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Re: AP1100 - actual production run
Tom Blahovici
Hi
I joined the notification list not too long ago but haven't received a confirmation. I guess it could take a while. I just don't want to be in a situation like back around 2008 or so where I was on a list for a 155 or 160, (don't remember exactly which one) and never received a notification. My 600gto no longer cuts it. Best regards and Happy Holidays, Tom
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Re: Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights
Roland Christen
oops, I see you have VP02-08 already.
Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: Roland Christen via groups.io <chris1011@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> Sent: Thu, Dec 24, 2020 7:58 pm Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights So a couple of things would be good to know:
1) the serial number of the mount
2) the direction of the oscillation (most likely RA I'm guessing)
You can send this to my e-mail direct and we can go from there: chris1011@...
I'll be leaving for Christmas eve dinner in a few minutes, and tomorrow we are not here, but I will get back to you first thing Monday. We'll get it sorted out. Probably a simple setting and also you may want to load the latest version P02-08 into the CP5.
Roland Christen
Astro-Physics Inc.
-----Original Message-----
From: deonb <deonb@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Thu, Dec 24, 2020 7:10 pm Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights On Thu, Dec 24, 2020 at 08:20 AM, Roland Christen wrote:
I'm the dope who originally posted this on CN :). I wasn't specifically posting it as a problem. It was more like a "hey cool, this mount can track for 10 minutes at 2800mm without guiding!", and "here's what I did" post. I loaded more counterweights than the specs of the mount originally so I didn't think there was anything to fix. I do now... It seems that there is a some positions that if I slew my mount there, it goes into an infinite "oscillation" mode. I can physically see the scope move back-and-forth a few millimeters about once a second, and it will keep doing that even if I stop tracking completely. It stops though if I park the mount in that position. I'm running directly through the ASCOM driver v5.30.10 connecting via USB. (I'm still learning APCC). The mount firmware is VCP5-P02-08. The encoder firmware is A02-08. -- Roland Christen Astro-Physics -- Roland Christen Astro-Physics
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Re: Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights
Roland Christen
So a couple of things would be good to know:
1) the serial number of the mount
2) the direction of the oscillation (most likely RA I'm guessing)
You can send this to my e-mail direct and we can go from there: chris1011@...
I'll be leaving for Christmas eve dinner in a few minutes, and tomorrow we are not here, but I will get back to you first thing Monday. We'll get it sorted out. Probably a simple setting and also you may want to load the latest version P02-08 into the CP5.
Roland Christen
Astro-Physics Inc.
-----Original Message-----
From: deonb <deonb@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Thu, Dec 24, 2020 7:10 pm Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights On Thu, Dec 24, 2020 at 08:20 AM, Roland Christen wrote:
I'm the dope who originally posted this on CN :). I wasn't specifically posting it as a problem. It was more like a "hey cool, this mount can track for 10 minutes at 2800mm without guiding!", and "here's what I did" post. I loaded more counterweights than the specs of the mount originally so I didn't think there was anything to fix. I do now... It seems that there is a some positions that if I slew my mount there, it goes into an infinite "oscillation" mode. I can physically see the scope move back-and-forth a few millimeters about once a second, and it will keep doing that even if I stop tracking completely. It stops though if I park the mount in that position. I'm running directly through the ASCOM driver v5.30.10 connecting via USB. (I'm still learning APCC). The mount firmware is VCP5-P02-08. The encoder firmware is A02-08. -- Roland Christen Astro-Physics
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Re: Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights
deonb
On Thu, Dec 24, 2020 at 08:20 AM, Roland Christen wrote:
I'm the dope who originally posted this on CN :). I wasn't specifically posting it as a problem. It was more like a "hey cool, this mount can track for 10 minutes at 2800mm without guiding!", and "here's what I did" post. I loaded more counterweights than the specs of the mount originally so I didn't think there was anything to fix. I do now... It seems that there is a some positions that if I slew my mount there, it goes into an infinite "oscillation" mode. I can physically see the scope move back-and-forth a few millimeters about once a second, and it will keep doing that even if I stop tracking completely. It stops though if I park the mount in that position. I'm running directly through the ASCOM driver v5.30.10 connecting via USB. (I'm still learning APCC). The mount firmware is VCP5-P02-08. The encoder firmware is A02-08.
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Re: Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights
deonb
On Thu, Dec 24, 2020 at 08:20 AM, Roland Christen wrote:
I'm the dope who originally posted this on CN :). I wasn't specifically posting it as a problem. It was more like a "hey cool, this mount can track for 10 minutes at 2800mm without guiding!", and "here's what I did" post. I loaded more counterweights than the specs of the mount originally so I didn't think there was anything to fix. I do now... It seems that there is a some positions that if I slew my mount there, it goes into an infinite "oscillation" mode. I can physically see the scope move back-and-forth a few millimeters about once a second, and it will keep doing that even if I stop tracking completely. It stops though if I park the mount in that position. I'm running directly through the ASCOM driver v5.30.10 connecting via USB. (I'm still learning APCC). The mount firmware is VCP5-P02-08. The encoder firmware is A02-08.
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Re: Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights
Roland Christen
Strickly off-axis guiding if guiding at all. It's on the bottom camera.
Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Dodd <mike@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Thu, Dec 24, 2020 6:10 pm Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights > It's a 155EDF on top of a 160EDF, each has CCD cameras and Quad TCC hand grenades.
Where's the guide scope/camera on top of the 155EDF. Oh, I forgot! This
rig probably does unguided imaging! :-)
--- Mike
-- Roland Christen Astro-Physics
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Re: Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights
Cheng-Yang Tan
First I need to get my hands on an AP155 and AP160 and a Mach2 before I can try this ... just pulling your leg :)
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
On Thursday, December 24, 2020, 6:10 PM, Mike Dodd <mike@...> wrote:
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Re: Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights
It's a 155EDF on top of a 160EDF, each has CCD cameras and Quad TCC hand grenades.Where's the guide scope/camera on top of the 155EDF. Oh, I forgot! This rig probably does unguided imaging! :-) --- Mike
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Re: Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights
Bill Long
Nice setup! I will be sure not to try this.
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> on behalf of Roland Christen via groups.io <chris1011@...>
Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2020 4:04 PM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights Well, I couldn't resist. Here's a pix of the setup with the caveat of WHAT NOT TO DO!
It's a 155EDF on top of a 160EDF, each has CCD cameras and Quad TCC hand grenades. The two scopes weigh ... I don't really know. The goodie bag on the end of the counterweight shaft holds another 10lb weight because I ran out of shaft length.
Total cwt = 3x 14lb plus 5x 10lb plus 1x 5lb. (yes it tracks and slews just fine, but a bit boingy if you bang on it).
I set this up to test the QuadTCC with the 155EDF scope for a customer request, but didn't want to disturb my 160 setup which I am using for a winter imaging project. Do Not try this at home upon pain of death from Marj!!! (my death mostly)
 Rolando
 -----Original Message-----
From: chris1011@... To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> Sent: Thu, Dec 24, 2020 1:33 pm Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights Marj has forbidden me from taking a pix of this setup! Upon pain of death and worse.
 Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: Marcelo Figueroa via groups.io <marfig1970@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Thu, Dec 24, 2020 1:30 pm Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights On Thu, Dec 24, 2020 at 12:32 PM, Roland Christen wrote:
Right now I have my Mach2 loaded with two 6" refractors, one on top the other, and all the heavy camera gear and counterweights galore, which is in the no-no zone. Just to make sure that these kinds of loads work in a stable and accurate manner (and because I like to do crazy stuff) We want a picture of that! :D -- Roland Christen Astro-Physics
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Re: Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights
Roland Christen
Well, I couldn't resist. Here's a pix of the setup with the caveat of WHAT NOT TO DO!
It's a 155EDF on top of a 160EDF, each has CCD cameras and Quad TCC hand grenades. The two scopes weigh ... I don't really know. The goodie bag on the end of the counterweight shaft holds another 10lb weight because I ran out of shaft length. Total cwt = 3x 14lb plus 5x 10lb plus 1x 5lb. (yes it tracks and slews just fine, but a bit boingy if you bang on it).
I set this up to test the QuadTCC with the 155EDF scope for a customer request, but didn't want to disturb my 160 setup which I am using for a winter imaging project. Do Not try this at home upon pain of death from Marj!!! (my death mostly)
Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: chris1011@... To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> Sent: Thu, Dec 24, 2020 1:33 pm Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights Marj has forbidden me from taking a pix of this setup! Upon pain of death and worse.
Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: Marcelo Figueroa via groups.io <marfig1970@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Thu, Dec 24, 2020 1:30 pm Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights On Thu, Dec 24, 2020 at 12:32 PM, Roland Christen wrote:
Right now I have my Mach2 loaded with two 6" refractors, one on top the other, and all the heavy camera gear and counterweights galore, which is in the no-no zone. Just to make sure that these kinds of loads work in a stable and accurate manner (and because I like to do crazy stuff) We want a picture of that! :D -- Roland Christen Astro-Physics
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Re: Initial GoTo In APCC Pro Cause Nose or Tail Dive
John
Aloha Ray,
2 days worth came out to be about 11mbs. I just tried sending the zip file via email, thanks! John
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Re: Microsoft and the Death Star
Joe Zeglinski
Bill – to you and your Colleagues at Microsoft...
BRAVO – very well done indeed !!!!!!
Joe Z.
From: Bill
Long
Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2020 7:56 AM
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Subject: [ap-gto] Microsoft and the Death Star Thought
I would share this about a week after the article was published.
There
is a lot of talk on CN and here, and other places about how people dislike
Microsoft or have disdain for Windows, and that is what it is. The old adage is
that they are the Evil Empire.
This
article puts a good spin on that moniker. They turned
their meme Death Star on the largest security breach in history and obliterated
their operation.
I
did not see a single post here or on CN that gave the company props for
that. I know this isn't exactly AP-GTO related, but their software (mostly
Windows) is berated here from time to time, so I thought it would be fair to
share a good light, on what I think is a great company these days.
I
hope you all are well this holiday season, and I hope the skies bring you some
good fortune in the days to come.
Clear
Skies!
Bill
Long
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Re: Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights
Worsel
You should ask Marj for the refractor...you might get a deal!
Bryan
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Re: Initial GoTo In APCC Pro Cause Nose or Tail Dive
Ray Gralak
Hi John,
I just sent the log files to your group3 email address.I got your zip file of the logs, but the zip only contained ASCOM logs. I need to see the APCC logs as well. I provided a screenshot of how to get them all via the APCC Log zipper. Note that if the zip file is too large (>10 Mbytes) I may not be able to receive it as an attachment. In that case, please provide a link. -Ray Gralak Author of PEMPro Author of APCC (Astro-Physics Command Center): https://www.astro-physics.com/apcc-pro Author of Astro-Physics V2 ASCOM Driver: https://www.siriusimaging.com/apdriver -----Original Message-----
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Re: Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights
Roland Christen
-----Original Message-----
From: Xentex <michael@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Thu, Dec 24, 2020 2:48 pm Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights On Thu, Dec 24, 2020 at 01:32 PM, Roland Christen wrote:
Right now I have my Mach2 loaded with two 6" refractors, one on top the other, and all the heavy camera gear and counterweights galore, which is in the no-no zone.You shouldn't have to live like that. Let me take one of those 6" refractors off your hands and I promise to give it a Mach2 of it's own. -- Roland Christen Astro-Physics
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Re: Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights
John
Well, I'll settle for a nice AP 5" refractor!! :) I don't see it under the tree, maybe next year! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year John
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Re: Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights
On Thu, Dec 24, 2020 at 01:32 PM, Roland Christen wrote:
Right now I have my Mach2 loaded with two 6" refractors, one on top the other, and all the heavy camera gear and counterweights galore, which is in the no-no zone.You shouldn't have to live like that. Let me take one of those 6" refractors off your hands and I promise to give it a Mach2 of it's own.
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Re: Initial GoTo In APCC Pro Cause Nose or Tail Dive
John
Aloha Ray,
I just sent the log files to your group3 email address. I also tried a different ethernet cable, but no luck. And I swapped the RA and DEC cables (that go from the gtocp5 to the back of the mount). After doing that, I was checking to see if the slew issue in DEC would migrate over to the RA axis. But, nothing changed. I guess the cables are ok. Thanks!! John
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Re: Triple Piggy Back Works!
Jeff B
A +1 what Roland said about balance in all directions/axes. In the 11" F7.2 Newtonian on the 1200, I have 85 pounds worth of weights. I very carefully balanced the tube in RA but also paid particular attention to the DEC. You can't see it because it's on the other side, out of view, but I added an aft ring with a weight counterpoise to the focuser/bino-viewer/finder assembly to counteract their combined off axis torque. Works well. I also decrease the slew speeds to 600x (if I could, I'd probably go down to 500X or maybe even 400x). Jeff
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Re: Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights
Roland Christen
Marj has forbidden me from taking a pix of this setup! Upon pain of death and worse.
Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: Marcelo Figueroa via groups.io <marfig1970@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Thu, Dec 24, 2020 1:30 pm Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Interesting Mach2 Behavior on Cloudy Nights On Thu, Dec 24, 2020 at 12:32 PM, Roland Christen wrote:
Right now I have my Mach2 loaded with two 6" refractors, one on top the other, and all the heavy camera gear and counterweights galore, which is in the no-no zone. Just to make sure that these kinds of loads work in a stable and accurate manner (and because I like to do crazy stuff) We want a picture of that! :D -- Roland Christen Astro-Physics
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