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QHY PoleMaster


johnrt

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35 minutes ago, ChrisLX200 said:

0.3 ArcSec from the pole is pretty close... ;-)

ChrisH

I've used mine twice now. A doodle to setup and a fantastic alignment of 0.3 arc secs.

No wet knees trying to squint through a polar scope. :hello2:

Steve

 

Doh, senior moment. What my fingers should have typed is....................... 0.3 arc mins.  :iamwithstupid:

 

Steve

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2 hours ago, knobby said:

so, in my screenshot a few posts back, does 0.29" = 0.29 arcseconds ? not sure how that equates ? is that a good PA ?

First, I am no expert, just an obsessed 3rd year.  Polar Alighment error doesn't show up directly on the that graph. If you click Trendlines it will give you a Red dashed line that is your DEC trend. I believe that will correspond more closely to PA error.  I have used PHDLab, a free software app, that can monitor a live guiding session or review a past one if you have saved the LOG files. You will enter in your equipment specs and it can give you an PA error calculation.  OR if you use the newer PHD2, it has a Drift Alignment tool that you could use after you PA w/ Polemaster. Just run the Drift tool and double check your accuracy. I used PMaster again this weekend and just loved it, the ground was a muddy mess from melting snow and I got to stay in the chair. Best 300 I've spent in this hobby so far. 

 

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1 hour ago, Blazar said:

So I wonder if the software will run on a Mac....under WINE perhaps if not usual booting...?

They NEED to produce an OSX ver and for that matter *NIX also. Everyone should be able to use this product. It's just that good.

The first half of my product demo on youtube will post today. The guy that runs that channel wanted to break it in half because I went long with the raw video. The second half will be completed shortly and posted.

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@Droogie 2001

I finally had some clear skies last night and was able to try out the Polemaster. Two caveats, I am still suffering the effects of a virus and not very clear headed and it was quite windy last night as a result of storm Henry.

Anyway, I opened up the software and connected and was pleasantly surprised at the instructions presented. The web instructions are just awful but the instructions given as you run the software are fine.

I did the rough PA and precis PA in about 5 mins. The only real fiddly bit was aligning the 2 circles in fine PA because of the wind - on a windless night this would be much easier.

Having completed the PA I did  a 2 star align and checked the PA error in the Nexstar handset and it was 22" and 1'10" which is as good as I have managed to do using ASPA but without suffering any neck pain! I'm sure that I can improve on that.

This Polemaster is just brilliant and I would recommend it to anyone - it's well worth the £280. Painless Polar Alignment!

Peter

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23 hours ago, PeterCPC said:

You could try downloading the software - it will open without a camera attached but you can't do anything.

Peter

Peter....did not see the link for it...but found it on the QHY site. Just downloaded it and created a new wrapper in WINE for it....fired up first time! so the software is running quite nicely (though cannot test a connection)....but I know someone who has one (Knobby!).....

Polem.tiff

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21 hours ago, nightster said:

Here is part 1 just the unboxing and me rambling on about my problems. Doug runs that channel and wanted to split it into two parts, all the important parts are going to be in part 2.

 

Liked the video looks a well built piece of kit like you I liked the thumb screws on the connector nice touch looking forward to the second part thanks for posting.

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3 hours ago, wigggyy said:

Liked the video looks a well built piece of kit like you I liked the thumb screws on the connector nice touch looking forward to the second part thanks for posting.

Thanks, the meat and potatoes are coming when Doug finishes editing. I gave him A LOT of video. Assembly and installation, 6 nights of use, PHD logs, before and after subs, and a batch of recaps.  A whole lot of bad takes where the screen capture software either didn't record sound or got sound but no video.  My first foray into Youtube video.  Wanted to really give it an honest test but I'll admit I also wanted it to work.  He will separate the wheat from the chaff and compile a solid vid.

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@nightster

I wonder if there is any benefit in doing an alignment prior to doing the Polemaster PA? I am also wondering what would be the easiest way to check what the PA error is once PA alignment is finished. I looked on the QHYCCD web site/Forum but could not see any information about this. Anyone got any information they could share?

Peter

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51 minutes ago, PeterCPC said:

@nightster

I wonder if there is any benefit in doing an alignment prior to doing the Polemaster PA? I am also wondering what would be the easiest way to check what the PA error is once PA alignment is finished. I looked on the QHYCCD web site/Forum but could not see any information about this. Anyone got any information they could share?

Peter

I never did any other type of PA as I was testing the product solely for the review. It wouldn't hurt to do another type of PA but that seemingly negates the main benefit of the product, quick PA. I reiterate that I am no expert, but I used the PHD2.5 Drift Alignment tool to verify accuracy (I did not adjust the mount at all during that Drift Align.) I also used a program called PHDLAB to live monitor the log file and it will report a live Polar Alignment accuracy down to one hundredth of an arc minute. I did see that number drift to as low as .26' and as high as 3' with it stabilizing south of 1' for most of the 6 night test. I really hope than when others get this device they can try to verify it's performance using any of the multitude of PA tools that available.  Keep the data coming.

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Just now, StevieDvd said:

The star alignment is only really as accurate as the PA - it would always be preferable to do the PA first as far as I understand. 

Yeah i get that but the Celestrons CGEM mount won't allow you to do anything until you have done a star alignment, so you cant use the polar alignment feature in the handset until you have star aligned it and you can't use Alignmaster because the mount isn't ready.  It drives me nuts because what you are doing is a star alignment against polar alignment that isn't accurate only to do polar align and then have to do a star alignment again...

I like this because if i am understanding it right i can polar align my mount accurately, then fire it up and do my star alignment and i'm done, no re-doing anything and i eliminate another step in the setup process

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It also for me solves an issue i have when i'm out in the field, i work from my motorhome rather then a laptop next to the rig, in order to star align and PA there is a lot of back and forth bewteen the two and i have to use my phone as a remote monitor, this eliminates most of that, in fact i'd lose the need for Alignmaster, POTH, remote monitor on my phone and several repeated steps....

I'm going to ring Bernard

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51 minutes ago, Mav359 said:

am i right in thinking that you wouldn't even have to turn the mount on? just wack the camera in, do the polar align using the manual alt/az bolts then you can fire it up and do a 2 or 3 star setup

 

 

The PM software doesn't control the mount. So no, you don't need the mount on.

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