GPS and Skywatcher

[cyborg421]

Is there a gps unit that works with skywatcher synsync Dobs?

Simon

[brantuk]

Skywatcher GPS Mouse : http://firstlightoptics.com/proddetail.php?prod=SWgpsMouse

[cyborg421]

Cheers Brantuk.

How will affect the setup/usage of my scope?

Simon

[brantuk]

You're welcome Simon - I never used one so don't know how they work - but others have used them quite sucessfully. You can talk it over with FLO by giving them a ring before you buy - you'll get great advice

[MikeWilson]

Agreed re: great advice @ FLO.

But £99 for a GPS mouse seems excessive to me. If you know the GPS co-ordinates of where your observing sites are, write them down and store them in your kit bag/eyepiece case/scope box and then it's just a case of entering the co-ordinates into the SynScan handset when it starts up (it will ask for them every time and remember the previous entry).

Now £99 could easily get you a simple GPS for the money. If you have (or are thinking about getting) a smartphone, then you probably already have a GPS.

If you just want to look up the co-ordinates of a few pre-determined locations on Google Earth you can get the co-ordinates from Google Earth/Maps.

I'm not saying you shouldn't get one, just letting you know that there are other options!

[Breakintheclouds]

I'd agree with Mike. In almost all cases, unless you set your scope up in a different site each evening, it probably makes more sense to get the co-ordinates from Google Earth (after all, you only enter them once) and spend the money on a nice eyepiece!

[johninderby]

The GPS mouse is a luxury rather than a necessity. It enters the time and location for you each time you turn the mount on. Useful if you're traveling around a lot, but if you're mainly just observing from one location only you can decide if it's worth saving the few seconds entering the info manually.

BTW the GPS mouse does work very well with your proposed setup. I've tried the mouse myself with an Auto dob with a Synscan HC and it worked perfectly.

John

[cyborg421]

Cheers guys.