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Re: Carrying Case for AP1100
Wayne Hixson
How about a picture, Mark?
On Feb 24, 2014, at 9:03 AM, Mark Striebeck <mark.striebeck@...> wrote:
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Re: Carrying Case for AP1100
Mark Striebeck
Yes, I can fit the RAPAS into it too (though have to take it off). I can send a photo later when I'm home (don't think I have one with the mount in the case, but I can label the different pockets that I created).
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
MarkS
On Mon Feb 24 2014 at 9:05:37 AM, Ross Salinger <rgsalinger@...> wrote:
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Re: Carrying Case for AP1100
Ross Salinger <rgsalinger@...>
Thank you so much I’ll order one TODAY! When you say fits completely do you include the RAPAS? Rgrds-Ross
From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...] On Behalf Of Mark Striebeck
Sent: Monday, February 24, 2014 9:03 AM To: ap-gto@... Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Carrying Case for AP1100
Hi Ross,
I'm using a Pelican 1620 case for my Mach1. It fits into it completely without disassembling it. I am leaving all the cables through the mount and don't even have to remove the saddle. And I have the keypad, counterweight shaft, Ra/Dec cable, power cable... in it too.
Took me a while to figure out how to turn the Ra and Dec axis to make it fit :-)
MarkS
On Sat Feb 22 2014 at 8:36:41 PM, Ross Salinger <rgsalinger@...> wrote:
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Re: Carrying Case for AP1100
Mark Striebeck
Hi Ross,
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
I'm using a Pelican 1620 case for my Mach1. It fits into it completely without disassembling it. I am leaving all the cables through the mount and don't even have to remove the saddle. And I have the keypad, counterweight shaft, Ra/Dec cable, power cable... in it too.
Took me a while to figure out how to turn the Ra and Dec axis to make it fit :-) MarkS
On Sat Feb 22 2014 at 8:36:41 PM, Ross Salinger <rgsalinger@...> wrote:
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Re: Carrying Case for AP1100
Thomas Nowak
I've been researching the same topic having recently received my own 1100 mount. I emailed Thermodyne and received a quote of $432 for a Slimline Model 103500-2519 (8+4) case with collapsible handle, wheels and custom interior foam. The external dimensions would be 25x19x12. Here's a link: http://www.thermodyne.com/slimline.html Tom
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Re: AP1600 on equatorial pier
astrotrf2002
That's true, but that position is secured with just one of the latitude knobs on each side rather than by two. I'd really rather have all 4 knobs locking down the mount in my circumstance.
Terry
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Re: AP1600 on equatorial pier
Robert Watters
The AP 1600GTO already goes to the 90* latitude with the stock factory side plates. No need to remove and have new ones made. See your owners manual for further information on how to accomplish this.
Robert
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AP1600 on equatorial pier
astrotrf2002
I'm working on having someone fabricate an equatorial pier for my AP1600 mount.
My plan is to remove the AP1600 from the A-P fork and install it into a fork fashioned to allow the mount to point in what would be the "90 degrees latitude" position; attaching that fork to the equatorial pier would then point the mount at the north celestial pole. Polar alignment will be accomplished by a tip-tilt plate; thus the A-P fork's altitude and azimuth adjustments would not be used in any case, rendering that fork unnecessary. So I have some questions: I was once told that modifications to the servo controller firmware would be required to operate the mount in this fashion. Is that still the case, or does the ability to arbitrarily delay the meridian flip solve that problem? Is there any reason why I absolutely *should not* remove the AP1600 mount from its supplied fork? Are there other reasons I should not proceed with this idea? Thanks. Terry
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Re: Carrying Case for AP1100
Jeff Crilly
Ditto. Here's the way I look at the weight. (According to specs on AP website...) The 1200 RA is 50 lb alone. It's a bit hefty, but I can single-person heft it on to the 54" pier. The 1100 RA & DEC (without counterweight shaft) is 43.5 lb, but also add in a saddle, so we at like well under 50 lb. So I think it is doable assembled. (This will save setup time. I'm mostly portable around here) (And I really like the idea of through-mount cabling. To be honest, dismantling the mount with the cabling looks like it would take longer than with the old AP mounts,) I'm also contemplating mounting on losmandy HD tripod, and was considering leaving the losmandy adapter attached to the 1100 mount.. So a few more lbs there maybe. That control-box being separate might be a bit tedious to work with, but probly not a big deal. We shall see. (Btw, right now I have no pier solution for the 1100, so I'm in the market for a decent losmandy HD tripod. Preferably somewhere in the SF bay area.) -jeff
On Feb 22, 2014, at 9:14 PM, jasillasen <JASillasen@...> wrote:
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Re: RAPAS reticle orientation
Donghun
I think that you are right.
Loosen the 'Do Not loosen screw' and rotate the part with the jack for the LED to align. Donghun
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Re: RAPAS reticle orientation
Stuart Forman
I'm the friend whom Chris speaks of. I'm a little unclear as to which set screw to loosen and readujust. In the directions there is an arrow with instructions, "DO NOT LOOSEN SCREW". Is that the screw you speak of?
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Re: Doing GTO an object on "wrong" side of pier?
dawziecat
Thanks, Peter. I am still having difficulty with this though.
Here is what I am doing: 1/ Set meridian delay to 3E using HC. 2/ Using HC, move OTA well east of pier. 3/ GOTO object from HC with object being an hour or so east of the meridian. 4/ Mount acquires target, as desired, with CW bar upward a tad. Now things go wrong: Using the AP Jog utility, I attempt to tweak the framing by moving just a few minutes in any direction and . . . the mount flips. :( I did try unchecking the "Keep Mount Time Synced to PC Time (Recommended)" as you suggested. Seemed to make no difference. Incidentally, the display on the HC remains indicative of a 3E setting for the meridian delay after this unwanted flip has occurred. Is this not fairly common, acquiring a target nearing the meridian on the east side to avoid a flip early on in the session? Suggestions appreciated. Terry
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Set local time
wsrison
Hello,
I have a program that issues a :SLhh:mm:ss# command to a GTOCP3 AP 900 mount and the time I am giving the mount is not being set. A response of "1" does come back from the mount. I can set the time using the keypad. Any ideas? Example: the mount's time is 13:22:45 I set it to 13:38:45 and get a 1 response but the time does not change. My command :SL13:38:45# Response: 1 William
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Re: RAPAS reticle orientation
Donghun
Thank you guys for the help.
I remember I used the Polaris method to align the bubble level for the Takahashi mount polar finder. I'm surprised that the reticle can get out of alignment so easily. It must have been bumped while I was covering the scope. I will remove the finder as soon as I finish polar alignment from now on. Donghun
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Re: RAPAS reticle orientation
Sometimes the set screw wasn't tightened fully at AP. The reticle illuminator light unit is quite long and if it gets bumped, can create a fair amount of torque on that ring. I recall there was a post some time back on someone having this problem and Rolando explained how to re adjust the reticle. I would phone AP and talk to them before sending it back Don Anderson
On Sunday,
February 23, 2014 12:23:01 PM, "malonee72@..." wrote: Ah this is a bad news. I think I need to return the scope to AP for service. I'm not confident that I can adjust that. The unit needs dead on accuracy. It is strange that this happens. I never touched the set screw as instructed in the manual. Thank you. Donghun
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Re: RAPAS reticle orientation
Wayne Hixson
That would definitely be a nice feature!
On Feb 23, 2014, at 11:50 AM, cford81@... wrote:
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Re: RAPAS reticle orientation
CHRISTOPHER FORD
Yes this is a fairly easy fix and AP, but I hear of this happening so often that I feel it is a minor design flaw in the RAPAS. That small set screw never seems quite tight enough to prevent rotation and misalignment of the reticule if knocked, especially as the illuminator makes such a wonderful lever. A beefier set screw or several of them would help. When the reticule is aligned, it should be totally imobile. (Like drop on the ground imobile) I have two RAPAS and have accidentedly knocked my reticule out of alignment multiple times, even through something as simple as the pressure on the illuminator of draping a cover over the telescope for the night. It risks souring the out of the box experience as evident in this thread. (A friend of mine has just received a new RAPAS and experienced the same also) Chris
From: wayneh9026@... To: ap-gto@... Sent: Sunday, February 23, 2014 11:35:10 AM Subject: Re: [ap-gto] RAPAS reticle orientation You can adjust it under the night sky, I had the same thing happen. First center the reticle on Polaris. Then raise the altitude adjuster to move Polaris to the outer circle. If it lies on the 24h line, you're ok. Otherwise loosen the setscrew and rotate the reticle to lie on Polaris. Then lower the altitude adjuster to make sure Polaris moves back to the center point. Lock setscrew. Voila! Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T From:
Sender: ap-gto@...
Date: 23 Feb 2014 11:22:57 -0800 To: ReplyTo: ap-gto@...
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] RAPAS reticle orientation Ah this is a bad news. I think I need to return the scope to AP for service. I'm not confident that I can adjust that. The unit needs dead on accuracy. It is strange that this happens. I never touched the set screw as instructed in the manual. Thank you. Donghun
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Re: RAPAS reticle orientation
Wayne Hixson
You can adjust it under the night sky, I had the same thing happen. First center the reticle on Polaris. Then raise the altitude adjuster to move Polaris to the outer circle. If it lies on the 24h line, you're ok. Otherwise loosen the setscrew and rotate the reticle to lie on Polaris. Then lower the altitude adjuster to make sure Polaris moves back to the center point. Lock setscrew. Voila!
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T From: <malonee72@...>
Sender: ap-gto@...
Date: 23 Feb 2014 11:22:57 -0800 To: <ap-gto@...> ReplyTo: ap-gto@...
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] RAPAS reticle orientation Ah this is a bad news. I think I need to return the scope to AP for service. I'm not confident that I can adjust that. The unit needs dead on accuracy. It is strange that this happens. I never touched the set screw as instructed in the manual. Thank you. Donghun
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Re: RAPAS reticle orientation
Donghun
Ah this is a bad news.
I think I need to return the scope to AP for service. I'm not confident that I can adjust that. The unit needs dead on accuracy. It is strange that this happens. I never touched the set screw as instructed in the manual. Thank you. Donghun
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Re: RAPAS reticle orientation
observe_m13
Yes, when looking down into the eyepiece the 0/24hour division on the reticle is parallel to the objective tube and points directly at the objective end.
---In ap-gto@..., <malonee72@...> wrote: Hi Don, Is 24h position pointing directly toward the RAPAS objective lens direction in your scope? Thank you. Donghun
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