Skywatcher AZ GTI mount owners thread

[Gfamily]

2 minutes ago, LaurenceT said:

I didn't know that, it will be very handy for me if that is the case, I thought it only functioned in az mode.

Can you let us know if it works, the online Synscan app manual says 

So it would be useful to know if it adjusts the tracking to RA only if in EQ mode

[adyj1]

1 hour ago, Gfamily said:

Not really (or rather, yes!)

If we're going back to change previous posts without making it clear the edit is to change the gist, then this could get really messy... 

[adyj1]

29 minutes ago, Gfamily said:

Can you let us know if it works, the online Synscan app manual says 

So it would be useful to know if it adjusts the tracking to RA only if in EQ mode

not 'point and track' - just 'tracking'

Ady

[adyj1]

2 hours ago, Elp said:

If you're using a goto mount it needs to be level and aligned prior to switching power on. Saying that a motor is a motor, it will continue to move regardless unless told otherwise. When I viewed the sun last I only made sure the tripod was level and scope was facing roughly north, I couldn't do it accurately as I didn't have the compass with me and the scope was pointing directly at a wall rather than my usual spot. Power was switched on, I declutched it and manually aligned it to the sun, then simply chose point and track.

Thanks @Elp

I think we should 'like' this as the seminal answer and delete the rest of our posts. 😉 

[Gfamily]

1 minute ago, adyj1 said:

Thanks @Elp

I think we should 'like' this as the seminal answer and delete the rest of our posts. 😉 

Except for two points:

• There is no need to start with it initially pointing North (or even nearly pointing North)
• The Sun is only given as a Solar System Menu item if you are using the Synscan Pro version of the app, and you have enabled Observing the Sun in the Advanced Settings

[Gfamily]

1 hour ago, adyj1 said:

If we're going back to change previous posts without making it clear the edit is to change the gist, then this could get really messy... 

Apologies - the initial "not really" was in regard to your 'You've said it doesn't need any star alignment routine, but '... and there is no need for a star alignment. 

My later edit was to allow for the fact that 'it needs some idea where North is' and to recognise that it does (internally)  

ETA - in my defence I would say that the edit was made only 3 minutes after the original post, and had actually been completed before you had posted your reply. But apologies all the same.

Edited September 16, 2022 by Gfamily

[Ags]

As far as I know there is no need to align (what?) North. Just plonk the scope down, get it level, point at whatever, and point-and-track it. In theory the tracking will be just as good as a three star alignment, unless you are pointing at something near the zenith (in which case the mount won't know where north is). 

I never use goto because I hate the bother of alignment. I took this with point and track.

Edited September 16, 2022 by Ags

[Gfamily]

13 minutes ago, Ags said:

As far as I know there is no need to align (what?) North. Just plonk the scope down, get it level, point at whatever, and point-and-track it. In theory the tracking will be just as good as a three star alignment, unless you are pointing at something near the zenith (in which case the mount won't know where north is). 

I never use goto because I hate the bother of alignment. I took this with point and track.

Very impressive. Was that using an AltAz mount?  If so, I may try some long exposure imaging

Edited September 16, 2022 by Gfamily

[Ags]

Thanks! Yes, that was shot alt-az with an ASI485MC and ZenithStar 66 (reduced to f4 with an SCT 6.3 reducer).

[Gfamily]

43 minutes ago, Ags said:

Thanks! Yes, that was shot alt-az with an ASI485MC and ZenithStar 66 (reduced to f4 with an SCT 6.3 reducer).

Oh dear, you're going to be getting me imaging again!

[LaurenceT]

45 minutes ago, Ags said:

Thanks! Yes, that was shot alt-az with an ASI485MC and ZenithStar 66 (reduced to f4 with an SCT 6.3 reducer).

Was that EAA?

[Ags]

It was less than an hour of 6 second exposures.

[LaurenceT]

41 minutes ago, Ags said:

It was less than an hour of 6 second exposures.

Excellent then

[david_taurus83]

Took mine off the WO wedge last night and reverted back to AZ mode for a peek at Saturn with my Heritage 150. Tracking looked a bit notchy and jumpy through the eyepiece. Just a bit more than what I would consider acceptable. Any ideas to reduce this? When I stripped it I locked down the worm so it's not on the spring tension. Perhaps go back to spring?

[AstroNebulee]

Or Peter and the Stones 😂

Lee 

 

[AstroQ]

Hi all I've just updated my firmware to the latest version with eq mode as I've just brought the wedge.but now my scope is upside down in alt az mode like it's switched from left to right.

Any help would be greatly appreciated 

Many thanks 

[Stu1smartcookie]

20 minutes ago, AstroQ said:

Hi all I've just updated my firmware to the latest version with eq mode as I've just brought the wedge.but now my scope is upside down in alt az mode like it's switched from left to right.

Any help would be greatly appreciated 

Many thanks 

When you've updated the firmware you need to place the scope on the right hand side of the mount in Alt Az mode , not on the left as per the original firmware . Apologies if thats something you've already tried , but it is a common mistake to make 

Stu

 

Edited October 7, 2022 by Stu1smartcookie

[bomberbaz]

Got the rig out on the wizard nebula tonight, trying to grab enough data in one session. 

One thing I am very pleased about is my tracking now. This used to be an average of 1 - 1.2 but presently it is in the region of 0.5 - 0.6, so I am hoping for some really tight stars.

I will post up tomorrow with the result if that is, it is any good.

[philhilo]

Evening All,

Had my AZGTi running with an ASIair v1 for a couple of years and got great results as a travel rig (my EQ6 R PRO runs on APT) . Super compact, connected via Lynx Astro USB to EQ Direct (EQMOD) cable, full on GoTo mount + Samy 135 all in an airline carry on bag, couldn't be happier. 6 months or so ago the ASIair stopped finding the mount. Bought a new cable, no joy. Noticed the ASIair power light was flickering and so switched the ASIair software into a new Raspberry Pi - software works but still no connection to the mount. AZGTi still reacts to SynScan-Pro. Any clues as to where to look next?

Phil

[Elp]

Hard to say really. I assume the connection settings are the same as previous? I use an eqdir cable and the mount is set to skywatcher azgti/synscan WiFi. How are you controlling it (with what device)?

[StevieDvd]

13 hours ago, philhilo said:

Evening All,

Had my AZGTi running with an ASIair v1 for a couple of years and got great results as a travel rig (my EQ6 R PRO runs on APT) . Super compact, connected via Lynx Astro USB to EQ Direct (EQMOD) cable, full on GoTo mount + Samy 135 all in an airline carry on bag, couldn't be happier. 6 months or so ago the ASIair stopped finding the mount. Bought a new cable, no joy. Noticed the ASIair power light was flickering and so switched the ASIair software into a new Raspberry Pi - software works but still no connection to the mount. AZGTi still reacts to SynScan-Pro. Any clues as to where to look next?

Phil

You could download a copy of Astroberry (free) and flash that to an sd-card and try setting up the mount.  If it works with that then the problem is with the Asiair v1 software. If you can download a new Asiair OS image then reflash to the sd-card and try again.

 

[AstroNebulee]

19 hours ago, philhilo said:

Evening All,

Had my AZGTi running with an ASIair v1 for a couple of years and got great results as a travel rig (my EQ6 R PRO runs on APT) . Super compact, connected via Lynx Astro USB to EQ Direct (EQMOD) cable, full on GoTo mount + Samy 135 all in an airline carry on bag, couldn't be happier. 6 months or so ago the ASIair stopped finding the mount. Bought a new cable, no joy. Noticed the ASIair power light was flickering and so switched the ASIair software into a new Raspberry Pi - software works but still no connection to the mount. AZGTi still reacts to SynScan-Pro. Any clues as to where to look next?

Phil

On my asiair pro, I use a lynx astro ftdi cable tto the az gti mount and set it as eq mod mount in AAP and baud rate of 9600 I think if this helps. 

Lee

[Elp]

Finally got around to retesting the self re-tuned Coronado PST on the AZGTI for tracking, much better now:

 

[philhilo]

21 hours ago, StevieDvd said:

You could download a copy of Astroberry (free) and flash that to an sd-card and try setting up the mount.  If it works with that then the problem is with the Asiair v1 software. If you can download a new Asiair OS image then reflash to the sd-card and try again.

 

Thats a cunning idea. Cheers.

[philhilo]

15 hours ago, AstroNebulee said:

On my asiair pro, I use a lynx astro ftdi cable tto the az gti mount and set it as eq mod mount in AAP and baud rate of 9600 I think if this helps. 

Lee

Yes that's what I am doing with the Air. I think a plan will be to try and set it up via APT and see if it works that way. If it doesnt work then its a problem with the AZGTi controller socket. COuld also try plugging in a hand controller (I have several). Cheers.