Sky-Watcher AZ GTI tracking

[Ajhayter]

Just to chime in on this, I use a Baader Zoom and have it wide open (24mm) when using go-to and aligning. For the actual alignment stars I then zoom it right into 8mm and get it as optically centered as I can. It's no crosshair, but it's done well.

I had M13 mostly-centered in a 102 Startravel for upwards of 30 mins (just looked like a smudge, but for visitors it was a good comparison with the 10" dob set up next to it), and then was quite happy swinging round to other targets.    

The other targets were usually slightly off, but I could always find them at 24mm, get them re-centered and mark it aligned on the app. After that the tracking was fine.

[AstroSylv1]

Still no longer get the Sun tracking feature, deleted the app and re downloaded it, reset the mount WiFi, tried everything I used to do when the Sun tracking was available, but now it’s gone... anyone has the same issue ?

[Wilsmaboy]

I set my Az GTI up to do a bit of solar this morning and noted there was no 'fast solar tracking' - only the option of Lunar or Sidereal - and using either of those tracking was non-existent.  I have not had any decent tracking at all using this mount - I'm fastidious about balancing scope, levelling, and pointing north but the GoTo is pants and tracking seems to be non-existent whether doing solar or lunar.

 

[Stu]

On 22/04/2018 at 14:23, Wilsmaboy said:

I set my Az GTI up to do a bit of solar this morning and noted there was no 'fast solar tracking' - only the option of Lunar or Sidereal - and using either of those tracking was non-existent.  I have not had any decent tracking at all using this mount - I'm fastidious about balancing scope, levelling, and pointing north but the GoTo is pants and tracking seems to be non-existent whether doing solar or lunar.

 

Have you checked the backlash on either axis? If it is loose the tracking/gotos will be inaccurate. Mine works very well and there is not so much difference between solar and sidereal

[Wilsmaboy]

I'll try that 'backlash check out' but seemed pretty solid to me and seems a bit strange having to dismantle and tighten gears on a brand new device to get it to track.

[dazroome]

sorry posted wrong place

 

Edited April 22, 2018 by dazroome
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[Anders Kvist]

I'm all new to this and got my first telescope (Skymax 127) and a AZ-GTI mount a week ago - got it alligned (using liveview on my camera (perfect centering @ 10x display zoom)) and think it worked quite okay, but during tracking it seems to become worse and worse. I took 3 images with a 15 sec exposure - first looked fine, next had trails and the last even longer trails.

I recorded this video of the moon, where I first center the moon and in about a minute it starts to drift off. I wanted to make a similar video with a very bright star and do a "lighten only" layering, so it will be very easy to see the movement in a video, but it's been cloudy since I recorded the video of the moon.

Any suggestions to what's happening here or is it just what can be expected of a AZ mount?

https://imgur.com/a/6wOIvkM

https://imgur.com/a/FfaQxtH

https://imgur.com/a/6IbOQIZ

Edited April 24, 2018 by Anders Kvist
Pasted images not shown in post

[happy-kat]

The mount tracks by tiny left right up down movement so while visually the object stays in the field of view it is rotating. Long exposure even 15 seconds through your 127mm mak will be subject to star trailing much sooner due to the long focal length.

[Anders Kvist]

1 minute ago, happy-kat said:

The mount tracks by tiny left right up down movement so while visually the object stays in the field of view it is rotating. Long exposure even 15 seconds through your 127mm mak will be subject to star trailing much sooner due to the long focal length.

Yes, I know - check the images, it's not rotation, it's trails in the same direction...

[happy-kat]

Then it's balance.

My Virtuoso mount only tracks in azumith if the weight is wrong so I get long trails. East facing I need my camera to be slightly rear heavy and the reverse for West.

See here Link

Edited April 24, 2018 by happy-kat

[Anders Kvist]

8 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

Then it's balance.

My Virtuoso mount only tracks in azumith if the weight is wrong so I get long trails. East facing I need my camera to be slightly rear heavy and the reverse for West.

See here Link

I think I balanced it quite well,. but not offset like you say. But howcome the moon stays in center for about a minute and then drifts of faster and faster (video)? Is that wrong balancing? 

[happy-kat]

I don't know. I just shared how I fixed the same appearance of stars in a photo when I used my mount which is also a similar payload and is altaz.

[Anders Kvist]

Just now, happy-kat said:

I don't know. I just shared how I fixed the same appearance of stars in a photo when I used my mount which is also a similar payload and is altaz.

Okay - I can see why you say balance with the photos you got - but I'm not sure when my first photo is perfect, the second has some trails and even longer on the third - it's accelerating. If I center the object again, it's the same all over again.

[happy-kat]

Battery fade?

Also I did good stars in other tests it was just that I must have had the unit facing a more favourable direction.

[Stu]

On 22/04/2018 at 17:09, Wilsmaboy said:

I'll try that 'backlash check out' but seemed pretty solid to me and seems a bit strange having to dismantle and tighten gears on a brand new device to get it to track.

I don’t disagree, but mine was quite loose when I got it. Tightening up made a big difference. If yours is solid then the problem obviously lies elsewhere.

[Anders Kvist]

4 minutes ago, Stu said:

I don’t disagree, but mine was quite loose when I got it. Tightening up made a big difference. If yours is solid then the problem obviously lies elsewhere.

I tried finding a manual to how to do it, but found none - can you describe the process?

[Anders Kvist]

8 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

Battery fade?

Also I did good stars in other tests it was just that I must have had the unit facing a more favourable direction.

Might be - I've been using it for only a few hours in total as I just got it and the weather only were good the first 3 days I had it :/ But I think it may be a good test to attach an external powersource to test if it makes any difference...

[Stu]

51 minutes ago, Anders Kvist said:

I tried finding a manual to how to do it, but found none - can you describe the process?

Hi,

These are the instructions I recieved.

if obvious backlash can be sensed when shaking the mount, it means there is problem with the spring part on the worm and gear where is supposed to eliminate the backlash. 
Please open the black plastic cover, and then move worm base A where there is a spring, by hand. At this moment, the worm base A can be moved freely. And when the hand is off, the worm base A will be pulled by the spring to the gear.

Basically you loosen the screw holding the worm in place, adjust the position and then retighten. This is very easy, but you need to check the movement through the whole range in case it binds anywhere, in which case you need to back off a little and perhaps accept a little backlash somewhere.

Hope that helps.

[ZBOYD]

On 21/04/2018 at 17:00, disciplus55 said:

Still no longer get the Sun tracking feature, deleted the app and re downloaded it, reset the mount WiFi, tried everything I used to do when the Sun tracking was available, but now it’s gone... anyone has the same issue ?

This perplexed me the other day too,  but Ive since discovered that SkyWatcher have put a new App on the Apple AppStore (can’t confirm whether its the same for Android) it’s called SynScan Pro where as the original and first app is just SynScan.

The Pro version is still free,  but has extra options for users deemed Pro, which includes solar tracking etc

Solar tracking can be found under Advanced > Advanced Settings > Observe Sun. You then need to switch it on and it gives you the standard solar safety warning a maths problem to solve before it unlocks the solar tracking. 

Hope this helps ?

[Stu]

Many thanks @ZBOYD,  I didn’t know that!  

[ZBOYD]

19 minutes ago, Stu said:

No worries, @Stu it disappeared after the last update and trying to discover more I was reading the update notes on App Store and they mention Pro: one star alignment for solar and Moon.  I was like erm nope ?

So did a search on the AppStore low and behold a Pro version, nice of SkyWatcher to make that clear at the last update. ?

Had a play with it on mine over weekend and it worked  well, single point alignment for Lunar and Solar was something I contacted SW about early on, and they said they had no immediate plans but would pass on my feedback.  Tracking was greatly improved and I was doing a lot less target chasing whilst imaging.

Got this on Sunday evening, using my 72mm EDR and IMX178 colour cam and some white light solar on Saturday same scope but an IMX174 mono cam.

[Stu]

Very nice! Lunar X and C showing there nicely.

How does the single point align work, starting from North and Level?

[ZBOYD]

1 minute ago, Stu said:

Very nice! Lunar X and C showing there nicely.

How does the single point align work, starting from North and Level?

Thanks.  Worked from a 1star alignment for me the Moon and Sun(when solar observation is turned on) are available as alignment targets.  North and level may give a better alignment I’ll have to try it next time the clouds are gone. 

[AstroSylv1]

Thanks ! It still puzzles me that they have not been able to update the apps and firmwares to take into account iOS and SkySafari with one device needed only...

[ZBOYD]

5 hours ago, disciplus55 said:

Thanks ! It still puzzles me that they have not been able to update the apps and firmwares to take into account iOS and SkySafari with one device needed only...

It would appear the development process needs some better public relations/involvement.  SkyWatcher's website is a little thin on info, although there must be some development taking place due to the odd firmware update that has filtered onto the support pages.

It is a great little grab and go mount, and for solar and lunar in a hurry, its always the AZ-GTI i reach for, over my cumbersome AZ-EQ6.

Hopefully they continue to develop the app further, and also tie in better support for app's such as SkySafari.