powerlord

cool, you may find like me though that the bar wobbles even screwed tight. that what i need the shaved nut for - to push against the exposed thread surrounding on the AZ. shaved because otherwise it won't fit in, by the clutch.

but maybe it's just mine - they seem to be build with quite lax tolerances.

so FLO credited my back, and I've ordered another AZ GTI and an ioptron wedge. probably be ages before I get em but would have been same with adventurer prob.

Now need to make up another counterweight.

Lee - if considering - mine is based on regular 1in centre cast fitness weights. I use 2 1.15kg ones. I created 3d printed centres for them that screw on to bar. 7 quid for a 250mm SS M12 thread bar from ebay. And you'll need 1 M12 nut, 2 M12 wing nuts.

shave edges from nut and it screws up into AZ GTI and locks bar in place. once fitted 3d printed collars onto weights, they screw in, and wing nuts keep them secure.

stu

The tripods have a new home.. soo much better than grass or wooden deck. super stable ! Maybe I see a pier in the future, but for now, it's 2.6m diameter so big enough to fit 2 mounts and OTAs 🙂

I don't think so jambouk - it's servos - so what Alexander said was basically the hibernate is used so that the kit can work out the gearing accurately from the servo steps its done. Once it's done that it has all it needs ? A bit like the onstep ?

I kinda slowly worked all that out - there's not much video wise I could find out there.

I made up a sort of T mount which has my DSLR and lens (mainly shooting with 300mm F4 L canon pro lens, sometimes plus extender at the mo), with a RDF one side, and laser the other.

Laser is quickest for getting in right area, then RDF to get close enough to see in liveview.

For aligning the actual mount itself (not az gti - just the tripod, and wedge) - I don't bother more than just checking it's pointing north with compass app, and checking it's at correct angle using polarfinder or just any old 'bubble level' app.

it really doesn't need to be that accurate initially on polaris - the synscan polaris align thing will show you the error and let you correct it easier than fannying around with trying to align the mount itself with a scope/RDF or whatever. i.e. this way there's no need for you to ever be faffing with trying to align polaris with the right clock time, etc.

it seems to work pretty well, but as I say, I reckon after one iteration I'm prob still a bit off, so should go around it a few times really. Of course once you have dialled it in, the adjustments you are going to need to make are small from then on, as your just moving it around the clock face effectively provided you've aligned your mount to north each time - my plan there having just installed a new circular patio just for aastronomy !, is to mark on the slaps where the tripod feet go so it goes back same place each time.

Maybe I'll do a video myself, though  it seems a bit cheaky having never looked through a telescope 3 months ago, to be doing video tutorials on em. 🤪

stu

Oh one more thing about going to EQ mode... I can't swear on it.. but it seems to me the az gti in regular mode needs the app to stay connected and running to guide on a target - I imagine it's constantly sending adjustments to both axis. Certianly I've not fully tested this, but in a quick test, killing the app after setting it on a target, it lost the target.

in eq mode, since once tracking it's basically just running the RA axis in sidreal, the app can be stopped and it keeps lock I think.

As I say, very little testing, maybe some conjecture here, but makes sense to me.. So it does mean your phone is freed up in EQ mode to do other stuff if above is true.

stu

So, I'm getting 2 min subs easy now with the AZ GTI in EQ mode. Hence, doubting I'd get much better on the adventurer, and if I did it would just be due to putting more effort into polar alignment, which could do on AZ GTI just as well ?

I use the synscan polar align.

So - I start with aligning mount/wedge as close as I can to north and polaris using compass app that shows true north, and Polar Aligner Pro (android) to get angles right - though tbh it doesn't add much to just using phone with bubble level app.

I start with pointing the mount/ota/dlsr then at polaris using laser and rdf - using the clock angle i got from polar aligner pro or syn scan.

I then do regular alignment with az gti.

Once complete, I go into advanced/polar align in synscan and choose a star - usually one I've just used for aligning. that goes through adjusting alti with mount screw, and north using left/right screws on wedge.

Once done, i reset alignment and do alignment again.

that gets me 2 mins subs.

IF I went through polar align again it might be even better, but by then I'm happy to start imaging.

Before in AZ mode I was sometimes lucky to get 10 sec subs. Seems to me at least with my AZ GTI the alti gears were just crap and it would jump all over the place. And that's after I stripped it to bits, reset/adjusted worm springs and regreased.

Using in EQ mode basically takes that axis out of the equation which might be the reason for the better accuracy.

Sounds to me like calling FLO up and pleading to change my order is a good idea then. I mean the adventurer 2i kit is swish and all that - and you get counter weight, dovetail, etc all in... but I think so far folk are agreeing, its actually not as good as the AZ GTI in EQ mode if yer up for a bit of DIY...

and - having just bought @simmo39 's 72ED off him, I'll be doing the same as you Lee

stu

Hi chaps, I have an AZ GTI in EQ mode which works a treat.

I have an Adventurer 2i on order from FLO. When I ordered it way back I wasn't using the AZ GTI in EQ mode.

Now I am, I'm wondering.. is there really any advantage at all in the Adventurer ? Or should I see if FLO can change my order to an AZ GTI ?

Yes, another AZ GTI will need a wedge, but with that added its about the same price.

I will need to heath robinson it up like the last one, adding a bit of threaded rebar and some weights, etc - but once that's done I'd have 2 AZ GTIs for doing 2 DSLR sessions at once.

And of course AZ GTI a hell of a lot easier to setup (no need for polarscope as ), and is full GOTO.

I'm getting into guiding a bit, but doubt there's much difference performance between the two ?

thoughts ?

stu

thanks chaps. I posted as I didn't know if I'd get much support from the manufacturer in Ukraine (astro-gadget.net) , language barriers, etc.

In the end, they replied almost immediately and after a few emails back and forth the issue is resolved ! I'd really recommend this kit to anyone looking to automate an EQ5 - for 100 quid more than a standard motor kit you get full servo precision, full goto and guiding and built in wifi - what's not to like !

anyhoo, the issue is I think a specific weirdness in how this works, but not having a 'real' sky-watcher goto kit, others will have to tell me if this is different or not.

Starting from everything fresh and reset, if you just follow the synscan app instructions it won't work. They mention hibernate, but only as a way of avoiding re-alignment every session IF you don't move your mount.

Hence, for most of us, who probably take it out and in every night on a tripod, it probably isn't used ?

Here, it must be or you'll get nowhere.

Here is the setup procedure (and if others tell me infact this is identical to regular SW kit - fair enough - I'd then say the manual is even worse than I previously thought!)

1. turn mount on and connect to app.

2. manually ensure that the mount/OTA is in home position (with hands) - this is mount pointing north, weights down, OTA pointing at Polaris.

3. Go into Utility menu, and choose hibernate. The mount will start moving. It will probably keep moving for a while and may twist up the cables, so it might be you have to either make sure it doesn't or unplug DEC cable at this point (if you unplug i found you need a power cycle before it works again)

4. once it's stopped it will be somewhere weird. No worries, manually move it (with hands) back to HOME position.

5. IF you unplugged cable, power cycle mount at this point, and stop app (remove from running), and restart app and connect.

6. If you now look at I (info) it should say its at 360 degrees and your home DEC (52.01 for me).

7. Provided you ALWAYS now use utility/hibernate to return the mount to the HOME before turning it off, you don't need to repeat the above.

8. You can now, and ONLY now go into alignment and do it. Now, say a 2 star alignment will actually move to the first star as intended, etc.

9. After alignment, you are good to GOTO.

10. At end of session, Utilities/Hibernate to move back to HOME position. NOTE: there's no encoders here anywhere, so it's not important whether you stopped using GOTO during session and started manually (with hands) moving it around - you still need to use Utilities/Hiberate at the end and let EQ5STARPRO at least THINK it's going back to HOME.

11. Turn off.

12. Next night or whatever, when turned on, FIRST THING is that it SHOULD offer to restore hibernate position - let it. If  you physically have it in HOME position it shouldn't move.

13. You can now either use previous alignment (if not moved) or more likely reset aligment, and setup again from 8.

phew. that sounds worse than it is. And frankly without Alexander's help at astro-gadget.net I'd never have worked that out.

Now I know the process all I need is a night I can actually see some stars !!!!

stu

I'm struggling to get my EQStarPro, fitted on my EQ5 to align with synscan.

I've done alignments plenty times with my AZ GTI in EQ mode, but I'm sure i still MUST be doing something stupid.

a picture tells a thousand words.. and a video more so - so see below.

I start with it in home north/polaris facing. no alignment set, everything restarted. i try a 2 star alignment, starting with vega which at this time is should be about 90 degrees east... but it turns the wrong way, then keeps going and going on the RA spinning around 360 degrees and ending up pointing north but with the thing tilted at 90 degrees!

binning that, and trying the '2 brightest star' and manually going to vega. tell it im there, and select deneb as second (roughly north) - but again it goes off on it's merry way spinning the RA through 360 degrees and ending up pointing at who knows what... with the degrees showing it getting closer for a bit... then further and further away up to about 180, then it starts coming down again, even though its just kept rotating the RA.

manually moves fine with joystick AND with synscan controls. What am I doing wrong ??

stu

Thanks. I've ordered a 224. I like that I can try to use as a guide camera too and learn about that.

Stu

Thanks, I was thinking planetary and stuff like m51? Dso stuff thats bigger, happy with dslr on mak or camera lenses.

And that was what made me think 178 would do a better job? AND if I get a guider later, I could get better stills than with the 120? Or am I still missing something.

Alternatively if I get sell my p200 and replace it with something that gets into that 2k+ FLs that would be an option with a dslr? But that seems like it'll cost a hell of a lot more than 300 quid.

ok, I'm more confused now then. astrobin has a few folk using my skymax 102 and the 120mc and getting nice planet shots. e.g.

https://www.astrobin.com/5ufura/?nc=user

Im shooting DSOs mostly with my DSLRs and camera lenses which is working fine for the larger DSOs (I can go up to 600mm on lenses) and I want to keep doing that.

I'm not looking for perfection (as The Lazy Geek on yt would say - Im not a pixel peeper), just looking for a way to image smaller objects with what I've got.

getting 2000+ FL doesn't appear to be cheap, so though its a long term goal, short term, I thought a barlow and a small sensor would get me at least recognisable planet pictures ? astrobin searches seem to suggest that too ?

Just a beginner - but I have a 1200d modified, and last week got myself a 6d cheap on ebay. Currently getting that modified. That was my upgrade path - dunno if worth considering ?

I got the 6d got £350 because is had a cracked rear screen - but it's just the plastic cover not the LCD which is fine - replacement ordered from ebay for 3 quid.

much lower noise, full frame goodness, decent cropped video mode might be ok for planets, etc ?

anyway, just a thought.

Hi chaps, so I think I'm gonna dip my foot into ccd waters for tiny targets my dslrs are not really up to - planets, wee dsos, wee galaxies etc.

I've spent all morning reading about the zwo cameras and am barely any the wiser..

seems to me I could go for the 120mc, but putting in a few more bucks for the 224 would probably be worth it.. But the 178 is far higher resolution so isn't that better? Thry all come out as 'good' on the astrotools ccd chooser. I assume its not all pros with the 178 for the extra cash.. Is it far less sensitive? I was hoping not to have to start guiding yet, so for now it's on an eq5 with servo EQSTARPRO mount.

so out of those three.. Will the 178 get me pics of the planets and the odd dso, or do I need to stick with low resolution (due to tracking/high f ration of skymax?!) of 224 or 120?

Stu

I can recommend eq mode. Especially for photography. I was struggling to get even 10 sec subs on mine.. Seemed like elevation jumps just not smooth.

Moving to eq mode I'm now getting 120 second subs, even with a cursory polar alignment.

However if you are going to manually move it around I suppose eq mode makes it more of a pain.

stu

Hi chaps,
I ordered an EQStar Pro from ebay a week or so ago. I hummed and hawed what with the manufacturer in Ukraine, but I needn't have worried - it all turned up safe and sound.

At an all in price of £240 it's a steal compared to the £600+ of a sky-watcher job. AND that doesn't include WiFi out the box!

It's servo based, and full synscan compatible. St4, build in WiFi.

I fitted it to my Eq5 in about 10 minutes - removing my enhanced motor kit and fitting this instead.

Straight away I can move it around with the joystick buttons.

Mobile connected to WiFi no probs, and synscan Pro connected.

I can fling the thing around at super fast speeds so goto is gonna be lots of fun.

I'll update post hopefully tomorrow night, when it's first used in anger. Also first time eq5 used, and first time 200p used!!

well, Im setup on alnitak. Nice clear sky. No moon. Getting good subs at iso800/2 mins. Only get it for about 80 mins or so before it pops behind a neighbour house, but looking nice.

Once that's gone, Ill try xmas tree.

Also, I've got a new old 70s 200mm M42 lens I wanna try out - see how it copes with stars. If good, I might try that for alnitak and M42 in same frame tomorrow night.

Nice to not be freezing to death for once! (was 20 degrees here today)

stu

Maybe I got lucky or more likely I'm just less fussy as I took some (for me) nice pics of Rosette Nebula 4 days ago under a nearly full moon.

I was thinking maybe christmas tree nebula and another go at horse-head/flame as my last ones were ok, but could do with more subs.

I've been focusing on shooting just with my camera lenses at the moment  -so galaxies are out (well - unless I move to front of house and try andromeda).

Looking at tuesday night, moon is nowhere till 4 in the morning. When I shot rosette above, it was right up there in the south east.

Hi chaps, clocks changed (bah..), and 2 nights+ of clear skies forecast. I've only been doing this for 3 months, but got some nice shots so far of orion, rosette, horse head. In back garden I only have view of S and SW above around 30 degrees, and north above 50.

Can folk suggest targets I could try over the next few days ? - walking around with Sky Safari is great, but I think I'd benefit from some human suggestions 🙂

Hi chaps, I had previously ordered a few cheap 13 quid red dot finders from ebay or amazon - all plastic, on or off. wobbled about all over the place.. with the adjustments being pretty rubbish. and massively bright - had to take em apart and add a resistor.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08MPZJMF7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I wondered if the ones for guns were any better quality what with bigger market.

Basically got one (and now another two) of these:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Holographic-Airsoft-Red-Green-Dot-Sight-Reflex-Scope-4-Reticles-Fit-20mm-Rail/161708747029?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

needless to say, no connection with buyer, and Im sure other buyers are available.

Its ALL metal, and comes with cover for glass. It has 5 intensity settings (though tbh even lowest is a bit bright for my liking and might need to do the resistor mod for these too), and red and green.

BUT also it has 4 different 'targets' - a bit like a Telrad! - I've tried to show these in pictures below.

Basically it's rock solid mounted and adjustments via the click allen key method means ones it's set, it's set.

mount is a standard weaver - which if you take one side off, will go into a standard 1.25in finder mount but I just got a few of these things:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20mm-21mm-Double-Weaver-Rail-Mount-Barrel-Scope-Attachment-Rifle-Laser-Torch/112232013864?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2648

half of one of these lets me bolt that onto whatever, and then connect the red dot.

Compared to the cheapies I got, AND the skywatcher one that came with my OTA it is MASSIVELY better quality for peanuts.

On the same idea, I got one of these:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tactical-Scope-Laser-Sight-Dot-Red-Green-For-Airsoft-Gun-Rifle-Pistol-Hunting/383918588649?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=652249795715&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2648

again, all metal and so much more solid and compact once adjusted that one of the big loop 3 screw types. Plus it has an on/off button.

It's the usual powerful green beam, easily viewable at night.

Anyway, thought this might be of use to others.

You'll need to zoom in to see the targets - but they are very effective. I also find the green quite easy on the eye and not as bright as the red tbh.

So last night unexpectedly a clear sky - so rushed outside for another attempt - this time double checking I had RAW enabled.

I also changed some things - 1.4x canon extender, so 420mm now, F5.6. 80 sec subs at ISO 800. Around 75 of them, darks, flats, darkflats and bias.

taken with a clip on SVBONY UHC filter. yup darks, flats, darkflats, bias.

don't find it tricky to take flats with camera - easier really - just put my light box on ground - point camera at it, and shoot. with telescope I have to hold it in front of lens.

I'd have been there till the cows come in trying to capture this with my skymax 102 as it's nearly F13 compared to the canon 300mm lens F4 (well stopped down to F5.6). So yes, it would be magnified more, but I'd be looking at have to get about 4 times as much exposure time to get same results.

Granted if I had a nice refractor around 4-600mm with at F6 or so, and a field flattener then I'd use it, but well..I don't. 🤔

90 mina of subs, then back on mac I realise I'd reset the camera to only take jpgs...arg.

So - I only had 90 jpgs to stack which has not helped. frankly I'm surprised I got anything.

Canon 1200d modified, 300mm F4 L stopped down to F5.6, 60 sec subs at iso 1600.

needless to say, 'check camera set to RAW' has been added to the checklist!

So here's another attempt, less extreme.