Alignmaster + GPS dongle

[malc-c]

Having just watched the AstronomyShed's video on Alignmaster software, it seems really easy to use and impressed the presenter (Dion ?) a lot.

Has anyone used this software, and if so what are your opinions.

Also, I'm thinking of getting a GPS USB dongle (£20 from Maplin) for the obsy PC (and for SGL7 next March ) to assist with getting CdC etc all in sync and set up as accurately as possible (Used Google but I'm 100% it's as precise as I want). Anyone else used these devices with their software and set up ?

[BigBlueOne]

Hi Malc-c,

It really is that simple, just pick your 2 stars align to each as Dion

says its always best to repeat 2 or 3 times.

The price I think its about £13 -14 with the exchange rate I feel

for a piece of software that does this and does it well is money

well spent.2 nights back before my scope dewed over my first guiding after alignmaster I was upto 4.5 mins before I saw movement, Given this was not the best alignment that I

could have achieved It showed me what was possible with

not much effort on my part.

Hope this helps.BigBlueOne

[malc-c]

Thanks for the input.

My scope is permenantly mounted on a pier, and I've used the DARV method with dSLR camera but I'm still not happy with my PHD traces, so have been looking at various software alignment aids... this does indeed seem simple to use and if you are getting almost 5 mins (presumably un-guided ?) then it sounds like it's worth the investment.

[BigBlueOne]

Hi Malcolm,

With this software I could,nt believe how simple the whole procedure was, And as Dion says the more time you spend

on repeating the aligning the greater the accuracy is on

the polar alignment itself.

I could,nt sing its praises high enough.

BigBlueOne.

[Penfold]

That looks a simple piece of software thanks for the heads up.

[malc-c]

That looks a simple piece of software thanks for the heads up.

No problem... but credit must go to Dion for the find and for the video...

Whilst there are other aligning aids, nothing I've seen yet comes close to the simplicity of Alignmaster. The fact that it integrates to Ascom and controls the goto is a nice touch.

[Dave Smith]

I also saw the video and tried out the software. It was so straight forward and was as quick as shown on the video so I immediately purchased the full version.

Dave

[malc-c]

I also saw the video and tried out the software. It was so straight forward and was as quick as shown on the video so I immediately purchased the full version.

Dave

OK - that clinches it, time to down load and hit the buy now button

[blinky]

Its good, I have it but TBH dont use it - I found that with my house behind me I really toiled to find a pair of stars. I use WCS which is like an autmated drift alignment and prefer that. It is good software just that I prefer WCS

[pritc]

Looks like a great piece of software.

Might have to get it .

How accurate would the USB GPS dongle be??

I have been in my obs and activated my car sat nav,iPhone GPS location & web based GPS location on my computer.

All 3 showed different long /lat

co-ordinates!!!

Same degrees.Two had different minutes.All three had different seconds

Which would be the most precise??

Wayne

[malc-c]

Wayne, that's also my question... I gave a PDA with GPS and that gave a different set of long / lat to that given by Google. The PDA works fine when running TomTom app so I can only assume that it has more accuracy than Google, and the USB dongle would have the same as the PDA ??

[MG1]

Regarding accuracy, it's my understanding that most of the widely available (cheaper) GPS modules are only accurate to around 10-15 foot.

But given the distances your looking at, even to get arc second accuracy this is enough.

My (running) Garmin tells me it's level of accuracy and it's normally around 15-18'. Not sure about mobile phones and USB modules though.

[blinky]

I have a USB GPS and I dont know the accuracy but it is certainly 'good enough', remember you also get a very accurate time sync as well with the GPS.

[malc-c]

I guess in the scheme of things 10 - 30 foot accuracy is good enough

Off to maplins this morning then

[pritc]

Paid and downloaded Alignmaster.

It will be great to achieve near perfect alignment.

I will take my GPS car sat nav readings as the most accurate.

I will use that instead of a GPS dongle.Especially if it will give the same readings.

I will just input the location long/lat manually.

Wayne

[MikeP]

I've been using it since 2009 and recommend it at every opportunity.

My garden is surrounded by trees which sometimes makes finding a pair of stars quite challenging but the software display does make it easy to see roughly where the suggested pairs are. This feature is helpful for numpties like me who can't remember my own name let alone the names of stars.

Mike

[red dwalf]

i`m also rubbish at names, i think it`s old age creeping in in my case.

just so i understand it fully, if using alignmaster, do i still have to polar align or do i just point the eq mount roughly at polaris and then let then software do it magic ?

[blinky]

Do a decent polar align as it makes the movement required much smaller.

[red dwalf]

ok thanks

[malc-c]

I think that will all these aids, if you follow the practice of doing a visual polar alignment first, preferably with a polar scope, it then has less "work" to hone the adjustments in to get the required precision

Just installed my copy on the Observatory PC, found the GPS device I've stuck on the pier and it pulled in the co-ordinates. Have also used the GPS for EQMOD and corrected the data that was slightly out in CdC (originally based on Google) - so now all that's needed is for a decent clear night to use Alignmaster and test out the goto's and see if there is any improvement to my PHD graphs.

[jmfdiver]

Dions tutorials are easy to follow

Jen

[pritc]

Just installed my copy on the Observatory PC, found the GPS device I've stuck on the pier and it pulled in the co-ordinates. Have also used the GPS for EQMOD and corrected the data that was slightly out in CdC (originally based on Google) - so now all that's needed is for a decent clear night to use Alignmaster and test out the goto's and see if there is any improvement to my PHD graphs.

I have given in to temptation!!

SWMBO is out shopping with her mates.She has just popped in to Maplin's and purchased the USB GPS dongle for me

As you say Malcolm, Alignmaster/CDC and EQMOD will have about the best long/lat. co-ordinates you can get for the price.

£19.99 is a much better price compared to the £99 price tag for the Skywatcher GPS Mouse.And you need to have the V3 Synscan handset.

Wayne

[malc-c]

SWMBO's have their uses

I think £19.99 is excellent value for money, plus it comes with a natty application that not only displays the satellite info, signal strength and co-ordinate data, it also taps in to google maps if the PC has internet connection.

Whilst I was in maplins I also picked up a 2.1 set of speakers for my mission control room - Didn't go for the mega-watt ones, just wanted something that gave better fidelity over the built-in speaker on the PC. Mind you, when I turned it up this afternoon and tested the scope, I think the folks three doors down knew the slew was complete

[pritc]

Whilst I was in maplins I also picked up a 2.1 set of speakers for my mission control room - Didn't go for the mega-watt ones, just wanted something that gave better fidelity over the built-in speaker on the PC. Mind you, when I turned it up this afternoon and tested the scope, I think the folks three doors down knew the slew was complete :)

As you commented on my speaker set up.The neighbours will love you powering down at 3am.......:evil6:

Great addition though,I love being able to hear which slew rate I have selected with my game controller,at the pier.

Wayne

[perfrej]

Whilst I was in maplins I also picked up a 2.1 set of speakers for my mission control room - Didn't go for the mega-watt ones, just wanted something that gave better fidelity over the built-in speaker on the PC. Mind you, when I turned it up this afternoon and tested the scope, I think the folks three doors down knew the slew was complete

Hmm... Am I on the wrong path here, you think?