Rowan AZ100 Mount Owners Thread

[lifeonmars]

Doing a two star align in AZ100 app and switching to SS no problems with subsequent goto's

I dont use the joystick( I did when I first used the motor kit update and found after a while it was quite intuitive)but still find it easier to manually nudge the scope to centralise the two alignment stars in the eyepiece so that's my method now.

If I try and align in skysafari when I tap my first alignment star and centralise in my eyepiece ,then press align it slews off somewhere random maybe 5 to 10 degrees  away very odd.

Now Aligning on AZ100 app and switching to Skysafari then everything is fine.

Cheers Frank

[Stephenstargazer]

34 minutes ago, lifeonmars said:

,then press align it slews off somewhere random maybe 5 to 10 degrees  away very odd.

Basically this is the same behaviour I have found. I think the distance it moves may depend on the initial mount position. As mine is on a pier (which is leveled and adjusted North/South) this can be quite accurate hence a smaller movement.

[BGazing]

Well, it is here...and the @FLO sticker on the box brought the clouds, predictably.

To be precise, a part of it was actually delivered. Bizarrely, DHL delivered only one of the two packages and left the other in the sorting center...will be delivered on Monday, apparently busy for holidays here. Literally the stupidest excuse I have ever heard, I have 'partial delivery' now on my tracking duly recorded.

Mount is massive and looks beautifully done. As I got only slomos and friction thingies with it, I used the time to play with controls.

It is really quiet. Took some time to figure out that one has to tighten those friction knobs a bit before the motors start 'biting'.

Rowan web page for AZ is really poorly done, displays in a clumsy way on my S22. Joystick is super slow even on the higest setting. Finding alignment stars on my phone requires eyesight of a commando sniper. 

Switching to SS Pro both on phone and on iOS, I was surprised to see that using those direction buttons did not allow for continuous slew. I remember having that option with Evolution, this is again very very slow even on the highest rate and, frankly, clunky. SW did awesome job with their Synscan for phones, I am not in the business but it is really hard to make an app that does the biz very simply and intuitively. 

GPS signal never turned green on the Rowan page, stayed orange, I have no idea why. edit: realized why, mount has to be outside for some time, has its own GPS module.

All in all, I'll probably be one of the early hand controller adopters.

Edited February 18, 2023 by BGazing

[Stephenstargazer]

3 hours ago, BGazing said:

Joystick is super slow even on the higest setting.

It gets faster as you move finger to the edge of the circle. Intended only  for fine movement with fairly high magnification, which you can try when clouds gone? I found it awkward at first even on a tablet. Step movements Iikewise small in SS, but you can just push the mount instead when the clutches are set right.

I also found the gps indicator slow to go from amber to green, but when I checked the lat, long in 'config' it was at my house.

Very frustrating delivery for you! What is delayed?

 

[BGazing]

10 hours ago, Stephenstargazer said:

It gets faster as you move finger to the edge of the circle. Intended only  for fine movement with fairly high magnification, which you can try when clouds gone? I found it awkward at first even on a tablet. Step movements Iikewise small in SS, but you can just push the mount instead when the clutches are set right.

I also found the gps indicator slow to go from amber to green, but when I checked the lat, long in 'config' it was at my house.

Very frustrating delivery for you! What is delayed?

 

Well, the missing bit is...everything but the mount head :). I am still waiting for the dovetail clamps, counterweight rod and weights and the handle. 

Ability to change the initial position will probably be nice - my balcony does not face south, but is rather at 170 degrees, makes orientation a bit more precise.

Will experiment today with GPS acquisition.

update: still orange...

Edited February 18, 2023 by BGazing

[Deadlake]

Has anyone got the latest software version that supports joy sticks/pads at all?

 

@Dek Rowan AstroHave you got a list of what joy sticks/pads you've tested with the motor kit?

[BGazing]

One more thing -what's with the power jack? AzGti, Evolution, Celestron batteries all use 2.0 center positive jack, this one uses 2.5mm. Just not sure if there was a particular reason to go with this, gotta make sure not to lose the little L-thing in the dark.

As you can see, cloudy weather makes me grumpy.

[BGazing]

2 hours ago, BGazing said:

Well, the missing bit is...everything but the mount head :). I am still waiting for the dovetail clamps, counterweight rod and weights and the handle. 

Ability to change the initial position will probably be nice - my balcony does not face south, but is rather at 170 degrees, makes orientation a bit more precise.

Will experiment today with GPS acquisition.

update: still orange...

figured out thanks to Derek...AZ has its own GPS module, it is the mount that has to be out to acquire GPS signal...so it is not getting it through the phone/tablet...

time is acquired quickly through the gps module because you need only one satellite, vs 4 for location lock.

[Stephenstargazer]

1 hour ago, Deadlake said:

Has anyone got the latest software version that supports joy sticks/pads at all?

I think Derek said on CN they would be issuing a major update with many items, such as catalogues and maybe DSC (please) 🫰, next.

Website latest version is still V1.0.4 from November. Makes some sense to try and get as much tidied up as possible rather than drip feeding new versions. There has been a lot of feedback to go through.

[BGazing]

7 hours ago, Stephenstargazer said:

I think Derek said on CN they would be issuing a major update with many items, such as catalogues and maybe DSC (please) 🫰, next.

 

That would be fantastic...DSC is the best for a full cold night somewhere in the middle of nowhere :). 

I ran through several iOS devices, those on 12 and 13 would not connect to the mount, those on 14, 15 and 16 did...not an issue for me, but interesting. Must have been those new updates for legacy devices (one was my Ipad mini 2.

 

[Deadlake]

From what @Dek Rowan Astro has said  the joystick connects to the AZ100.
This means when using sky safari and the mount is moved using the joystick sky safari will follow. 
I quite like this approach, however does mean coupled to joysticks Rowan supports.

[BGazing]

The rest of my delivery has arrived...completely confused with that EQ5 adapter. here are the pics of its top and bottom. Bottom is flat, M10 gets into it only a centimeter - different from the photo on the leaflet, which has that EQ5 bottom

[Stephenstargazer]

Mine looks exactly like the one on the leaflet...... (and is up for sale, but not economic to Serbia).

[BGazing]

25 minutes ago, Stephenstargazer said:

Mine looks exactly like the one on the leaflet...... (and is up for sale, but not economic to Serbia).

Well, postage to Serbia is fairly cheap...and I have some UK friends who travel. But, aside from that...what is it that I have gotten? I am perplexed. Box states the proper serial number...

Wrote to Derek, if there's something wrong, I'm sure Rowan and @FLO will correct it.

I feel like Daffy Duck in this episode...just can't get that mount up and running.

 

[HollyHound]

15 hours ago, Stephenstargazer said:

Mine looks exactly like the one on the leaflet...... (and is up for sale, but not economic to Serbia).

 

16 hours ago, BGazing said:

The rest of my delivery has arrived...completely confused with that EQ5 adapter. here are the pics of its top and bottom. Bottom is flat, M10 gets into it only a centimeter - different from the photo on the leaflet, which has that EQ5 bottom

I have one of these too, and it also looks exactly like the picture on the leaflet as well... no idea what that mount adaptor you've received could possibly be for 🤔

I'm sure Rowan will help you out 🤞

[BGazing]

edit: according to Derek, it is a new version of the adapter...and my bolt has to be lengthened or I have a thick washer...standard Uni 18 tripod, though.

 

 

Edited February 21, 2023 by BGazing

[BGazing]

Checked everything again. If this is indeed a feature and not a bug, the new adapter is unusable for owners of Berlebach (H)EQ-5 tripods. Bolt has to be replaced or somehow prolonged. Not sure how it is to be take off without a saw job.

 

[omo]

22 minutes ago, BGazing said:

Checked everything again. If this is indeed a feature and not a bug, the new adapter is unusable for owners of Berlebach (H)EQ-5 tripods. Bolt has to be replaced or somehow prolonged. Not sure how it is to be take off without a saw job.

 

If the bolt is similar to the Planet, then there is a o-ring that prevents it falling out, once you roll this up the threads and remove it you can replace with a longer bolt

[BGazing]

36 minutes ago, omo said:

If the bolt is similar to the Planet, then there is a o-ring that prevents it falling out, once you roll this up the threads and remove it you can replace with a longer bolt

Hm, I think it is a different one....M10 widening on top of a bolt that is probably M8...so It could be taken out, I guess. But the trick is that, one should be able to snugly secure other mounts, too. Once the bolt too long, goodbye snug.

[Stephenstargazer]

Sadly you are not the first person to find that Berlebach bolts can be short. I replaced mine with one I made, but you can amend the original (though you should not have to of course) by cutting away some of the plastic material. You can restore the original length to make it 'snug' by adding washers

The Berlebach one, cut back, is on the right

Edited February 21, 2023 by Stephenstargazer

[BGazing]

1 hour ago, Stephenstargazer said:

Sadly you are not the first person to find that Berlebach bolts can be short. I replaced mine with one I made, but you can amend the original (though you should not have to of course) by cutting away some of the plastic material. You can restore the original length to make it 'snug' by adding washers

The Berlebach one, cut back, is on the right

Very good to learn this. How did you take them off in the first place? 

The problem with snugness is that, with the new adapter being level with the top plate (or even  a mm higher, actually), getting snug with it and snug with a normal EQ5 mount might be unfeasible).

Edited February 21, 2023 by BGazing

[Stephenstargazer]

@BGazing look down on the screw from the top and with a thin screw driver you should be able to get the rubber 'O' ring to move up and onto the thread. Then your fingers can roll the the rubber ring up and off the the thread. Now the screw will screw out downwards through the mount head. It is quite easy once you have done it once !

Measure how much longer you would like the screw to be. Cut a bit less than this off the plastic, with a hack saw, working around the handle. Use a file to make the cut nice and square and tidy. If you have a handy friend with a lathe , he could do it very neatly.

Edited February 21, 2023 by Stephenstargazer

[josefk]

Somewhat inspired by @Stephenstargazer rig above (thanks 👍) - here's my attempt to:

1) give me options to move a bit of weight behind the pivot on the AZ100 to enable "further forward" balancing of a front heavy triple mounted on the other side and therefore reduce the arc the EP travels through, and

2) give me easy fore and aft weight compensation (about 10cm and 2kg worth in the current configuration) for eyepiece changes or swaps to and from BV.

3) mount a power source on the moving part of the mount

It isn't trialled in anger yet but i'm confident of some benefits. The MOLLE pouch has 1.1kg of counter weight in it plus a 13.6Ah power source for a USB dew band. 

I may also mount an RDF on this "accessory sledge" to either compliment or even replace a scope mounted finder.

[Saganite]

My APM 152mm is very front heavy and at  1370mm long, dew shield fully extended, it was difficult to get behind the binoviewer.  The focuser has 90mm of travel which is needed to achieve focus in all 3 postions of the Denkmeier and Powerswitch, making it even longer,  so I moved the scope forward as far as I could and counterbalanced it as shown.

The panning arm I had anyway as I did the weights.  I take my eyepieces, diagonals, binoviewers, and 4" Vixen into the house after a session so the big stainless steel weight is used only  to counterbalance the APM, being removed for observing. The two smaller weights, 3lb and 4lb remain and balance the system in all configurations, one scope or two, in operation.  It works very well, and I can get to almost vertical before the weights become a problem by hitting the pier.

Edited March 16, 2023 by Saganite

[BGazing]

Well, I have returned the adapter and switched top plate to EQ6, in the end it proved to be the more elegant solution (at a price).

Everything works, and I got used to Rowan app just fine. I have learned that I have to tighten the altitude clutch properly - otherwise the scope will drift downwards due to imbalance. But the beauty of the encoders is that you may move it and it will just know where to come back.

superbly silent, non-vibrating, resilient to wind (as in - the mount does its part, but the scope might vibrate, of course). Balancing will take some time to learn, I assume just to as well as possible and then tighten sufficiently that it locks but you can still move it around manually without stiffness if possible.

Dual saddles are super secure but I am still learning how to load stuff into. Some of my dovetails (e.g. on Lunt and Tak) are short so can fit in one clamp only...but that is still just fine, especially if balance requires so.