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Re: GTO3600 runaway behavior
Roland Christen
The keypad does not cause runaways.
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You may have an outdated version of CP4 firmware. The symptoms are similar to a problem that was fixed in a newer version of CP4 firmware. Make sure you have the latest version of firmware installed. The folks at AP.
-----Original Message-----
From: ssrfo59@... [ap-gto] To: ap-gto Sent: Tue, Apr 17, 2018 5:23 pm Subject: [ap-gto] Re: GTO3600 runaway behavior Thanks everyone for the helpful suggestions, and we'll go through a checklist based on the ideas. We have a permanent installation so the mount is fixed in place. Power is supplied by a UPS system which is constantly being fed by building power. The mount power supply itself is beyond what AP recommends for this mount, and is not used for anything else. While we won't rule out a power issue as the cause of the problem, we think the cause lies elsewhere: keypad wonkiness, bad connection, CP4 problem, etc.
Steve S.
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Re: Planetarium software recommendation (windows)
After finding a target and clicking on it in WWT. (it will go) click a inch left or right to center. I was able to move around the edge of the sun by clicking on it. As to plate solving. That's another program. SGP handles that and all automation. Actually I havent' had to plate solve in quite some time. Once solved..the mach1 seems to stay accurate. I just point in WWT and there I pointed appears in my sub-frame. I rotate the orientation in WWT with the onscreen controls. (only planetarium program I've seen allow this) that way I can sync with my camera angle/rotation. It also (when you click on a point) will load in photos others have taken that are on line of targets in the area you pointed. (well in the boundaries of the constellation). Click on a photo and it will go there and or ZOOM in and that photo will be auto placed IN THE SKY. The one thing that bothers me is I'd like to be able to zoom out more than it allows. Not really a problem, but I often like to zoom to full sky to get my bearings. mouse wheel zooms in and out. snow and ice today again - but this weekend is in the 60's (F) so I hope to get out there again soon.
On Tue, Apr 17, 2018 at 5:01 PM, Stuart Heggie stuart.j.heggie@... [ap-gto] <ap-gto@...> wrote:
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Re: GTO3600 runaway behavior
Steve Smith
Thanks everyone for the helpful suggestions, and we'll go through a checklist based on the ideas.
We have a permanent installation so the mount is fixed in place. Power is supplied by a UPS system which is constantly being fed by building power. The mount power supply itself is beyond what AP recommends for this mount, and is not used for anything else. While we won't rule out a power issue as the cause of the problem, we think the cause lies elsewhere: keypad wonkiness, bad connection, CP4 problem, etc. Steve S.
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Re: [ap-ug] New file uploaded to ap-ug
Roland Christen
Hi All,
For those interested in the technical details of the Stowaway optics, the files that I uploaded to the Files section have details of the visual and photographic performance of this scope. https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ap-ug/files/92mmStowaway/ I realize that not everyone wants to go to the files section, so we will have this information on the website once we get back from NEAF. The information is highly technical, but those of you who have studied optical design might find it interesting. The lens design is 3 element airspaced, all surfaces are spherical. The surfaces are individually tested interferometrically (test plate interferometry) which results in a very smooth surface figure. The elements are then spaced critically for null at 542.5nm (green) on my Fizeau in double-pass similar to what I did with the 130 GTX lenses. Roland Christen Astro-Physics Inc.
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Re: 1200 GTO Power Supply
Woody Schlom <woody@...>
Scott,
The fast easy answer is that AP sells two – a cheaper one made by Pyramid and a variable voltage one made by Powerwerx. I recommend the more expensive variable Powerwerx one. For the DC output, the Powerwerx uses both screw terminals and Banana Plugs. You can make your own power cable or buy one. I make my own to the specific length I need – no longer, no shorter. I’ve also converted my power cables over to the PP (Anderson PowerPole) connectors AP now uses on the CP4 controller. So if I’m using the Powerwerx variable power supply, I made a cable with screw terminals on one end and PP connectors on the other end. Then I made a PP to threaded 2.1mm x 5.5mm coaxial connector at the other end that goes into my “old” CP3 controller. To use this same Powerwerx PS with other devices, I just made up the appropriate PP to whatever connector pig-tail cables. Woody From: ap-gto@yahoogroups.com <ap-gto@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2018 2:47 PM To: ap-gto@yahoogroups.com Subject: [ap-gto] 1200 GTO Power Supply I have the standard power cord that has the cigarette style 12v male plug on one end and on the other end has the tip that inserts into the power inlet on the mount. I guess that this requires a regulated power supply with a cigarette lighter style female outlet, which I also have been using. However, I would like to power my mount using a 120v to 12v transformer. I would like to plug something directly into a wall outlet. Does anyone know of a converter that can power the mount with the correct voltage, amperage and plug style to insert into the mount? Scott P [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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Re: 92mm F6.65 Stowaway is now official
Bill Long
Sweet, signed up!
I already have a Starizona Microtouch with the motor for a standard Feathertouch 2.5", I assume this is the exact same focuser and thus this motor would work?
From: ap-gto@... on behalf of chris1011@... [ap-gto]
Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2018 2:46 PM To: ap-ug@...; ap-gto@... Subject: [ap-gto] 92mm F6.65 Stowaway is now official It's on our website under Products. First production run has started, we plan to make 100 scopes.
Check it out: http://www.astro-physics.com/index.htm?products/products Roland Christen Astro-Physics Inc.
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Re: 92mm F6.65 Stowaway is now official
Hello folks,
Please go to the website to sign up for the 92mm Stowaway list. Here’s the link: http://www.astro-physics.com/webdata/notify.htm
I’m sorry to say that we can’t add your name to the list from your email. We need more information than just your email address. J
Thanks, everyone! Karen
From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2018 4:46 PM To: ap-ug@...; ap-gto@... Subject: [ap-gto] 92mm F6.65 Stowaway is now official
It's on our website under Products. First production run has started, we plan to make 100 scopes.
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1200 GTO Power Supply
scott pellet
I have the standard power cord that has the cigarette style 12v male plug on one end and on the other end has the tip that inserts into the power inlet on the mount. I guess that this requires a regulated power supply with a cigarette lighter style female outlet, which I also have been using. However, I would like to power my mount using a 120v to 12v transformer. I would like to plug something directly into a wall outlet. Does anyone know of a converter that can power the mount with the correct voltage, amperage and plug style to insert into the mount? Scott P
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92mm F6.65 Stowaway is now official
Roland Christen
It's on our website under Products. First production run has started, we plan to make 100 scopes.
Check it out: http://www.astro-physics.com/index.htm?products/products Roland Christen Astro-Physics Inc.
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Re: Planetarium software recommendation (windows)
Stuart Heggie <stuart.j.heggie@...>
Woody, I'm with you. I use TSX exclusively for planetarium and imaging and I am very happy with it. BTW - I'm pretty sure the PixInsight team intend to integrate telescope control soon and then people will have an option to do EVERYTHING in one program. Might be very cool. Stuart
On Tue, Apr 17, 2018 at 4:00 PM, 'Woody Schlom' woody@... [ap-gto] <ap-gto@...> wrote:
--
Stuart Heggie
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Re: Planetarium software recommendation (windows)
Michael Fulbright <mike.fulbright@...>
You didn't mention if you image or not and if you do image if you use
plate solving. If you image and use plate solving then spending money on a planetarium program imho is kind of pointless. In most work flows based on plate solving you aren't ever going to manually be selecting an object in the planetarium program and slewing that way. Rarely will the catalog coordinates even yield an ideal framing for objects that fill most the camera FOV. I've used Cartes du Ciel since around 2005 and it just works and doesn't have any goofy features like pronouncing the names of stars or all that. Just tons of solid catalogs and a mechanism where you can pull in custom catalogs fairly easily. I plan all my imaging runs using Aladin to frame the object with a custom FOV and this yields a position on the sky (J2000) and a rotation angle. I then let Sequence Generator Pro, or more recently EKOS (under Linux), slew the mount to these coordinates and plate solve and iterate until it is close enough to my desired target coordinates. The plate solve also tells me the orientation of the camera so I use that to manually rotate the focuser until I get the desired sky angle. Then I'm done for the night and start the imaging run and goto sleep. The only reason I have CdC running is so I can monitor the position of the mount on the sky, or if I want to diagnose something like a poor autofocus solution and I can use CdC to slew to a nearby bright star and slap on the Bahtinov mask. It is mostly sitting there idle since my imaging software is running the show. Michael Fulbright
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Re: Planetarium software recommendation (windows)
Woody Schlom <woody@...>
Dan,
There have been some complaints regarding TSX’s user interface and I agree it’s a bear to learn and not the one I’d prefer. But that said, once you figure out how to use it, it’s quite powerful and flexible. I particularly like how easy it is to create custom FOV’s for your particular scope/camera/focal-reduction configurations. And you can even create complex FOV’s that contain not only the imaging FOV, but the off-axis guider’s FOV in the same FOV display. This way you can pre-select guide stars for the camera rotation you want. It’s an expensive, hard-to-learn, but very flexible and powerful package. And it’s expandable as your equipment or skills or needs increase or change. Not for beginners or those looking for instant gratification. But a powerful and useful tool for advanced users. And important for me, it’s a package very many imagers use. So it’s easy to pick the brains of fellow club members for tips, or follow along at advanced imaging workshops. Woody From: ap-gto@yahoogroups.com <ap-gto@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2018 10:29 AM To: ap-gto@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Planetarium software recommendation (windows) I use The SkyX. Works very well for me for imaging. Features like plate solve etc help a lot. For visual, I use SkySafari5 Pro and connect it to APCC on PC using a simple TCP<->COM bridge. Works flawlessly. I have also tried connecting SkySafari to TheSkyX TCP client. It works partially. I guess this is only supported for Paramount. Regards Hemant On Mon, Apr 16, 2018 at 9:39 PM, dragracingdan@gmail.com <mailto:dragracingdan@gmail.com> [ap-gto] <ap-gto@yahoogroups.com <mailto:ap-gto@yahoogroups.com> > wrote: Hi, I was wondering what software AP users are using to control their mount through Windows. I'm using point to point wifi on a Mach1 with CP4 through my laptop. Suggestions and experiences appreciated Best, Dan [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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Re: Planetarium software recommendation (windows)
Wow! Thanks for all the suggestions! I will dig into the free ones first to see how it goes. Appreciate all the help, keep em coming
Best, Dan
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Re: Planetarium software recommendation (windows)
Maarten Vanleenhove
Ron,
Tnx on the tip on WWT! Downloaded it, looks fantastic! Maarten Op 17/04/2018 om 17:26 schreef Ron Kramer ronkramer1957@... [ap-gto]:
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Re: Planetarium software recommendation (windows)
Hemant Hariyani
I use The SkyX. Works very well for me for imaging. Features like plate solve etc help a lot. For visual, I use SkySafari5 Pro and connect it to APCC on PC using a simple TCP<->COM bridge. Works flawlessly. I have also tried connecting SkySafari to TheSkyX TCP client. It works partially. I guess this is only supported for Paramount. Regards Hemant
On Mon, Apr 16, 2018 at 9:39 PM, dragracingdan@... [ap-gto] <ap-gto@...> wrote:
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Re: Planetarium software recommendation (windows)
Suresh Mohan
The Sky X, Starry night pro and HC ( mostly), except when I go to Himalayas I use the sky x and wifi ( I’m not used to cold weather )
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Suresh
On 17-Apr-2018, at 9:53 PM, chris1011@... [ap-gto] <ap-gto@...> wrote:
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Re: Planetarium software recommendation (windows)
Andrew Jones
Thanks Dan for the topic.
You hit upon one my hot buttons. I think I have have tried them all. It is amazing to me how difficult it is to find a decent Planatarium software for Imaging. I paid more than care to think about for for the pro versions of TSX + Camera Addon + Dome Add On and I rarely use it. Same goes for Starry Night Pro 7 TSX Pro tries to do everything, but it is a beast of a program in my opinion. I can never find anything as they departed from every known software navigation methodology known to man. What is so hard about File, Edit, View, Tools, Hardware, etc? Why would you completely go off and create a unique navigation structure that doesn't match any other software on the planet? I do like the TSX Closed Loop slew when it works, but I find it to be quite slow and sometimes can take ages to come back particularly if it was unable to plate solve the image. There is no status windows or display that shows you the progress so you don't know if the process is hung and there is no way to cancel the process once started without just killing the program. It has some decent technology, but is in serious need of a make over, IMHO. Then there are Stallarium, and CDC, which are a little easier to navigate, but have limited functionality and in the case of Stallarium no native ASCOM support. Starry Night has the best graphics of the bunch, but this also means it is a memory hog which if I am running on the same PC as my imaging software consumes a lot of resources. I wish it had camera support and closed loop slew functionality as even though it is resource intensive, i would probably use it if it had these capabilities. At the moment I have settled on CDC as it does allow me to see what objects are up and has the ability to slew to objects, but without any camera support it also can't do precision centering. It does have native ASCOM support, so it is easy to connect to an AP mount which is why I tend to use it. I can slew to objects and then copy and paste the coordinates into Sequence Generator Pro's Framing and Mosaic Wizard to get it to center on the object. All of this of course is my own personal opinion and experiences with these Planetarium Software packages. I am sure there are people here who love some of the ones I despise (like TSX). I am not really looking to get into a debate about one program over another. I just wanted share what my experience has been as I have gone through an extensive search for a good Planetarium software that is really designed for imaging. Most of the existing Planetarium software have their roots in supporting the visual observer. The added some GoTo and Imaging capability later, mostly as an after thought. Maybe as imaging gains in popularity someone will build a Planetarium software from the ground for imaging, but at the moment all of the available options have their limitations, IMHO. In the end I guess you have to pick one that gives you most of what you need. I would start with the free one's first as I have learned spending more money on these programs does not guarantee better functionality. Just my personal experience. Andrew J
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Re: Planetarium software recommendation (windows)
Roland Christen
That's pretty nifty.
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Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: Ron Kramer ronkramer1957@... [ap-gto] To: ap-gto Sent: Tue, Apr 17, 2018 10:27 am Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Re: Planetarium software recommendation (windows) I've tried most all the above. (cartes? poor graphically) SkySafari? Better but not really showing what I want to see as far as nebula details I'm targeting. Stellarium? (decent for the price (free). A bit cumbersome with its separate scope interface.
I to have the Mach1. Being retired, I have had time to try them all. All worked, but nothing really the way I dreamed it to work.
Welcome WORLDWIDE TELESCOPE! (FREE) it's a online browser planetarium program. (kinda neat, but limited) but a few months ago I stumbled onto a windows download client of WWT! (WorldWide Telescope).
I now use it exclusively. I run it in a window along side my other coveted software (SGP, PHD2, APCC etc).
What I like? It shows ALL nebula/sky detail. So - if you go to say the Pelican nebula. You will see it. ALL PARTS OF IT. I can click on any detail/part of it and "goto that specific detail".. Where as Sky Safari showed a "outline of the area". This way I can see my target before I point at it... I can click in any area of the target to center there. Scope control is built in, just set it and connect it. (in the download client version only - not in the browser version).
I also like that I can ROTATE/ORIENT ANY WAY - my view. This means I can orient the view to that of my camera. When working around M42, I clicked on various areas (running man, horse head, etc) to center on those actual targets. When I then shoot a sub I can compare and look for details in my sub. I'll attach a image that shows my display. The color photo is WWT display. The mono image under it is MY CAPTURE of that area of the nebula. There is no comparison to any of the other programs above. Yet I don't know of anyone else using this.
For more info contact me... My obsey page - https://www.facebook.com/Ron.R.Kramer/
A pic using WWT (color image) my sub if same area below.
On Tue, Apr 17, 2018 at 9:53 AM, keitholsen@... [ap-gto] <ap-gto@...> wrote:
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Re: Planetarium software recommendation (windows)
Roland Christen
TheSkyX and MaximDL
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Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: dragracingdan@... [ap-gto] To: ap-gto Sent: Mon, Apr 16, 2018 9:41 pm Subject: [ap-gto] Planetarium software recommendation (windows) Hi, I was wondering what software AP users are using to control their mount through Windows. I'm using point to point wifi on a Mach1 with CP4 through my laptop. Suggestions and experiences appreciated Best, Dan ------------------------------------ Posted by: dragracingdan@... ------------------------------------ To UNSUBSCRIBE, or for general information on the ap-gto list see http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ap-gto ------------------------------------ Yahoo Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ap-gto/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ap-gto/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: ap-gto-digest@... ap-gto-fullfeatured@... <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: ap-gto-unsubscribe@... <*> Your use of Yahoo Groups is subject to: https://info.yahoo.com/legal/us/yahoo/utos/terms/
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Re: Planetarium software recommendation (windows)
Joe Zeglinski
Good report Ron.
You have convinced me to try your planetarium and scope
setup, even though I am comfortable in my old ways.
Joe
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