Help with a telescope set-up - Takahashi Mewlon Losmandy GM8

[m4rcus]

Hi,

Where do I start? My dad was left a Takahashi Mewlon M-210 relector telscope, with a Losmandy GM8 mount with a Losmandy Gemini Systems controller V1. His good friend owned it and we used to go and visit to see the night sky and planets. He used to set it all up and control it using the slightly antiquated Gemini V1 controller. I understand that it's an an expensive setup, but it's not all working. The controller has an SRAM error when booting up, the unit had been left for nearly a year and the battery was flat. Replacing it only gives the error. I guess we have two options, one is to repair the Gemini controller or use something else to control the mount. I have contacted AstroEQ, but I've not had a reply yet.

So could someone let me know of some options that would be available to us, ideally at present, only spending a small amount of money would be best to get it working. If we find it's too advanced in rookie hands then it might be best to trade it in for something smaller and easier... 

Cheers 

 

 

[Pig]

Hiya Marcus.
The setup is indeed quite expensive and top quality, the scope itself costs about £2.5K new.
My advice would be to give Ian king a call as he should be able to assist. The phone number is in the link below along with a description of the scope.

https://www.takahashiuk.co.uk/Reflecting-Telescopes

[jetstream]

1 hour ago, m4rcus said:

it might be best to trade it in for something smaller and easier... 

Think long and hard before getting rid of this scope... it is a "dream" telescope and scopes don't get much better for lunar/planetary.

[m4rcus]

Hi, that is for the info. I'll make a call to Ian next week.

The main thing I'd like to do is 'upgrade' the goto method, replacing the Gemini controller with something more modern, an interface box and a pc would make things easier! Which is why I was thinking about the AstroEQ, is this a good option?

 

Many thanks,

M

[Pig]

Marcus,
I have no experience with AstroEQ thus I cannot help. But there are plenty of mounts around that will be fine, the only limiting factors are the weight of the scope and the depth of your pockets 

[m4rcus]

Hi Pig,

The mount isn't a problem (I hope) as we have the Losmandy GM8 mount, it's just that I'm looking for for a more modern way to control it rather than the Gemini q.

[Pig]

Markus,
"GoTo" mounts these days tend to have the controllers built into them hence why I say mount, I should have made this clearer in my replies. My apologies for any confusion.

[MattJenko]

A Gemini 2 upgrade is quite expensive but will give you a much more modern handset/system to control the entire system with. For similar money though, you could put your very lovely Mewlon on a new shiny Az goto mount and enjoy things even more than an old EQ based system. As mentioned above, that scope is a lovely item, so if things change, it should be the mount.

[Cosmic Geoff]

I read this out of idle curiousity, but I do have a couple of suggestions.

It might be possible to fix the old controller by having a look inside. Clean off any corrosion crud that might have accumulated on the PCB and connectors, and if there are any devices in sockets (e.g. that SRAM), ease them up with a small screwdriver or other lever and push them back down, to clear any bad connections.

I expect you are balking at the cost of a Gemini 2 controller. Since the controller is not, as far as I can see, an integral part of the mount, a "standard" option may be to revert to a cheaper configuration, i.e. manual or RA motor drive. I think you can get a suitable dual stepper motor kit for about 300 euros. If it was mine, I'd want to restore the GoTo, but your preferences may vary. 

[Waldemar]

On 2017-5-16 at 15:18, MattJenko said:

A Gemini 2 upgrade is quite expensive but will give you a much more modern handset/system to control the entire system with. For similar money though, you could put your very lovely Mewlon on a new shiny Az goto mount and enjoy things even more than an old EQ based system. As mentioned above, that scope is a lovely item, so if things change, it should be the mount.

You really think an cheap Alt/AZ  goto mount suits this Takahashi Mewlon with it's 2,4 m focal length best ??

I am sorry, but to me the only way to go at this is to get the updated Gemini 2 controler and possiby the precision worm set also.
This scope deserves to be on a good EQ mount that is up for the job.

[MattJenko]

We are talking about a $1.6k gemini 2 upgrade according to the Losmandy site, and for that you could get some extremely nice Az goto mounts that would do a Mewlon well, not sure what is cheap about that. No apologies necessary.

[Waldemar]

7 hours ago, MattJenko said:

We are talking about a $1.6k gemini 2 upgrade according to the Losmandy site, and for that you could get some extremely nice Az goto mounts that would do a Mewlon well, not sure what is cheap about that. No apologies necessary.

I did see other prices:

http://www.sale-telescopes.com/products/Losmandy-Gemini-2-Upgrade.html

Research neccessary...

[Dave In Vermont]

I'd feed it whatever it needed - if I had to take a 2nd. job to do it! That telescope is the long dreamed of & drooled-over sum of someone's grand-total of astronomical-dreams! It deserves White-Truffles & Beluga Caviar every night for dinner! And bathed in Dom Perignon, of course.

Don't let anyone try to buy it from you for "a shiny, new nickel, little boy!"

Sweet!

Dave

[MattJenko]

Can't argue with that price compared to the ones I saw. Still seems an expensive upgrade, but it does validate your point about upgrade being a preference over a new Az mount. A Mewlon is a very nice scope and does deserve a very nice mount.

[m4rcus]

Hey,

Many thanks to everyone that's commented. I've not replied due to other commitments over the last two months, but that's all clear now, so on with working out what to do with this setup. I didn't realise that this was such a special telecope, so I will do it some justice and get it working some how.

I have the controller with me now in England to try to fix it, as it was in France, the telescope and mount is still in France (which is where my father is). So I'm going to work through the details on here - http://gemini-2.com/faqG1.php to see if I can get it working. I think I will aim for the update to Gemini 2, buying it from America as it looks like it's half the price of Europe! I'd like to go for the upgraded worm drive, but it this really necessary at my current lack of ability? 

Many thanks,

M

[Waldemar]

10 hours ago, m4rcus said:

Hey,

Many thanks to everyone that's commented. I've not replied due to other commitments over the last two months, but that's all clear now, so on with working out what to do with this setup. I didn't realise that this was such a special telecope, so I will do it some justice and get it working some how.

I have the controller with me now in England to try to fix it, as it was in France, the telescope and mount is still in France (which is where my father is). So I'm going to work through the details on here - http://gemini-2.com/faqG1.php to see if I can get it working. I think I will aim for the update to Gemini 2, buying it from America as it looks like it's half the price of Europe! I'd like to go for the upgraded worm drive, but it this really necessary at my current lack of ability? 

Many thanks,

M

Before spending more on a worm drive upgrade, I would first get familiar with the whole set-up and check how well it performs like it is.
Upgrading is always a possibility in the future.