AZ-GTI

[Stu1smartcookie]

Having decided small refractors and a light weight small refector is my way forward in astronomy i have some questions about the az-gti mount . 

1; i cannot get the mount to accurately "goto" its intended target .. The instructions for this mount are incredibly lite and give no real indication of setting up and alignment. Its an alt azimuth mount primarily so can anyone give me any tips here... Should the scope be mounted so it faces front on the right side of the mount or faces front on the left side ( sorry if this doesn't make sense ..i know what i'm trying to ask but its not easy to write it lol)

2: i upgraded the firmware from the skywatcher website and i started to use the az-gti as an EQ mount ( i bought a skywatcher wedge ).. i found this set up to be a bit "sloppy " so , am i right in thinking that i can reverse the firmware upgrade by downloading the original firmware onto the mount ? The mount seemed ok with everything tightened but in reality i think its a bit lightweight for my 130pds , although ideal for my wo zs61... any thoughts would be most welcome . 

[Cornelius Varley]

In normal AZ mode the mount is to the right of the telescope (looking from the rear). 

[Stu1smartcookie]

Many thanks Cornelius for the confirmation . 

[johninderby]

Download the Synscan hand control manual and you will,find a lot of usefull info. The manual that comes with the scope is more of a quick start one and useless if you want proper info.

https://skywatcher.com/download/manual/synscan-hand-control-and-synscan-app/

Edited July 21, 2019 by johninderby

[laudropb]

There is a good demonstration of the level north alignment process on YouTube . I tried to link this here but it would not work on my IPAD. It’s by the Astronomy and Nature people.

[Space Oddities]

Note that since you upgraded the firmware, in Alt-Az mode, the telescope must be placed on the right side. With the old firmware (no EQ mode), it should be placed on the left side. Which might not be convenient for some scopes (especially SkyWatcher's Maksutov telescopes, where the finder ends up at the bottom).

I also have the 130 PDS, and it's indeed a bit heavy for this mount. I just purchased a counterweight (the one for the Star Adventurer), and an adapter that fits the AZ-GTi. I'll see if that helps balance the mount, despite being over the weight limit.

There's a very long thread on Cloudy Nights regarding this mount. The general consensus is that there is a fair share of faulty copies. For some people, Go-To doesn't work very well. And for some other users, everything is perfect.

I'm a happy customer! There's no better mount for grab and go, setting it up takes 5 minutes, and everything can fit in a backpack. I often take it to show my friends the planets and the Moon  

My only advice: make sure the mount is perfectly level when you set it up, that helps!

[fireballxl5]

For reliable go-to's, one thing that I've found is that I need to activate the secondary encoder, otherwise the mount quickly loses it's mind, with poor go-to's and sometimes just constantly slewing to a target that it never finds! Maybe the primary encoder/s are contaminated and not reporting the correct position?

With the secondary encoder activated go-to is very reliable, making it a great mount.

[heliumstar]

55 minutes ago, fireballxl5 said:

For reliable go-to's, one thing that I've found is that I need to activate the secondary encoder, otherwise the mount quickly loses it's mind, with poor go-to's and sometimes just constantly slewing to a target that it never finds! Maybe the primary encoder/s are contaminated and not reporting the correct position?

With the secondary encoder activated go-to is very reliable, making it a great mount.

Can you extend on this. Primary and secondary encoders?

[fireballxl5]

17 minutes ago, heliumstar said:

Can you extend on this. Primary and secondary encoders?

The GTi has secondary encoders so that you can release the clutches and manually move the scope without affecting the mount's position knowledge. 

You have to enable the secondary encoders in the Settings>Auxiliary Encoder option within the SynScan Pro app.

HTH, Andy

[Steve Clay]

1 hour ago, Space Oddities said:

Note that since you upgraded the firmware, in Alt-Az mode, the telescope must be placed on the right side. With the old firmware (no EQ mode), it should be placed on the left side. Which might not be convenient for some scopes (especially SkyWatcher's Maksutov telescopes, where the finder ends up at the bottom).

I also have the 130 PDS, and it's indeed a bit heavy for this mount. I just purchased a counterweight (the one for the Star Adventurer), and an adapter that fits the AZ-GTi. I'll see if that helps balance the mount, despite being over the weight limit.

There's a very long thread on Cloudy Nights regarding this mount. The general consensus is that there is a fair share of faulty copies. For some people, Go-To doesn't work very well. And for some other users, everything is perfect.

I'm a happy customer! There's no better mount for grab and go, setting it up takes 5 minutes, and everything can fit in a backpack. I often take it to show my friends the planets and the Moon  

My only advice: make sure the mount is perfectly level when you set it up, that helps!

Hi regarding left / right placement of the OTA. Are you saying that even if you initialise the mount as AZ the scope needs to be placed on the right? Can you point me to where this is documented.?

Cheers

Steve

[heliumstar]

24 minutes ago, fireballxl5 said:

The GTi has secondary encoders so that you can release the clutches and manually move the scope without affecting the mount's position knowledge. 

You have to enable the secondary encoders in the Settings>Auxiliary Encoder option within the SynScan Pro app.

HTH, Andy

Aha! I thought those were enabled by default.

[heliumstar]

23 minutes ago, Steve Clay said:

Hi regarding left / right placement of the OTA. Are you saying that even if you initialise the mount as AZ the scope needs to be placed on the right? Can you point me to where this is documented.?

Cheers

Steve

There are two versions of 3.16 firmware. One is for AltAz right side and EQ mode and the other is the 'normal' one. If you have the right hand firmware and you initialise the mount as AZ then yes, needs to be placed on the right.

http://skywatcher.com/download/software/motor-control-firmware/

[Steve Clay]

1 minute ago, heliumstar said:

There are two versions of 3.16 firmware. One is for AltAz right side and EQ mode and the other is the 'normal' one. If you have the right hand firmware and you initialise the mount as AZ then yes, needs to be placed on the right.

http://skywatcher.com/download/software/motor-control-firmware/

Many thanks. I've just re-read the information. It's a pity that they have done it like that. That will probably explain why my tracking has been off 

Steve

[Stu1smartcookie]

Thanks to all of you for your help... one more question ... i have a wedge which i now use as the firmware is updated ti use in EQ mode ... when setting up ,should i set up just as i would a normal EQ mount , ie udjust the latitude, 51 degrees in my case , and literally point the scope towards polaris ? i will have the scope level and balanced of course . I am also using this mount at present with batteries .. i think they could be causing an issue as when they are running down the power is probably not consistent , therefore maybe its affecting the slewing to the desired location . Maybe i am wrong here , it was just a thought .

[Stu1smartcookie]

59 minutes ago, Steve Clay said:

Hi regarding left / right placement of the OTA. Are you saying that even if you initialise the mount as AZ the scope needs to be placed on the right? Can you point me to where this is documented.?

Cheers

Steve

 

2 hours ago, Space Oddities said:

Note that since you upgraded the firmware, in Alt-Az mode, the telescope must be placed on the right side. With the old firmware (no EQ mode), it should be placed on the left side. Which might not be convenient for some scopes (especially SkyWatcher's Maksutov telescopes, where the finder ends up at the bottom).

I also have the 130 PDS, and it's indeed a bit heavy for this mount. I just purchased a counterweight (the one for the Star Adventurer), and an adapter that fits the AZ-GTi. I'll see if that helps balance the mount, despite being over the weight limit.

There's a very long thread on Cloudy Nights regarding this mount. The general consensus is that there is a fair share of faulty copies. For some people, Go-To doesn't work very well. And for some other users, everything is perfect.

I'm a happy customer! There's no better mount for grab and go, setting it up takes 5 minutes, and everything can fit in a backpack. I often take it to show my friends the planets and the Moon  

My only advice: make sure the mount is perfectly level when you set it up, that helps!

Hi Space ... the 130 pds is quite a light scope though and ive seen many reports of people using it on this mount ... i too have a counter weight , its a really good set up ...when it works .I will be upgrading the tripod ..The current one really isnt up to holding everything steady . i'm also conscious that the total money spent on this mount is actually nearing the cost of a Skywatcher Eq3 goto mount or an ioptron Smart EQ ...Which are both fairly portable mounts and have similar payload abilities . And they have the avantage of the synscan handset . i actually prefer that to using a mobile to connect to the az-gti . 

[Steve Clay]

I use the synscan handset with mine. Far easier to use thsn the app and wifi.

[Space Oddities]

10 hours ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

Thanks to all of you for your help... one more question ... i have a wedge which i now use as the firmware is updated ti use in EQ mode ... when setting up ,should i set up just as i would a normal EQ mount , ie udjust the latitude, 51 degrees in my case , and literally point the scope towards polaris ? i will have the scope level and balanced of course . I am also using this mount at present with batteries .. i think they could be causing an issue as when they are running down the power is probably not consistent , therefore maybe its affecting the slewing to the desired location . Maybe i am wrong here , it was just a thought .

I think the batteries should be fine! Never had an issue with them (apart from the cheap plastic feel of the battery compartment...). But you can use an external 12v battery if you prefer  

Regarding the latitude, actually you might need to set it to 90 -  your latitude (so, 39°). The mount, in EQ mode, is not exactly like a traditional equatorial mount, and is kind of "inverted". There's an explanation here, apparently it depends on your latitude base: https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/658474-skywatcher-synscanaz-gti-alignment-instructions/page-3#entry9454980

 

As an illustration, here is the Star Adventurer pointing North:

AZ GTi in EQ mode, pointing North as well:

As you can see, the base is inverted, so for the same latitude, you need 51° with the star adventurer and 39° with the AZ GTi.

Edited July 22, 2019 by Space Oddities

[Stu1smartcookie]

11 hours ago, Steve Clay said:

I use the synscan handset with mine. Far easier to use thsn the app and wifi.

I would prefer to use a handset ….but … that's another £100 spent if I do ! … I think I'm getting into "my wife will kill me territory " as it is lol

[Steve Clay]

1 hour ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

I would prefer to use a handset ….but … that's another £100 spent if I do ! … I think I'm getting into "my wife will kill me territory " as it is lol

I normally say got it used only 20 quid🤣🤣 astroboot have the V4 for£90  new

[Stu1smartcookie]

1 minute ago, Steve Clay said:

I normally say got it used only 20 quid🤣🤣 astroboot have the V4 for£90  new

Lol I will use that line , maybe once ! … I have decided that I am going to get an eq3 pro goto mount … I feel that it will cope if only a bit better with additional weight such as a camera .

I suppose I am not alone in changing my set up … especially trying to find the "sweet spot" of equipment owned . I could have bought part of the Hubble with the money ive spent so far.

[macupnorth]

hi guys,newbie here but I'm having a tough time with this azgti mount and would need some step by step help with its set up.

I have it in equatorial mode with the wedge,i set it facing north at 90 minus my latitude,i try a one star alignment,ask it to go to Arcturus and itll head west instead of southwest,totally puzzled by this,no matter what I ask it to go to it goes nowhere near it,any tips?

[Space Oddities]

 

13 minutes ago, macupnorth said:

hi guys,newbie here but I'm having a tough time with this azgti mount and would need some step by step help with its set up.

I have it in equatorial mode with the wedge,i set it facing north at 90 minus my latitude,i try a one star alignment,ask it to go to Arcturus and itll head west instead of southwest,totally puzzled by this,no matter what I ask it to go to it goes nowhere near it,any tips?

Do you have it setup like this?

 

Perhaps you can try following this tutorial, and see if you're missing something: https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/658474-skywatcher-synscanaz-gti-alignment-instructions/

[macupnorth]

56 minutes ago, Space Oddities said:

 

Do you have it setup like this?

 

Perhaps you can try following this tutorial, and see if you're missing something: https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/658474-skywatcher-synscanaz-gti-alignment-instructions/

I have it set up just like that yeah with a dslr and 200mm lens,start off pointing north,begin alignment, go tos are miles off every time,ill check that video out thankyou 

[Stu1smartcookie]

Not sure I can be of much help but , last night I took off the wedge and reverted back to the original firmware for the AZ-GTi… apart from having to rearrange the dovetail bar to accommodate fitting the scope on the left of the mount instead of the right , the whole system worked so much better . I had excellent views of Jupiter , considering its elevation, with my 130pds and even saw what looked like one of the moons transiting the planet . At least using the AZ-Gti in its original form worked for me . I never had much success with the wedge and using the updated firmware . I think the tripod is too lightweight for the mount and a couple of times the scope would "drop" and my heart would stop beating for a second .

[Space Oddities]

Well, to be fair, Sky-Watcher states on its software downloads page, that this mount wasn't designed for astrophotography. The EQ mode is more some kind of a hack, that happens to work well for some people.

I mostly use the AZ GTi for planetary photography with my small Mak, where you don't have to care about field rotation. And for quick observing as well. It's such a great mount for a lightweight setup, and observing the sky with friends   It fits in a backpack and doesn't require a heavy tripod with smaller scopes. I think that's where the true value of that mount is.

This being said, I'm pretty sure Sky Watcher could make a better version of the AZ GTi, some kind of Star Adventurer with Go-To but with a similar form factor. That'd be a great alternative to bigger mounts!