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Re: Cable and Systems Management
AlSmith
Wayne, All.
Proud new GTO owner here, first post here, hi! Thanks for the add, y'all have already answered some of my questions, especially the thread on apcc install and virtual comports (If anyone else is having problems installing, and they are using Norton, in addition to turning it off for installation, the firewall also needs configuring or it hides the ports from being scanned.. grr. 2 days of debug :) I set mine up by using a pelican case with the power supplies, fusebox, Icron and focus hub in there. I used nylon cable sheathing to make an umbilical of 2x12Vdc power, a USB extender and 2xCAT5 cables for the focusers. This umbilical goes up through the mount, and I leave it in the RA axis when disassembled. Up top there is a 4 port usb hub, connecting to the camera, guide, flipflat etc. One of the 12v supplies is dedicated to the camera, the other for the dew controller. Cheapo 4 port usb hub hasn't failed on me yet, got a spare just in case.I bundled the mounts power and USB cables similarly. Whole thing takes about 2-3 minutes to hookup or breakdown. Some good ideas above for mounting options. For now, I just used sticky back velcro to place the usb hub and dew controller on the saddle. Regards, Al.. Some pics of my rig here: https://flic.kr/s/aHskT5Qhyn
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Re: APPM Run Complete Pointing Spectacular
dave@...
yes. been using appm and other models for awhile now. won't run without one. love it long time!
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Re: Park Positions Don't Work
raypalmer77
The coordinates for my hand controller are - 31.9505° S, 115.8605° E The mount knows where it is. It points perfectly through TSX. It is also set to get its coordinates from TSX (same coords as above). But if I don't use TSX and just the hand controller, it still points correctly. Its just the default park positions that don't work as per description above. I am using firmware Code Level V4.17. DB Level 0. The version before this also had the same parking problem as per description above. Regards Ray
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Re: Park 4 Position
Ray Gralak
Hi Kerry,
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
I would check that your latitude (and longitude) are set correctly in the ASCOM driver, APCC, and the hand controller (if you had used the hand controller to park/unpark). If latitude was set incorrectly incorrect, then the behavior you indicate could happen. -Ray Gralak Author of APCC (Astro-Physics Command Center): http://www.astro-physics.com/index.htm?products/accessories/software/apcc/apcc Author of PEMPro: http://www.ccdware.com Author of Astro-Physics V2 ASCOM Driver: http://www.gralak.com/apdriver Author of PulseGuide: http://www.pulseguide.com Author of Sigma: http://www.gralak.com/sigma
-----Original Message-----
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Park 4 Position
Kerry Williams
I have a question about the Park 4 position. I believe the documentation states that for the Park for position, the counterweights are level with the horizon and the telescope is on the east side of the mount also level with the horizon pointing south. When I set the hand controller to park to Park 4, it correctly slews the mount so that the counterweights are indeed parallel to the horizon and the telescope is on the east side of the mount, the telescope is pointing south, but the telescope is not parallel to the horizon, it is tilted down about 30 degrees towards the south. The same thing happens when I park to Park 4 from APCC or the ASCOM driver. Same position. Is there a change to the Park 4 position from the documentation or is something screwed up with my mount's declination axis? I am using a 1200GTO with the GTOCP4 controller and the latest versions of APCC, the ASCOM driver and handset firmware. Thanks, Kerry
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APPM Run Complete Pointing Spectacular
BigE Astro
Most of the time people are seeking help on this forum. Me included. However, I wanted to put in a plug for APCC and the APPM component. I finished the run the other night and the pointing is spectacular.
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Re: AP 1600 Sticktion?
BigE Astro
Thanks Ray, I just re-meshed the gears. I have not looked through a telescope visually since about 2003, except for target practice with my zombie apocalypse protection devices at 100 plus yards . I will seek a bright star tonight with the ASI 1600 running in video mode and see if it is there "visually"
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Re: AP 1600 Sticktion?
Ray Gralak
Have you visually confirmed that the stiction is as bad as you think? You can confirm by looking through an eyepiece while moving Dec back and forth at 1x with the hand controller.
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
-Ray Gralak Author of APCC (Astro-Physics Command Center): http://www.astro-physics.com/index.htm?products/accessories/software/apcc/apcc Author of PEMPro: http://www.ccdware.com Author of Astro-Physics V2 ASCOM Driver: http://www.gralak.com/apdriver Author of PulseGuide: http://www.pulseguide.com Author of Sigma: http://www.gralak.com/sigma
-----Original Message-----
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Re: AP 1600 Sticktion?
Jon <jmartin590@...>
They work well. jon
On 1/21/2017 3:20 PM, bigeastro@... [ap-gto] wrote:
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Re: AP 1600 Sticktion?
BigE Astro
Jon, I am ordering one from Amazon so I don't have to rely on my "feel"
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Re: AP 1600 Sticktion?
BigE Astro
That is suspected for sure. I did some searching prior to the post and noted that I have not meshed since I received the mount a year ago when I meshed it for the first time. I am going to give it a shot.
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Re: AP 1600 Sticktion?
BigE Astro
I route through the mount and I don't think there are any snags. I have some slack in the system. I balance roughly by hand by grabbing the scope at each side and trying to make sure the moment arm distance is the same and just feel for balance. I do this when horizontal parked in park 1. My understanding is that the balance does not need to be spot on. Thanks for the response.
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Re: AP 1600 Sticktion?
Craig Anderson
Could the DEC worm have come a bit out of mesh?
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
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Re: AP 1600 Sticktion?
Jon <jmartin590@...>
for balancing, you can get a digital
fish scale and see what the load is to to make the mount move one
way and then the other from a counter weight horizontal position.
When the load is the same, your in balance. I have used this
method on my 900 and it works well. Jon
On 1/21/2017 11:44 AM, bigeastro@... [ap-gto] wrote:
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Re: Cable and Systems Management
I created a Photos folder called "Christopher Erickson" and put a
number of AP-related pics init. Several of them show my modified USB3 hub
with PowerPole ports on the side, attached to my Mach1.
Image 20160207_233529 and 20160207_233647 show the modified
hub.
There also some pics of the modifications I made to my 900GTO so it
could go down to about 16 degrees North latitude so I could use it here in
Hawaii without resorting to the Hi/Lo latitude wedge. And of my
modifications to improve motor cable protections at low latitudes, and the
addition of a compass and level to the tripod.
I also tossed in some pics of the Christens vacationing in Hawaii
and exploring Tucson.
And some Barrow Venus Transit pics and some general Hawaii shots,
just for fun.
Christopher
Erickson
Consulting Engineer Summit Kinetics Waikoloa, HI 96738 www.summitkinetics.com
From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...] Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2017 6:41 AM To: ap-gto@... Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Cable and Systems Management The pic did not make it through... Michael At 07:43 PM 1/20/2017, you wrote:
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Re: AP 1600 Sticktion?
How are you balancing your DEC axis?
How are you routing your cables?
Christopher Erickson
Consulting Engineer Summit Kinetics Waikoloa, HI 96738 www.summitkinetics.com
From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...] Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2017 8:45 AM To: ap-gto@... Subject: [ap-gto] AP 1600 Sticktion? I think I am experiencing sticktion sp? in my dec axis. I recently upgraded the scope that was mounted on the mount and increased the load by about 20 pounds and purchased a 30 pound and 18 pound counterweights. My total load of equipment has to be somewhere around 90 pounds or so. This is well within the load rating. I purchased more than needed counterweights, because I was already extended out on the counterweight shaft and wanted to bring things in a little. Anyways, my calibration in PHD2 in RA looks good but in Dec it takes a long time and it does not seem to move as fluidly as it used to. It seems like I am getting bad calibration and there is an error message that the calibration is not what is expected. My guiding seems to have suffered a bit also. I think I have it balanced, but it is hard to do since the mount is kind of rigid. Any ideas on how to remedy?
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Re: AP 1600 Sticktion?
Joe Zeglinski
Hi,
I would think that the “ammeter” current measuring
procedure used by many for balancing the axes should work – no matter the
stiction.
There are two ways of balancing an axle – one is to unlock one axle set of
clutches, so the axis rotates freely. The other is in a normal operating state,
clutches locked, and only the overall effect on CPx current load is
measured.
While axle (flat clutch plugs) stiction makes it much
more difficult to balance cwts. even with the clutches fully released, and the
load is sluggish to tip one way or the other, measuring the current to the CPx
controller provides an accurate measure of imbalance, when both sides of the
pier are compared. Of course, balancing would be far easier, if the axles were
buttery smooth when their locks were released, but this usually degrades with
time – especially with years of (user) over-tightened, rarely released and
“mushroom-flattening” clutch plugs, on the older mounts.
The fact that the axes are free to rotate has nothing to
do with the actual final effect – the load imbalance imposed on the worm and
worm wheel. That is what you actually are trying to “unload”, and the ammeter
should give a reasonably good indication of which pier side the scope is
unbalanced on – even with the axle clutches fully locked.
The current draw measuring method not only works for
balancing the RA axis, but also when stationary, should work equally well for
balancing the position of the scope on its saddle (or sliding its own
counterweights). Just rotate the DEC and watch the ammeter readings swing, until
the OTA is shifted, or balanced, in its saddle.
I wonder if future CPx’s might have two tiny socket
holes and DC circuit break sockets, tapping into the incoming power line at the
side, for a user’s ammeter probes to enter the DC power circuit, providing a
much more convenient way of balancing the axes. That way, a CPx wouldn’t even
have to actually have its own moving coil ammeter gauge built-in, but provides a
convenient quick method, using the owner’s own meter.
Joe
From: bigeastro@... [ap-gto]
Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2017 1:44 PM
To: ap-gto@...
Subject: [ap-gto] AP 1600 Sticktion? I think I am experiencing sticktion sp? in my dec axis. I recently upgraded the scope that was mounted on the mount and increased the load by about 20 pounds and purchased a 30 pound and 18 pound counterweights. My total load of equipment has to be somewhere around 90 pounds or so. This is well within the load rating. I purchased more than needed counterweights, because I was already extended out on the counterweight shaft and wanted to bring things in a little. Anyways, my calibration in PHD2 in RA looks good but in Dec it takes a long time and it does not seem to move as fluidly as it used to. It seems like I am getting bad calibration and there is an error message that the calibration is not what is expected. My guiding seems to have suffered a bit also. I think I have it balanced, but it is hard to do since the mount is kind of rigid. Any ideas on how to remedy?
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AP 1600 Sticktion?
BigE Astro
I think I am experiencing sticktion sp? in my dec axis. I recently upgraded the scope that was mounted on the mount and increased the load by about 20 pounds and purchased a 30 pound and 18 pound counterweights. My total load of equipment has to be somewhere around 90 pounds or so. This is well within the load rating. I purchased more than needed counterweights, because I was already extended out on the counterweight shaft and wanted to bring things in a little. Anyways, my calibration in PHD2 in RA looks good but in Dec it takes a long time and it does not seem to move as fluidly as it used to. It seems like I am getting bad calibration and there is an error message that the calibration is not what is expected. My guiding seems to have suffered a bit also. I think I have it balanced, but it is hard to do since the mount is kind of rigid. Any ideas on how to remedy?
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Re: Cable and Systems Management
Michael Turner
Christopher,
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
The pic did not make it through... Michael
At 07:43 PM 1/20/2017, you wrote:
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Re: Cable and Systems Management
D Sidote <dsidote@...>
Just out of curiosity, why wouldn't making a 4-way pigtail with power poles be an option? You would still have one cable though the mount for power and not have the additional weight of the rig runner mounted on top of the scope.
On Fri, Jan 20, 2017 at 10:41 PM, Don Anderson jockey_ca@... [ap-gto] <ap-gto@...> wrote:
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