (ideally a D300!) and please could you advise what cabling I may need, where I can get this, and how it all connects together?

Many thanks

Looking really good Shane. 

Good luck with the rest of the build

kev

13 minutes ago, Freddie said:

You can always add a 0.5 focal reducer to the set-up. I even think FLO had one on offer a couple of days back.

Mmm, that's a thought....

2 hours ago, Peter Drew said:

I think it's unlikely that you would image a full disc, around 600mm focal length is usually the maximum, your combination would be working at over 2000mm. Not sure about a DSLR though.   😀

Yep, sounds unlikely now I think about it! Not a major problem in the grand scheme of things. I can always try and pick up a used short FL scope. An achromat should be OK due to the narrow band I'll be trying to image, so shoulen't be too costly.

I do plan to do imaging aswell. Maybe I should've posted in the imaging forum instead / aswell

Doing the maths, I guess 2000mm FL is pushing it a bit for full disk imaging.

Hi All

Just playing with ideas to inform a decision -

Has anyone used the Quark with a SkyWatcher Esprit 100 ?

The scope is a 100mm f5.5 APO triplet. With the inbuilt Quark x4.2 magnifier, I'm wondering whether I'll be able to achieve full disk? From what I've been able to find, this could be a struggle?

Also, I believe I'll need a UV/IR cut on the diagonal nosepiece due to the size of the objective.

Any thoughts, experience, suggestions regarding this combo would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Excellent job. Looks really smart 🙂

19 hours ago, JamesF said:

That sounds like a fine plan.  I shall give it some thought.  I've probably got something lying about (don't I always that will do the job.

James

I imagine you'll find something suitable in your pile of old broom handles waiting to be re-purposed in the back of your workshop