What did the postman bring? V2

[Emperor!Takahashi!]

2 hours ago, Ratlet said:

Birthday presents arrived.  Continuing the playing with microcontrollers theme so I can build be some cheap astronomy toys.

Also got a history of astronomy.  Probably should read the descriptions as i didn't realise this history of astronomy was written in 1651 lol.  Wonder what they have to say about Sir Patrick?

Happy Birthday! 🎂 🔭🎂

[Captain Scarlet]

A little box from Astroshop.eu - a motor kit ostensibly for an EQ-5 type but to be attached to the RA axis of my Vixen GPD2 mount. Hopefully it’ll fit. Looking forward to fitting it up this weekend.

[John]

6 minutes ago, Captain Scarlet said:

A little box from Astroshop.eu - a motor kit ostensibly for an EQ-5 type but to be attached to the RA axis of my Vixen GPD2 mount. Hopefully it’ll fit. Looking forward to fitting it up this weekend.

If it fits a Skywatcher EQ5 it should fit your Vixen GP OK. I fitted a dual axis Skywatcher EQ5 drive set to a Vixen GP a while back and the motors on both axis fitted fine.

 

[Vroobel]

Two new items from Amazon today: an intervalometer with remote control and a very clever and very tall tripod - up to 2.3m, depending on its configuration. 😇

 

 

[Tony Acorn]

I too bought a wireless programmable remote release but it was from Aodelan. It is really good as I can start and stop it without touching the camera or the tripod although I can only programme it to take up to 199 images where my older hard-wired Rollei would do 399!
I hope you aren't intending putting a scope on that trripod though - I fear it would be too light to carry much more than a camera and lens, let alone a tracking mount.
I'm hoping that I get the AM3 delivered tomorrow.

Tony

[Vroobel]

26 minutes ago, Tony Acorn said:

I too bought a wireless programmable remote release but it was from Aodelan. It is really good as I can start and stop it without touching the camera or the tripod although I can only programme it to take up to 199 images where my older hard-wired Rollei would do 399!
I hope you aren't intending putting a scope on that trripod though - I fear it would be too light to carry much more than a camera and lens, let alone a tracking mount.
I'm hoping that I get the AM3 delivered tomorrow.

Tony

Thanks, but no worries, its max load is 10kg. It will work with Canon 6D and <1kg lenses.

 

[Highburymark]

On 08/07/2024 at 04:16, PatientObserver said:

My Gitzo gear center column arrived for my Gitzo Systematic Series 5 tripod. Both of which I found for about 50% off. Alas, I am traveling and will not be home for another couple weeks (hence the reason my post lacks pictures).

The plan is to use it with my Super Mount S-Mini as my light weight setup.

I found both my Gitzo tripods at big discounts - about 40-50%. It’s the only way they’re affordable. But the 5 series is superb - happily takes my 120mm triplet without breaking sweat. Really worth looking around for any prospective buyers.

[Vroobel]

8 hours ago, Tony Acorn said:

I too bought a wireless programmable remote release but it was from Aodelan. It is really good as I can start and stop it without touching the camera or the tripod although I can only programme it to take up to 199 images where my older hard-wired Rollei would do 399!
I hope you aren't intending putting a scope on that trripod though - I fear it would be too light to carry much more than a camera and lens, let alone a tracking mount.
I'm hoping that I get the AM3 delivered tomorrow.

Tony

 

My intervalometer offers several operational modes, but I need two: remote release and 1-999 shots separated by flexibly set intervals multiplied by 1-999 or even repeated infinitely. I should live on the North or South Pole and use it during their nights to fully use its features. 🙂

 

[VNA]

Hello. it was two days ago received a heavy big  box containing an Askar 185 scope. Unfortunately it is so hot I can't mount the tube on the CGX mount.

It is over 40 degrees C. At night it is still very hot, we usually have the natural air conditioning from the Pacific, but no fog.
Don't want to instal the tube in the dark, although was able to install the rings. I leave the mount outside during the summer months--no rain at that time. But this year it is especially hot due to most likely climate change.

Will give a full report once I see through that beautiful tube seating on my kitchen table--not to worry, it is secured in case of an earth quake!  ;- )

[TiffsAndAstro]

ordered off ali express 5th july for £15 inc postage. now just waiting on a pack of 5 m6x10mm countersunk bolts from ebay so i can attach it to top of my ota rings. hopefully 10mm is long enough. i checked already, the foot of my zwo guide scope slides in nicely. 

Edited July 12 by TiffsAndAstro

[Ratlet]

Customer PCB's for a DIY autofocusser.  I'll be using a tmc2209 controller which should give me some neat extra features in terms of what the stepper can do.  Also ordered a drv8825 motor driver which can work with the board with some modification.  Less fancy stuff motor side, but will do more fancy stuff on the controller side.

Also planning to use it for an equatorial platform controller.

[saac]

28 minutes ago, Ratlet said:

Customer PCB's for a DIY autofocusser.  I'll be using a tmc2209 controller which should give me some neat extra features in terms of what the stepper can do.  Also ordered a drv8825 motor driver which can work with the board with some modification.  Less fancy stuff motor side, but will do more fancy stuff on the controller side.

Also planning to use it for an equatorial platform controller.

 

Good luck @Ratlet I'm admiring your learning journey and successes in the world of practical electronics.  

Jim 

[callisto]

On 08/07/2024 at 18:41, Ratlet said:

Birthday presents arrived.  Continuing the playing with microcontrollers theme so I can build be some cheap astronomy toys.

Also got a history of astronomy.  Probably should read the descriptions as i didn't realise this history of astronomy was written in 1651 lol.  Wonder what they have to say about Sir Patrick?

Good read... but I can't help notice the reflection of chewy showing his teeth on the book 😁

Edited July 12 by callisto
Change wording

[Tony Acorn]

At last all the pieces of my puzzle seem to have come together with the AM3 mount arriving today. Of course it's cloudy outside now with rain forecast overnight but I need some time to learn how to use this lot.

 

Edited July 12 by Tony Acorn
Changed image format

[Ratlet]

1 hour ago, saac said:

Good luck @Ratlet I'm admiring your learning journey and successes in the world of practical electronics.  

Jim 

Thank you, fortunately the folks over at myfocuserpro2 did the hard work of designing the PCB and software.

I'm working on getting my Pico from my birthday running on the Arduino ide as it should be possible to use it with the software and code with some modifications.  It'll have more oomph as the library for the tmc2209 is beefy and at the limits of an Arduino nano.

[saac]

51 minutes ago, Ratlet said:

Thank you, fortunately the folks over at myfocuserpro2 did the hard work of designing the PCB and software.

I'm working on getting my Pico from my birthday running on the Arduino ide as it should be possible to use it with the software and code with some modifications.  It'll have more oomph as the library for the tmc2209 is beefy and at the limits of an Arduino nano.

I dabbled a while back with Arduino, very basic just with the intention of learning how to code it for stepper motor control. I did build one of Robert Brown's MyFocuser pro  - it worked , but I never installed it. I cheated and ended up buying a ZWO AF  . I found that my tolerance for learning the syntax was very low - my previous exposure to coding was over 40 years ago using the likes of basic while doing my HND.  Then to my general happiness came along Chat GP and similar which can write code! Have you experimented much with using AI like Chat GP to write any code? 

Jim.

[paulastro]

10 hours ago, TiffsAndAstro said:

ordered off ali express 5th july for £15 inc postage. now just waiting on a pack of 5 m6x10mm countersunk bolts from ebay so i can attach it to top of my ota rings. hopefully 10mm is long enough. i checked already, the foot of my zwo guide scope slides in nicely. 

Can you post a link of where the listing was for this please?  Many thanks.

[Ratlet]

51 minutes ago, saac said:

I dabbled a while back with Arduino, very basic just with the intention of learning how to code it for stepper motor control. I did build one of Robert Brown's MyFocuser pro  - it worked , but I never installed it. I cheated and ended up buying a ZWO AF  . I found that my tolerance for learning the syntax was very low - my previous exposure to coding was over 40 years ago using the likes of basic while doing my HND.  Then to my general happiness came along Chat GP and similar which can write code! Have you experimented much with using AI like Chat GP to write any code? 

Jim.

Chat gpt is a complete mixed bag for coding.  It can give you really good code or complete garbage.  Usually it's a very iterative process where you need to keep refining what it's give you back (and hope it hasn't changed the entire output halfway through).

Most of the stuff I'm doing is really really basic, but I've found chatgpt to be good where you've got code that works and want it optimised, or if you have a bug in the code and can't figure it out.  I frequently use it for that.  Or to rephrase explanations.

My wife does coding and uses copilot which is apparently very good for helping coding.  She's threatening to teach me.  I get stressed out if I'm doing stuff like that.  I've got a brutally slow learning process which pretty much starts and ends with crayons.  I need to use crayons and understand the basics, but if you can't explain the complicated stuff using crayons then you don't understand it.

[saac]

24 minutes ago, Ratlet said:

 if you can't explain the complicated stuff using crayons then you don't understand it.

Very true

Jim

[TiffsAndAstro]

1 hour ago, paulastro said:

Can you post a link of where the listing was for this please?  Many thanks.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006168144099.html?spm=a2g0n.order_detail.order_detail_item.3.78f8f19ci03SuD

Bolts might arrive tomorrow and it seems nice. Bare in mind I've touched literally 3 dove tail bars before so I might be very mistaken.

I need to know the name of the foot on my zwo 120/f4 so I can get a cheap one to attach to a mini pc, slide that on too.

Maybe a wanderbox too

[wesdon1]

On 06/07/2024 at 20:18, Alan White said:

Just for a moment, I thought you had a second TSA @JeremyS!

 

@Alan White @JeremyS haha that's exactly what I thought too!! 😂

[Martyn87]

An AVX Mount that was supposed to include a tripod... Tripod is currently MIA 😭

[Tony Acorn]

3 hours ago, Martyn87 said:

An AVX Mount that was supposed to include a tripod... Tripod is currently MIA 😭

You can always screw that onto the top of a garden gnome in the meantime Martyn 😂

Edited July 15 by Tony Acorn
typos

[Martyn87]

22 minutes ago, Tony Acorn said:

You can always screw that onto the top of a garden gnome in the meantime Martyn 😂

Haha, some people would say that's about all these mounts are good for to be fair, but it seems like the tripod is actually the most sought-after bit! Apparently it's lost in the system with ParcelForce somewhere. Hopefully it turns up, if not, eBay will have my back I'm sure. 

 

On the plus side my new (to me) camera did arrive in one peice, and is working perfectly with NINA and Sharp Cap. Canon EOS 550D (Rebel T2i) which I managed to get for £62 delivered... 

 

Edited July 15 by Martyn87

[JeremyS]