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Is GPS worth it on a scope?

emadmoussa

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Sunshine

Sunshine

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Posted

I really don't think they're for any other reason other than alignment, if you observe from the same place all the time then it may not be useful. That being said, when I had a CPC 1100, I did enjoy sitting back and letting the scope do the work, spoils you a bit.

 

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Stu

Stu

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I used a GPS dongle for a while with a couple of mounts.  It does make life very simple when aligning,  not having to bother with date and time either, but as said,  if observing from the same site it is a bit unnecessary especially at £200. I think I paid about £60 for my dongle.

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ollypenrice

ollypenrice

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I find that on our permanent 14 inch LX200 the built in GPS is effective but slow because it has to go through a long rigmarole of checking tip and tilt, and then location, despite the fact that these haven't changed. The result is usually (but not absolutely always) remarkably accurate. It usually puts objects in the EP despite its 3.5 metre focal length. (In theory the data can be stored and re-used but I have not found this to work well.)

For a fixed observatory I wouldn't buy a GPS. I do have a weather station with radio link to an atomic clock so the time isn't a problem.

Olly

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RayD

RayD

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Yes I definitely concur with all of the above.  

I have a USB GPS dongle which I use all the time when I set up away from home, and it's great, but the built in GPS on my CEM120 has only been used once for an initial alignment, for which I actually knew the information anyway.

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Pig

Pig

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I’m the opposite, I like the GPS function for its seamless alignment purposes.? The GPS is built into to my mount so no additional costs or additional interfaces to mess about with. Besides for some reason most of us will always want more eyepieces so I am sure the £200 eyepiece will just become part of the furniture ?

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emadmoussa

emadmoussa

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Just now, ollypenrice said:

No such thing as a nice zoom. ? Save up for a 13mm Ethos...

:icon_mrgreen:lly

I'll be mounting a small refractor on top of the SCT, and that where it'll be used - mostly. I"m a bit allergic to Televue. If I had the cash I'd grab a 100-deg Explore Scientific instead, but this can wait until, perhaps, I've sold my little one on the black market. 

I actually loved my Baader zoom, even on the needy, demanding 12" Dob. 

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Pig

Pig

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1 hour ago, emadmoussa said:

 this can wait until, perhaps, I've sold my little one on the black market. 

 

I know they can be trying Imad but resorting to selling your children is going a bit too far ?

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ollypenrice

ollypenrice

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19 minutes ago, emadmoussa said:

Desperate times require desperate measures...

I think the courts would look sympathetically on someone wanting to sell their children but declaring that you don't like TV eyepieces will see you sectioned on the spot...

Olly

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Cleetus

Cleetus

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On 02/12/2018 at 08:55, ollypenrice said:

I find that on our permanent 14 inch LX200 the built in GPS is effective but slow because it has to go through a long rigmarole of checking tip and tilt, and then location, despite the fact that these haven't changed. The result is usually (but not absolutely always) remarkably accurate. It usually puts objects in the EP despite its 3.5 metre focal length. (In theory the data can be stored and re-used but I have not found this to work well.)

For a fixed observatory I wouldn't buy a GPS. I do have a weather station with radio link to an atomic clock so the time isn't a problem.

Olly

Why not use PARK when finished observing?

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