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Re: Mach2 Unguided testing continues
George
Bruce,
Always most welcome. Enjoy!
Regards,
George
George Whitney Astro-Physics, Inc. Phone: 815-282-1513 Email: george@...
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io [mailto:main@ap-gto.groups.io]
On Behalf Of Bruce Donzanti
Sent: Thursday, May 28, 2020 9:37 AM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Mach2 Unguided testing continues
Thanks much, George.
Best Regards, Bruce
On May 28, 2020, at 10:29 AM, George <George@...> wrote:
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Re: Mach2 Unguided testing continues
Bruce Donzanti
Thanks much, George.
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
Best Regards, Bruce
On May 28, 2020, at 10:29 AM, George <George@...> wrote:
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Re: Mach2 Unguided testing continues
Roland Christen
The keypad is independent of all other apps such as APCC or plate solving software. The CP controller will accept commands from all apps connected to it.
Roland
-----Original Message-----
From: Terri Zittritsch <theresamarie11@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Thu, May 28, 2020 8:26 am Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Mach2 Unguided testing continues Roland, this looks exciting, any ETA for release?
This seems like a great feature for us mobile (non fixed installation) users. Given how easy and fast this is, 5 minutes/hour of object tracking, will this be usable if you also have a PC connected (for things like plate solving) and do you use it with, or instead of, APCC? Terri
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Re: Mach2 Unguided testing continues
Roland Christen
The idea is to center a star on a crosshair. When the star is centered via the keypad buttons you simply press Enter on the keypad and the position is recorded in the mount. The crosshair can be an eyepiece or you can use the crosshair function of your camera imaging software.
I have used MaximDL and my CCD camera to place the star on the crosshair. I have also used a QHY 5 -II camera which has video mode and a crosshair in place of an eyepiece. It's fast and accurate.
Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: Donald Rudny <mkea13800@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Wed, May 27, 2020 10:23 pm Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Mach2 Unguided testing continues Hi All,
After following this thread, I am still unsure of how this is done. Sounds like a revolutionary system. I have an AP1100 with CP4, so I think I just need to upgrade the CP4 firmware and buy an upgraded keypad. It sounds like there needs to be a camera input. How is that done? I didn’t think there was any input into the keypad for a camera input. Is APCC involved at all? Hope someone can explain in simple terms.
Thanks
Don
Don Rudny
On May 27, 2020, at 4:01 PM, Bruce Donzanti <donza2735@...> wrote:
Thank you/ good to know it will work on my AP1100 and Mach 1
Appreciate the follow up information
On May 27, 2020, at 9:35 PM, uncarollo2 <chris1011@...> via groups.io <chris1011@...> wrote:
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Re: Mach2 Unguided testing continues
George
Bruce,
We sell a Keypad extension cable (CABKEY--). https://www.astro-physics.com/cabkey
Regards,
George
George Whitney Astro-Physics, Inc. Phone: 815-282-1513 Email: george@...
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io [mailto:main@ap-gto.groups.io]
On Behalf Of Bruce Donzanti
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2020 7:42 PM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Mach2 Unguided testing continues
Roland
My CP4 is about 8 ft above my laptop desk in my observatory. So, not sure the hand controller will reach that far down and I do not want to purchase APCC. Does that mean I am out of luck or is there an app just to mimic the hand controller routine from the CP4 to the laptop?
Bruce
On Wed, May 27, 2020 at 8:29 PM uncarollo2 <chris1011@...> via groups.io <chris1011=aol.com@groups.io> wrote:
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Re: Mach2 Unguided testing continues
Terri Zittritsch
Roland, this looks exciting, any ETA for release? Terri
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Re: Mach2 Unguided testing continues
Hello,
All this work by Roland and his team is great. I would have liked to have the keyboard at the same time as my Mach2 to test these routines from the start. But it does not matter because with the beautiful sky that we have been here for 1 week and APCC it works super well. I even plan to replace on my Mach1 of 2011 the GTOCP3 by a GTOCP4 and as I already have a keyboard that would allow me to have on the ground a possibility of making unguided photo of good quality. Last night I was on the side of M100 with the AP130GT on the Mach2 and a QHY294c  Dominique
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Re: Mach2 Unguided testing continues
Michael Hambrick <mike.hambrick@...>
Good questions Don. You and I have similar
circumstances.
I have an 1100 GTO with a CP4 and Keypad (both purchased in March, 2017), but the software has never been upgraded in either. I am not even sure what version is in the CP4. The instruction manual states that I will be notified by email when software updates are available, but in the time I have owned this mount I have never received any such notifications. The Keypad still has software version 4.19.2 that came with it. Is it correct to assume that my existing keypad will work ? Best Regards Michael Hambrick ARLANXEO TSR Global Manufacturing Support PO Box 2000 Orange, TX 77631-2000 Phone: +1 (409) 882-2799 email: mike.hambrick@...
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Re: Mach2 Unguided testing continues
Donald Rudny
Hi All,
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
After following this thread, I am still unsure of how this is done. Sounds like a revolutionary system. I have an AP1100 with CP4, so I think I just need to upgrade the CP4 firmware and buy an upgraded keypad. It sounds like there needs to be a camera input. How is that done? I didn’t think there was any input into the keypad for a camera input. Is APCC involved at all? Hope someone can explain in simple terms. Thanks Don Don Rudny
On May 27, 2020, at 4:01 PM, Bruce Donzanti <donza2735@...> wrote:
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Re: Mach2 Unguided testing continues
Bruce Donzanti
Thank you/ good to know it will work on my AP1100 and Mach 1
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
Appreciate the follow up information
On May 27, 2020, at 9:35 PM, uncarollo2 <chris1011@...> via groups.io <chris1011@...> wrote:
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Re: Mach2 Unguided testing continues
Roland Christen
I did a bunch of testing this spring with my 175 refractor/1600AE mount in our Hawaii observatory. Was able to get easily 20 minute exposures for many hours on the same object until it went too low in the west. never got around to processing them since my goal was not pretty images but data on tracking accuracy, etc. I also did some preliminary work last year at the AP observatory with my 17" astrograph and 1600AE mount.
So yes, the program will work with any of our mounts, not just the Mach2.
Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: Bruce Donzanti <donza2735@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Wed, May 27, 2020 8:22 pm Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Mach2 Unguided testing continues Understood and I appreciate the apology. I look forward to learning more about this as I prefer to abandon my finicky PHD guiding.
On May 27, 2020, at 9:12 PM, uncarollo2 <chris1011@...> via groups.io <chris1011@...> wrote:
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Re: Mach2 Unguided testing continues
Bruce Donzanti
Understood and I appreciate the apology. I look forward to learning more about this as I prefer to abandon my finicky PHD guiding.
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
On May 27, 2020, at 9:12 PM, uncarollo2 <chris1011@...> via groups.io <chris1011@...> wrote:
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Re: Mach2 Unguided testing continues
Roland Christen
It wasn't meant that way, and i apologize if it came across that way. This routine requires the keypad and cannot be easily done any other way. It would probably take me another year to turn it into something that could be used on a laptop or other device. And I don't have that much life left in me anymore ;^))
Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: Bruce Donzanti <donza2735@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Wed, May 27, 2020 8:05 pm Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Mach2 Unguided testing continues ok- I don't doubt that; your efforts and ingenuity is greatly appreciated; no reason to get snippy; a simple no would have sufficed to someone who bought two of your mounts or the suggestion that Robert presented to me about an extension to the keypad
On Wed, May 27, 2020 at 9:01 PM uncarollo2 <chris1011@...> via groups.io <chris1011=aol.com@groups.io> wrote:
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Re: Mach2 Unguided testing continues
Bruce Donzanti
ok- I don't doubt that; your efforts and ingenuity is greatly appreciated; no reason to get snippy; a simple no would have sufficed to someone who bought two of your mounts or the suggestion that Robert presented to me about an extension to the keypad
On Wed, May 27, 2020 at 9:01 PM uncarollo2 <chris1011@...> via groups.io <chris1011=aol.com@groups.io> wrote:
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Re: Mach2 Unguided testing continues
Roland Christen
It's a keypad routine. We spent a great deal of time developing this program for the keypad. I can't even count the number of hours that the three of us put into development (Charles - keypad software, Mike - CP4/5 software, and me the conductor of it all).
Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: Bruce Donzanti <donza2735@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Wed, May 27, 2020 7:42 pm Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Mach2 Unguided testing continues Roland
My CP4 is about 8 ft above my laptop desk in my observatory. So, not sure the hand controller will reach that far down and I do not want to purchase APCC. Does that mean I am out of luck or is there an app just to mimic the hand controller routine from the CP4 to the laptop?
Bruce
On Wed, May 27, 2020 at 8:29 PM uncarollo2 <chris1011@...> via groups.io <chris1011=aol.com@groups.io> wrote:
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Re: Mach2 Unguided testing continues
One solution to your short hand controller cord is to get an extension from AP. I have one I got about 10 years ago that adds 25' extension to the hand controller. It has the matching male and female connectors to the hand controller and CP 3 or CP4 boxes. As I recall you could get them in any length up to a max of something like 50'. Once running for my astro imaging, I don't even use the hand controller but there are times I do use it such as for video images to a crowd for public outreach when the hand controller has some advantages over running from a computer.
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Re: Mach2 Unguided testing continues
Bruce Donzanti
Roland My CP4 is about 8 ft above my laptop desk in my observatory. So, not sure the hand controller will reach that far down and I do not want to purchase APCC. Does that mean I am out of luck or is there an app just to mimic the hand controller routine from the CP4 to the laptop? Bruce
On Wed, May 27, 2020 at 8:29 PM uncarollo2 <chris1011@...> via groups.io <chris1011=aol.com@groups.io> wrote:
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Re: Mach2 Unguided testing continues
Roland Christen
Beautiful!
Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: Joseph Beyer <jcbeyer2001@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Wed, May 27, 2020 7:27 pm Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Mach2 Unguided testing continues And it works very well on my 2017 vintage MachI. So well in fact, I'm done with guiding!
On Wed, May 27, 2020 at 5:25 PM uncarollo2 <chris1011@...> via groups.io <chris1011=aol.com@groups.io> wrote:
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Re: Mach2 Unguided testing continues
Roland Christen
Yes, this is a hand controller routine.
Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: Worsel via groups.io <bryancashion@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Wed, May 27, 2020 7:04 pm Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Mach2 Unguided testing continues Roland
Encoders are NOT required then...just a CP4 with updated firmware. I recognize this is not yet available. I also recall an earlier thread indicating the APCC Pro would be able to do the same, if a hand controller is not used. Bryan
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Re: Mach2 Unguided testing continues
Joseph Beyer
And it works very well on my 2017 vintage MachI. So well in fact, I'm done with guiding!
On Wed, May 27, 2020 at 5:25 PM uncarollo2 <chris1011@...> via groups.io <chris1011=aol.com@groups.io> wrote:
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