Skywatcher AZ GTI mount owners thread

[Ags]

Yes, the Android SynScan app worked flawlessly last night (after upgrading to the latest version).

Edited January 8, 2022 by Ags

[Ags]

Back to having troubles last night. "No Device Found" errors both with SynScan Android app and Windows app - so it is is the mount not the synscan software. After multiple attempts, brought the mount back in to debug it while watching something soothing on TV. Once inside the infernal thing worked perfectly (only Android App tried). I carried it back outside with synscan still connected and it worked fine for nearly an hour, at which point the app lost connection to the mount. Not a problem as I was packing up then. But hey, no dec runaway, so there's that.

[Ags]

Here is last night's effort. Less than 40 minutes of data after discarding bad frames, but happy i bagged the HH.

[Adam J]

4 hours ago, Ags said:

Back to having troubles last night. "No Device Found" errors both with SynScan Android app and Windows app - so it is is the mount not the synscan software. After multiple attempts, brought the mount back in to debug it while watching something soothing on TV. Once inside the infernal thing worked perfectly (only Android App tried). I carried it back outside with synscan still connected and it worked fine for nearly an hour, at which point the app lost connection to the mount. Not a problem as I was packing up then. But hey, no dec runaway, so there's that.

Personally I would never attempt AP using the AZ GTI via the inbuilt WIFI and recommend that you get one of these  instead. Its just not a reliable connection. 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-mount-accessories/lynx-astro-ftdi-eqdir-usb-adapter-for-sky-watcher-az-gti-mounts.html

Adam

Edited January 10, 2022 by Adam J

[Ags]

@Adam J sounds like a great idea. Do you know if that will work with Astroberry too, or only PC?

Edited January 10, 2022 by Ags

[Adam J]

9 minutes ago, Ags said:

@Adam J sounds like a great igreatDo you know if that will work with Astroberry too, or only PC?

I think it will work on both from what I have seen, but you will need to make sure. 

Adam

[AstroKeith]

13 minutes ago, Ags said:

@Adam J sounds like a great igreatDo you know if that will work with Astroberry too, or only PC?

If you mean the cable - yes it works with AstroBerry just fine.

[AstroNebulee]

48 minutes ago, Adam J said:

Personally I would never attempt AP using the AZ GTI via the inbuilt WIFI and recommend that you get one of these  instead. Its just not a reliable connection. 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-mount-accessories/lynx-astro-ftdi-eqdir-usb-adapter-for-sky-watcher-az-gti-mounts.html

Adam

@AgsI too use this cable with my asiair pro so shouldn't see any reason why it won't work with astro berry. I did use it firstly before the AAP with my laptop and worked fine with Windows synscan app. 👍

Edited January 10, 2022 by AstroNebulee

[AstroNebulee]

1 hour ago, Ags said:

Here is last night's effort. Less than 40 minutes of data after discarding bad frames, but happy i bagged the HH.

Hopefully the cable will sort your issue once and for all. Its a lovely image and nice to see the HH 👍

[badhex]

4 hours ago, Ags said:

Here is last night's effort. Less than 40 minutes of data after discarding bad frames, but happy i bagged the HH.

Great image @Ags! I was also poking around that bit of sky a few days ago (I suspect lots of people were). Sometimes when observing I do wonder how many others might at that moment also be looking at that particular patch of the night sky. 

[Ags]

Did a reprocess while waiting for Orion to get a bit higher.

Old:

New:

[AstroNebulee]

43 minutes ago, Ags said:

Did a reprocess while waiting for Orion to get a bit higher.

Old:

New:

Looks good Ags, more contrast in the reprocess 👌

[Elp]

@Ags Out of interest how are you powering the AZGTI? I think I was having the same issues last summer of my phone disconnecting too much, I was running the AZGTI on AA batteries at the time. I tried using an older mobile with an older version of android which was one suggestion. The problem of wifi disconnection seemed to go away once I bought a Celestron Lithium LT power bank to power the AZGTI.

On another note, yes the EQDIR cable works well though I could never slew the AZGTI via Astroberry  via PHD2 for some reason though it worked in EKOS. A lot of the headache went away once I implemented an ASIAIR Pro, the WIFI distance of the Pro however is poor and needs an upgrade so I can sit out of the cold.

[Elp]

On a further note, there always seems to be a technical issue to overcome. My most recent session however was most rewarding as autoguiding was working for the first time ever. As a result I also got to test my 183MM for the first time and tried a few targets as well as SHO for the first time. As an example on M31 Andromeda the workflows were slightly different and different cameras have been used but you can see from the following the quality of the data from such little exposure via autoguiding of the mono works well:

Autoguiding mono:

 

Default sidereal rate via synscan app DSLR colour:

 

I generally only started imaging properly last summer after realising I could image from my light polluted area. If anyone's interested I have uploaded a few images on a popular photo sharing site (rhymes with click, er?) under user doimg...

[Ags]

@Elp I am powering the mount with a fully charged TalentCell battery. The wifi has actually been very reliable until recently.

[AstroNebulee]

5 hours ago, Elp said:

On a further note, there always seems to be a technical issue to overcome. My most recent session however was most rewarding as autoguiding was working for the first time ever. As a result I also got to test my 183MM for the first time and tried a few targets as well as SHO for the first time. As an example on M31 Andromeda the workflows were slightly different and different cameras have been used but you can see from the following the quality of the data from such little exposure via autoguiding of the mono works well:

Autoguiding mono:

 

Default sidereal rate via synscan app DSLR colour:

 

I generally only started imaging properly last summer after realising I could image from my light polluted area. If anyone's interested I have uploaded a few images on a popular photo sharing site (rhymes with click, er?) under user doimg...

Some great images there indeed with your light polluted skies, should be proud of your M31. 👌

[powerlord]

yo. just thought I'd better update this thread: I tried latest firmware with my asiair a few nights ago - first time I've tried azgti for ages as was sick of runaway guiding issues. Anyway, they do now appear to be sorted for me at least !! yeah. guiding ran for a good 4 hours - not stunningly low RMS - sometime under 1" rms, something over 2", but good enough considering I had a very long 5.2kg of gear on it.

Good that it's finally fixed! Should be a decent mount now for wider field stuff - I was kinda pushing it with a 500mm 80ED on there tbh.. though worked out ok, I'd usually be using it for wider field stuff.

 

[Elp]

@powerlord that's an awesome image. Shows what can be achieved if you persevere with this setup. I was seriously eyeing up a cem26 but now the azgti is behaving I don't need to and can look forward to capturing data.

[AstroNebulee]

2 hours ago, powerlord said:

yo. just thought I'd better update this thread: I tried latest firmware with my asiair a few nights ago - first time I've tried azgti for ages as was sick of runaway guiding issues. Anyway, they do now appear to be sorted for me at least !! yeah. guiding ran for a good 4 hours - not stunningly low RMS - sometime under 1" rms, something over 2", but good enough considering I had a very long 5.2kg of gear on it.

Good that it's finally fixed! Should be a decent mount now for wider field stuff - I was kinda pushing it with a 500mm 80ED on there tbh.. though worked out ok, I'd usually be using it for wider field stuff.

 

Fantastic to hear the az gti mount is working well for you now 👍, superb image you have there. My guiding is generally in the same range as yours with a similar weight in it albeit I have a 72ed. It just goes to show that this little mount not designed or recommend for astrophotography can pull off some suberb images, top work. 

[RayWUK]

Not an owner yet but I'm thinking of buying a AZ-GTI to replace my Sky Adventurer. My only concern is my current payload at 3.5kg seems a bit on the limit for the Sky Adventurer and wonder if the AZ-GTI would be any better (in EQ mode). At least i'll get DEC guiding as well as RA. Failing that I will be looking at an HEQ5 or Ioptron CEM26/GEM28 but that's a much more expensive (and less portable) route.  Any thoughts/advice?

[Elp]

My setup is well over 5kg so I wouldn't worry

[AstroNebulee]

1 hour ago, Elp said:

My setup is well over 5kg so I wouldn't worry

Ditto 👍

[Elp]

Oh another thing Ray, I was in the same situation as you. Once I bought the azgti the Star Adventurer became surplus and went to a new home. The azgti is one of the best astro purchases I've made to date.

 

[AstroNebulee]

3 minutes ago, Elp said:

Oh another thing Ray, I was in the same situation as you. Once I bought the azgti the Star Adventurer became surplus and went to a new home. The azgti is one of the best astro purchases I've made to date.

 

I also own a star adventurer 2i, think I've used it twice whilst owning my az gti. I just use the wedge and weights from the star adventurer now. One day I may sell it to fund another astro purchase but not sure as I regret selling astro gear haha. Would like another az gti set up. Once again for the portability and the az gti is great. 

[Ags]

6 minutes ago, Elp said:

The azgti is one of the best astro purchases I've made to date.

I agree with you - half the time!