Ocal electronic collimator

[jjosefsen]

I have just been yhrough the same hell it sounds like you are in.

I couldn't find stock of the TS version anywhere, so I ended up with this one which is exactly the same.

https://www.teleskop-express.it/collimazione/228-collimatore-universale-reego-pro-astronomy-expert.html

 

They then recommended this add on they just released for doing the primary mirror alignment.

https://www.teleskop-express.it/collimazione/5444-modulo-di-collimazione-mor-astronomy-expert.html

I think this coupled with some excellent info from other members on this forum finally got me there. 

Edited January 2, 2022 by jjosefsen

[neil phillips]

Interested how people get on with these new collimators. Getting pretty good results now collimating using a combination of a cheshire and star testing to get it right. Tweaked the tilt of the focusser by rotating it with a cheshire.. Secondary was done on a star.  probably the best way, The real acid test will be a star. 8" Stella Lyra Classical cassegrain. The scope had been out about 40 mins. and not cool enough. But enough to tell its now in the ball park collimation wise. Pretty sure after about 2 hours these tests would calm down a bit more and look even better.

 

 

Edited January 3, 2022 by neil phillips

[Doversole]

The OCAL manufacturer has issued a specific video to collimate the RC scopes.

I was just a bit concerned by starting to tweak the primary mirror before lookimg at the secondary. I always believed you should first tweak the secondary and most of the time never touch anything on the primary.

[tooth_dr]

I bought one of these a few days ago, both to check my SW250PX F4.7, and to tackle my Epsilon 180ed F2.8.

I have the Takahashi collimating eyepiece that is recommended for the Tak, and I've been using it in the 250px as well.  I was never 100% happy with using it as an eyepiece as your eyeposition can change the view, and also it's hard to reach the knobs whilst looking through it.  So I moved onto using my phone and an afocal image projection type holder, to allow me use the camera on the phone instead of my eye, and I projected this image onto the PC via AnyDesk.  It was a bit tricky to get the camera on the phone to focus as well as expose correctly (my new phone has three lenses) but when set up it worked well and gave a live view, but still it felt a bit subjective.

So this led me on to buying the Ocal Collimator.  I didnt need the Pro version as I've tons of adapters and dont have an Andriod phone.

I set it up following the instructions, and screwed the Ocal Collimator onto the imaging train in place of the 2600MC via M42 threads.  I connected it to a small laptop and adjusted the exposure and focus settings.   Using the software I was able to determine that the everything was a bit off, and I made adjustments to the tilt of the focuser (I fitted a replacement focuser last year), and minor tweaks to the secondary and finally very small adjustments to the primary mirror.

The forecast looks good for later, so I'll get to test it under the stars.  It wasnt bad before, but there was some error, so we will see later!

Anyway a few photos below, any advice welcome.  First time using it so was mostly trial and error.

 

Adam

(PS another job for later is to cut a slot in the focuser tube as it sticks out quite a bit)

[tooth_dr]

Took the Takahashi Epsilon off the shelf and had a go at collimating it this afternoon too.  The secondary mirror needed lowered a few mm, something I would never have worked out without the software.  Proof of pudding will be how it performs, and it'll be with a full frame Nikon if I ever get around to it.

 

[Xiga]

On 01/10/2022 at 21:20, tooth_dr said:

Took the Takahashi Epsilon off the shelf and had a go at collimating it this afternoon too.  The secondary mirror needed lowered a few mm, something I would never have worked out without the software.  Proof of pudding will be how it performs, and it'll be with a full frame Nikon if I ever get around to it.

 

Excellent write-up Adam. How did it go on Saturday night, did the Ocal lead to better shaped stars? 

I still haven't done anything with the old Vixen R200SS i picked up a while back (unfortunately it will be a while before i can do anything with it, but i'm not in any great hurry either) but i did have the Ocal in mind for collimating it when that time comes. As soon as i saw it i thought it lookedlike a very neat way of taking the guesswork out of collimating fast scopes. Quick question, is it always the case that you need to align the outer 2 circles and then put the crosshairs over the centre point of the mirror, and just ignore the inner circle being slightly 'offset'? Or is it only certain scopes (e.g those below F5) that you need to do this? 

[newbie alert]

I bought a Ocal maybe 9 months to a year ago for my sct and tried it for the first time the other day but on the screen I'm not seeing the camera, the camera is working as I can see my hand etc in the mirror .. I've tried both ends of focus on the scope and adjusted the sliders in the software.., any ideas??

 

[StevieDvd]

Is it not simply because you have not checked the Enable option for each circle (as in your screenshots? And if I recall the instructions I saw a while ago you need to add a focus value in a text file for the serial number on the camera.

Not used one myself but I had looked them up before but sold my SCT as it was not being used.

 

[tooth_dr]

4 hours ago, newbie alert said:

I bought a Ocal maybe 9 months to a year ago for my sct and tried it for the first time the other day but on the screen I'm not seeing the camera, the camera is working as I can see my hand etc in the mirror .. I've tried both ends of focus on the scope and adjusted the sliders in the software.., any ideas??

 

You can see in my photos that in the 250px the camera was hard to see, but in the epsilon the red camera body was easily visible.  I'd suggest a brighter light source or increased the exposure.  You should at least be able to see the little square in the middle.  But I'm using a Newt so this may not be accurate for the SCT.

Edited October 5, 2022 by tooth_dr

[newbie alert]

1 hour ago, tooth_dr said:

You can see in my photos that in the 250px the camera was hard to see, but in the epsilon the red camera body was easily visible.  I'd suggest a brighter light source or increased the exposure.  You should at least be able to see the little square in the middle.  But I'm using a Newt so this may not be accurate for the SCT.

Cheers Adam, maybe it was too dark inside my little obsey... I roll it back to let in some more light

[newbie alert]

1 hour ago, StevieDvd said:

Is it not simply because you have not checked the Enable option for each circle (as in your screenshots? And if I recall the instructions I saw a while ago you need to add a focus value in a text file for the serial number on the camera.

Not used one myself but I had looked them up before but sold my SCT as it was not being used.

 

No I'd not enabled the circles as what are they going to match to? It's only showing the mirror and the secondary 

And yes I've change the unique serial number in the focus tab

[tooth_dr]

33 minutes ago, newbie alert said:

Cheers Adam, maybe it was too dark inside my little obsey... I roll it back to let in some more light

I used my flats panel for light.

[newbie alert]

3 hours ago, tooth_dr said:

I used my flats panel for light.

Ok, good idea, thanks

Edited October 5, 2022 by newbie alert
Added info

[newbie alert]

Ok thanks to Adam I now can see the camera...next problem is I can't move the circle down or to the right any further, center offset is max'd out on 20...

Edited October 5, 2022 by newbie alert
Added picture

[tooth_dr]

14 hours ago, newbie alert said:

problem is I can't move the circle down or to the right any further, center offset is max'd out on 20...

Easily solved - move max amount, close programe, reopen and move again.  It remember the last position but also resets movement to zero

[newbie alert]

31 minutes ago, tooth_dr said:

Easily solved - move max amount, close programe, reopen and move again.  It remember the last position but also resets movement to zero

Ok, thanks Adam , I try it when I'm home from work...  If it works I buy you a imaginary 🍺 or 🍻

 

[Starflyer]

After years of battling with collimation on Newts; my eyes aren't up to seeing what's going on accurately enough through a Cheshire or a Cat's Eye kit, I now have the best collimation and star shapes I've ever had.  I could never tell whether the secondary was perfect until I bought the Ocal, and it was far from it, I even used it to set up a replacement focuser and get it dead square.

[Spile]

22 hours ago, Starflyer said:

After years of battling with collimation on Newts; my eyes aren't up to seeing what's going on accurately enough through a Cheshire or a Cat's Eye kit, I now have the best collimation and star shapes I've ever had.  I could never tell whether the secondary was perfect until I bought the Ocal, and it was far from it, I even used it to set up a replacement focuser and get it dead square.

Interesting. I found collimation confusing and frustrating at first but then like riding a bike, it clicked and now I find it dead easy with just a Cheshire sight tube combination tool and a cap.

[david_taurus83]

Close enough? When the scope is mounted and I want to do a star test should I only be adjusting the primary from here on out? The scope will be left on the mount for the foreseeable so hoping it's something I don't need to do often.