Skywatcher AZ GTI mount owners thread

[shropshire lad]

10 hours ago, AstroNebulee said:

What is the sleeve mod, not sure I've heard of this before? Or I may of I the deep recesses of my ickle brain. 

take a look at this vid  ..... 

 

 

[badhex]

14 minutes ago, shropshire lad said:

take a look at this vid  ..... 

 

 

Great mod! Never liked that az clutch bolt. 

[SuburbanMak]

16 hours ago, shropshire lad said:

I am having so much trouble with the azimuth clutch, I have done the sleeve mod and that worked for a while ,but now thinking of permanently locking it ... will that pose any problems

 

 

I keep mine permanently locked and have added a PB70 panning puck under the whole mount. The Az clutch is the one piece of the setup that felt a bit flimsy, like the thread might strip with excessive use. 

If I want to slew manually I use the PB70 for Az movement and it turns the whole thing into a nice manual mount.  The only downside is that when used this way the dual encoders won’t get data, so it rules out hybrid manual/GoTo sessions - not an issue for me as I tend to use it manually only for shorter looks, if I’m out for a while I’ll align and drive the scope off the app. 
 

https://www.feisol.net/heads/panning-base/feisol-panning-base-pb-70.html

[LaurenceT]

1 hour ago, SuburbanMak said:

I keep mine permanently locked and have added a PB70 panning puck under the whole mount. The Az clutch is the one piece of the setup that felt a bit flimsy, like the thread might strip with excessive use. 

If I want to slew manually I use the PB70 for Az movement and it turns the whole thing into a nice manual mount.  The only downside is that when used this way the dual encoders won’t get data, so it rules out hybrid manual/GoTo sessions - not an issue for me as I tend to use it manually only for shorter looks, if I’m out for a while I’ll align and drive the scope off the app. 
 

https://www.feisol.net/heads/panning-base/feisol-panning-base-pb-70.html

Seconded, the Feisol is a well made product generally, unfortunately that model appears to be unavailable in the UK at the moment. I was fortunate enough to have a Novoflex panoramic head left over from my landscape photography days. Many of the really cheap ones are not worth having. There is a Novoflex version like mine available on Ebay right now:

Novoflex panoramic tripod head | eBay

There is a newer version but it's much more expensive. My old version works very smoothly, maybe something to do with the German engineering. Using the panoramic head as described here is an excellent way to avoid messing with the clutch or tripod particularly when pointing north.

[AstroNebulee]

4 hours ago, shropshire lad said:

take a look at this vid  ..... 

 

 

Agreed its a great mod indeed. 

I generally keep mine as locked as much as possible, the only time I undo the clutch is when tinkering with the mount. Then will stay locked till the next tinker. 

 

[shropshire lad]

3 hours ago, SuburbanMak said:

I keep mine permanently locked and have added a PB70 panning puck under the whole mount. The Az clutch is the one piece of the setup that felt a bit flimsy, like the thread might strip with excessive use. 

If I want to slew manually I use the PB70 for Az movement and it turns the whole thing into a nice manual mount.  The only downside is that when used this way the dual encoders won’t get data, so it rules out hybrid manual/GoTo sessions - not an issue for me as I tend to use it manually only for shorter looks, if I’m out for a while I’ll align and drive the scope off the app. 
 

https://www.feisol.net/heads/panning-base/feisol-panning-base-pb-70.html

Yes I use a panning head as well .. so locking the azimuth shouldn't be a problem 

.

 

[LaurenceT]

I'm interested how people using the Evoguide 50ED as the main imaging scope are balancing their rig. Are you balancing using the RA axis or dec axis or both....(you can tell I'm still finding my way around this mount in EQ mode, my nomenclature may be way out!)

I'm pretty certain that @bomberbaz and @TerraC are using this 50ED. The problem for me is that I'm using the Astrokraken bracket system which is great but the dovetail bar is too short for adjustment to get good balance.

[TerraC]

34 minutes ago, LaurenceT said:

I'm interested how people using the Evoguide 50ED as the main imaging scope are balancing their rig. Are you balancing using the RA axis or dec axis or both....(you can tell I'm still finding my way around this mount in EQ mode, my nomenclature may be way out!)

I'm pretty certain that @bomberbaz and @TerraC are using this 50ED. The problem for me is that I'm using the Astrokraken bracket system which is great but the dovetail bar is too short for adjustment to get good balance.

Im balancing on both axis in EQ mode.  I bought a short dovetail for a few quid from Uk Astro buy & Sell which seems to work ok.  

I'm also using the Star Adventurer counterweight system with an M12-M8 conversion nut. 

 

[AstroNebulee]

3 hours ago, LaurenceT said:

(you can tell I'm still finding my way around this mount in EQ mode, my nomenclature may be way out!)

I've learnt a new word today! And still baffled which isn't hard, so I'm going to blame my nomenclature for not guiding well after the Meridian 🤣

Edited March 23, 2022 by AstroNebulee

[bomberbaz]

7 hours ago, LaurenceT said:

I'm interested how people using the Evoguide 50ED as the main imaging scope are balancing their rig. Are you balancing using the RA axis or dec axis or both....(you can tell I'm still finding my way around this mount in EQ mode, my nomenclature may be way out!)

I'm pretty certain that @bomberbaz and @TerraC are using this 50ED. The problem for me is that I'm using the Astrokraken bracket system which is great but the dovetail bar is too short for adjustment to get good balance.

I had to play around with mine to get balance also using the astrokrakken system but it was manageable, just.  I have put pictures of my rig below although I have since move the rig to get balance. 

[bomberbaz]

My rig as it is. The silver plate was made for me by my stepson and this holds the AIR and cooling battery pack. 

[AstroNebulee]

1 hour ago, bomberbaz said:

My rig as it is. The silver plate was made for me by my stepson and this holds the AIR and cooling battery pack. 

She is a thing of beauty 😍, nice work Steve. Very tidy indeed. These evoguide scopes are really proving a stellar lightweight setup. Enjoy it and clear skies to you. Look forward to all your lovely images with these clear skies. 👍

[LaurenceT]

Some lovely rigs here.

If I could find a way to attach a long dovetail plate to the underneath of the Astrokraken bracket that would give me more leeway to connect more devices such as Asiair and get better balance.

[bomberbaz]

3 minutes ago, LaurenceT said:

Some lovely rigs here.

If I could find a way to attach a long dovetail plate to the underneath of the Astrokraken bracket that would give me more leeway to connect more devices such as Asiair and get better balance.

I reckon one of these would do quite easily having looked at mine. The grooves in the bottom should take the bolts quite well 

StellaLyra 335mm Universal Vixen-Style Dovetail Bar | First Light Optics

[LaurenceT]

Thanks, I'll investigate that.

[bomberbaz]

Here is another test image out of the Evoguide/AZ GTi rig. California nebula.

I am trying out various exposures and gain to see how things are coming out.  Actually very pleased with this given the limited data. Need to work on my stars a little but getting there slowly.

25 x 30 seconds at 270 gain

25 flats, 10 darks and a bunch of bias.

[AstroNebulee]

25 minutes ago, bomberbaz said:

Here is another test image out of the Evoguide/AZ GTi rig. California nebula.

I am trying out various exposures and gain to see how things are coming out.  Actually very pleased with this given the limited data. Need to work on my stars a little but getting there slowly.

25 x 30 seconds at 270 gain

25 flats, 10 darks and a bunch of bias.

It's all great experience and it's a cracking image for the evoguide. I'm still quite blown away by the versatility of it. What is your guidecam and scope? Ignore that I can see it now I zoomed in on the guidecamera doh! How ate you finding the guiding of your set up, any issues? 

Edited March 23, 2022 by AstroNebulee

[bomberbaz]

30 minutes ago, AstroNebulee said:

It's all great experience and it's a cracking image for the evoguide. I'm still quite blown away by the versatility of it. What is your guidecam and scope? Ignore that I can see it now I zoomed in on the guidecamera doh! How ate you finding the guiding of your set up, any issues? 

Just looking at it now and total error is running at a tad over 4 whatever that means, hahaha. 

The guidescope is an astro essentials 30mm. I have nothing to compare it too but using the 224 and multi star guiding it seems perfect to my eyes. 

[AstroNebulee]

22 minutes ago, bomberbaz said:

Just looking at it now and total error is running at a tad over 4 whatever that means, hahaha. 

The guidescope is an astro essentials 30mm. I have nothing to compare it too but using the 224 and multi star guiding it seems perfect to my eyes. 

The guiding can vary from mount to mount and depending seeing, transparency, wind and mechanics of the mount. Mine will guide admirably under 2 " generally and can get as low as 0.7" at times from North to south then if I try to guide after the Meridian all hell breaks lose and throws a strop. The mount does perform very well considering its really an alt az mount in EQ mode and not intended for AP. 

Worth looking in your guide log in the asiair when you upload images to laptop, it's quite interesting to see how the guiding went. 

Do you dither too? 

[bomberbaz]

3 minutes ago, AstroNebulee said:

The guiding can vary from mount to mount and depending seeing, transparency, wind and mechanics of the mount. Mine will guide admirably under 2 " generally and can get as low as 0.7" at times from North to south then if I try to guide after the Meridian all hell breaks lose and throws a strop. The mount does perform very well considering its really an alt az mount in EQ mode and not intended for AP. 

Worth looking in your guide log in the asiair when you upload images to laptop, it's quite interesting to see how the guiding went. 

Do you dither too? 

No I don't dither, still trying to get a hang of grabbing data first. TBH I have no idea how long my exposures should be, the gain I should be using so just playing about as yet. 

Any tips on exp and gain?

[AstroNebulee]

Just now, bomberbaz said:

No I don't dither, still trying to get a hang of grabbing data first. TBH I have no idea how long my exposures should be, the gain I should be using so just playing about as yet. 

Any tips on exp and gain?

On e you got the hang of it it's definitely worth dithering, makes a huge difference to the subs. I know my set up is different scope and camera but my 294MC pro I use gain 120 and normally do 180 sec subs and dither between each one. I haven't tried longer subs yet as I find a good balance in guiding and images with 180secs. 

I'm sure on the charts for your camera it will have an optimal gain to use. 

I'll have a look. 

[bomberbaz]

1 minute ago, AstroNebulee said:

On e you got the hang of it it's definitely worth dithering, makes a huge difference to the subs. I know my set up is different scope and camera but my 294MC pro I use gain 120 and normally do 180 sec subs and dither between each one. I haven't tried longer subs yet as I find a good balance in guiding and images with 180secs. 

I'm sure on the charts for your camera it will have an optimal gain to use. 

I'll have a look. 

I am using the 183 uncooled although I have the cooling mod installed. TBF my batteries died earlier 🤣

[AstroNebulee]

4 minutes ago, bomberbaz said:

I am using the 183 uncooled although I have the cooling mod installed. TBF my batteries died earlier 🤣

Just on having a quick look people say the unity gain is 111 for the zwo 183mc and some using 180 sec subs. You coukd always try 111 gain at 60,120 and 180 secs subs. 

[RayWUK]

9 minutes ago, AstroNebulee said:

On e you got the hang of it it's definitely worth dithering, makes a huge difference to the subs. I know my set up is different scope and camera but my 294MC pro I use gain 120 and normally do 180 sec subs and dither between each one. I haven't tried longer subs yet as I find a good balance in guiding and images with 180secs. 

I'm sure on the charts for your camera it will have an optimal gain to use. 

I'll have a look. 

How long do you have to allow between subs when dithering? I only tried it once and the guiding failed after each dither and took ages to lock on again. I was wasting almost half my imaging time waiting for the guiding to settle again.

[bomberbaz]

3 minutes ago, AstroNebulee said:

Just on having a quick look people say the unity gain is 111 for the zwo 183mc and some using 180 sec subs. You coukd always try 111 gain at 60,120 and 180 secs subs. 

I have aactually just done some subs of the monkey head neb at 60,120 & 180 although I have used a little more gain at average 165 so maybe overcooking it. 

I shall see upon my results.