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Re: Park Position 1 Warning
Hi
Konstantin you need to uninstall the previous version before installing the latest version
On Thu, Dec 23, 2021 at 3:05 AM Konstantin v. Poschinger via groups.io <poschinger=mac.com@groups.io> wrote:
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Re: Park Position 1 Warning
Konstantin v. Poschinger
Hi Ray,
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
I tried to install the 1.9.3.1 on my win7 computer. I get the following message: "APCC Pro Installer: before installing this version you must uninstall APCC Pro from the Control Panel." Sorry I don’t know what to do. I use a german Win 7. Greetings an a happy christmas Konstantin
Konstantin v. Poschinger
Hammerichstr. 5 22605 Hamburg 040/8805747 0171 1983476
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moderated
Re: Improved lunar tracking speed ?
Andrew Arai
Christian,
Stunning 3-dimensional appearance to your image near the moon’s! I’ve admired your lunar images for several years. Horizons and APCC are probably the best answers for your lunar tracking and almost certainly the most elegant. Software like Firecapture can do lunar tracking too but may be a bit jumpy at your effective focal length. It is recommended that you specify lunar tracking and use the surface tracking mode. Andrew
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#APCC Using APCC with two mounts
#APCC
Patrick Sparkman
I am the proud new owner of an AP1600 to go with my AP1100. I have APCC Pro on a computer that I have been using with my AP1100. I will be setting up the 1600 in a permanent observatory in the backyard, and using the 1100 on a portable pier both at home and at a dark site. I will be setting up another imaging computer for the 1600 permanent setup, and using the current computer with the 1100. Can I use the same license of APCC Pro on both computers with two mounts?
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Re: Ascom version vs APCC betas
ap@CaptivePhotons.com
Thank you Ray. I may update the ASCOM tomorrow, it's happily trying to catch a Crab right now before the moon comes up.
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
Always worried that I am providing adequate care and feeding of the mount. Appreciate the quick answers. Linwood
-----Original Message-----
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> On Behalf Of Ray Gralak via groups.io Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2021 7:05 PM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Ascom version vs APCC betas Hi Linwood, It is okay to update the AP V2 driver v5.40.01, but it is not needed for the APCC beta's. This version of the driver and APCC Pro 1.9.3.1 are "unreleased releases". The last step before releasing them will be to update their help files, which I will be doing over the next few days. -Ray -----Original Message-----
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Re: APCC Not Restarting Cleanly
Jerome A Yesavage
Guys, I checked my shutdown scrip and it was written before 2018... Bob's latest version has the bad code removed but it was in my legacy script.... updating ACP changes the model script but not the one is use... Fixed and tested twice and it works.
My safety issues are a PITA.... unfortunately I have to use a ROR as that is the only thing I can put up on my own roof legally where I live. Anyway, if I use the automatic closure I have the pier lowered (fixed) below what the roof can hit. This unfortunately limits my lowest Alt to about 45 DEG. What I have done to get lower Alt safely is fully disable the roof in ACP and then run the pier up manually and open and close the roof Manually... I have to keep my wits about me... but I can get down to 12 DEG above the S horizon. In this case the Mach1 goes into Park 5 and gets under the roof. I watch it with video.... Nothing is simple. I cannot find a failsafe way to run the Pier-tech roof and pier in concert.... in theory this is possible.... but I have never gotten it to work reliably. Vito says people do it with additional position sensors and I have see photos, but that makes my palms sweaty. Cheers and Happy Holidays.
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Re: Ascom version vs APCC betas
Hi Linwood,
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
It is okay to update the AP V2 driver v5.40.01, but it is not needed for the APCC beta's. This version of the driver and APCC Pro 1.9.3.1 are "unreleased releases". The last step before releasing them will be to update their help files, which I will be doing over the next few days. -Ray
-----Original Message-----
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Ascom version vs APCC betas
ap@CaptivePhotons.com
Ray, in another topic you mentioned:
AP V2 driver 5.40.01: https://www.gralak.com/apdriver/AstroPhysics_V2_Setup_5.40.01.exe APCC Pro 1.9.3.1 https://www.apastrosoftware.com/apcc_download/APCC_Pro_Setup_1.9.3.1.exe I am running the latest APCC because I am using and testing the newer features with NINA. I have 5.30.10 of the ASCOM driver. Is the beta needed to match for any reason, or was it for unrelated things (in which case I may be better just waiting). Everything appears to be working just fine; just worried by the juxtaposition in the comment. Linwood
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moderated
Re: Improved lunar tracking speed ?
thefamily90 Phillips
Can’t seem to upload an image right now. I’ll work on it.
Jim P
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> on behalf of thefamily90 Phillips <thefamily90@...>
Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2021 4:57:42 PM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Improved lunar tracking speed ? Not sure why any lunar imager would need perfect tracking of the Moon. Everyone I know suit images the moon and planets takes an AVI and then uses software to pick out the best frames
then stack them and once stacked processed in various software programs. When stacking, an X can be placed on a particular crater and the software stacking the images will stack them perfectly on that crater. Again, there is no need for perfect tracking when
imaging the lunar surface (or a planet’s surface)
Here are a couple of images with a 10 inch triplet refractor and the image moved all over the screen while tracking. None of my scopes are perfectly aligned especially when you consider
what Astro photographers scopes have to be. You just keep the image on the laptop screen and that’s all you need to do.
JimP
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> on behalf of Roland Christen via groups.io <chris1011@...>
Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2021 4:13:00 PM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Improved lunar tracking speed ? All the AP mounts have the capability of tracking non-stellar objects, including the Moon. If the ephemeris is known then APCC Horizons can track it. I will let ray comment on this since he is infinitely more knowledgeable on that subject.
Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: christian viladrich <c.viladrich@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Wed, Dec 22, 2021 1:25 pm Subject: [ap-gto] Improved lunar tracking speed ? Hello AP users,
The apparent motion of the Moon with respect to the stars is usually approximated by 0.5 arsec/s. However this is an approximation and the true value changes from day to day (see delta alpha x cos delta (arsec/min) column in the table below).
This approximation is a real pain when doing high resolution images of the Moon with 14" telescopes or larger.
By high resolution, I mean this kind of picture :
This one was taken with a 500 mm RC telescope on an AP1600 GTOCP4 mount. Smallest visible craters are in the range of 350 m. Because the lunar tracking speed is approximated, we have to constantly play with the alpha slow motion to recenter the field imaged.
This would be a huge improvement if we could have a tracking speed based on lunar ephemerid.
Would it be possible thanks to the increased power of the processors embedded in the GTOCP 4 or CP 5 ?
I admit this is a very specialized demand, very far from the classic use of equatorial mounts.
Best regards
Christian Viladrich
 GTOCP4 or GTOCP5
-- Roland Christen Astro-Physics
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Re: Transporting Counter-Weights and Shaft
Christopher M
I second the high density foam. I usually get mine from a local foam supply shop and it isn't that much for a portion of a sheet, especially if they're off-cuts. Cheaper it to scrounge from work when equipment comes in as the HD foam is often used to pack, but that is more hit and miss. I've cut is myself with long bladed sharp knives, or with a bandsaw. Not as pretty as the laser cut stuff from the pros, but cheap and effective.
And I transport my weights on the floor mat in the back seat - it keeps them low and from rolling around mostly. No problems yet on hard stops but I haven't tried, and don't intend to, a sudden stop. PE foam seems to be available in lightweight 1.2# density up to pretty rigid 9# density. I think I've used 4# and 6#
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Re: Comet tracking for photography with a non encoder GTO1100
You can also use Horizons within APCC Pro.
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
On Dec 22, 2021, at 4:51 PM, Nick Iversen <inoddy@...> wrote:
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moderated
Re: Improved lunar tracking speed ?
thefamily90 Phillips
Not sure why any lunar imager would need perfect tracking of the Moon. Everyone I know suit images the moon and planets takes an AVI and then uses software to pick out the best frames then stack them and once stacked processed in various software programs.
When stacking, an X can be placed on a particular crater and the software stacking the images will stack them perfectly on that crater. Again, there is no need for perfect tracking when imaging the lunar surface (or a planet’s surface)
Here are a couple of images with a 10 inch triplet refractor and the image moved all over the screen while tracking. None of my scopes are perfectly aligned especially when you consider what Astro photographers scopes have to be. You just keep the image on
the laptop screen and that’s all you need to do.
JimP
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> on behalf of Roland Christen via groups.io <chris1011@...>
Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2021 4:13:00 PM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Improved lunar tracking speed ? All the AP mounts have the capability of tracking non-stellar objects, including the Moon. If the ephemeris is known then APCC Horizons can track it. I will let ray comment on this since he is infinitely more knowledgeable on that subject.
Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: christian viladrich <c.viladrich@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Wed, Dec 22, 2021 1:25 pm Subject: [ap-gto] Improved lunar tracking speed ? Hello AP users,
The apparent motion of the Moon with respect to the stars is usually approximated by 0.5 arsec/s. However this is an approximation and the true value changes from day to day (see delta alpha x cos delta (arsec/min) column in the table below).
This approximation is a real pain when doing high resolution images of the Moon with 14" telescopes or larger.
By high resolution, I mean this kind of picture :
This one was taken with a 500 mm RC telescope on an AP1600 GTOCP4 mount. Smallest visible craters are in the range of 350 m. Because the lunar tracking speed is approximated, we have to constantly play with the alpha slow motion to recenter the field imaged.
This would be a huge improvement if we could have a tracking speed based on lunar ephemerid.
Would it be possible thanks to the increased power of the processors embedded in the GTOCP 4 or CP 5 ?
I admit this is a very specialized demand, very far from the classic use of equatorial mounts.
Best regards
Christian Viladrich
 GTOCP4 or GTOCP5
-- Roland Christen Astro-Physics
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Re: Comet tracking for photography with a non encoder GTO1100
Nick Iversen
You can use PHD2 to do comet guiding. Use Cartes du Ceil to send the tracking correction to PHD2. You can Google for full instructions but it's actually quite easy.
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moderated
Re: Improved lunar tracking speed ?
Roland Christen
All the AP mounts have the capability of tracking non-stellar objects, including the Moon. If the ephemeris is known then APCC Horizons can track it. I will let ray comment on this since he is infinitely more knowledgeable on that subject.
Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: christian viladrich <c.viladrich@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Wed, Dec 22, 2021 1:25 pm Subject: [ap-gto] Improved lunar tracking speed ? Hello AP users,
The apparent motion of the Moon with respect to the stars is
usually approximated by 0.5 arsec/s. However this is an
approximation and the true value changes from day to day (see
delta alpha x cos delta (arsec/min) column in the table below).
This approximation is a real pain when doing high resolution
images of the Moon with 14" telescopes or larger.
By high resolution, I mean this kind of picture :
This one was taken with a 500 mm RC telescope on an AP1600 GTOCP4
mount. Smallest visible craters are in the range of 350 m. Because
the lunar tracking speed is approximated, we have to constantly
play with the alpha slow motion to recenter the field imaged. This
would be a huge improvement if we could have a tracking speed
based on lunar ephemerid.
Would it be possible thanks to the increased power of the
processors embedded in the GTOCP 4 or CP 5 ?
I admit this is a very specialized demand, very far from the
classic use of equatorial mounts.
Best regards
Christian Viladrich
 GTOCP4 or GTOCP5
-- Roland Christen Astro-Physics
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moderated
Re: Improved lunar tracking speed ?
Keith Olsen
Wow fantastic image! The clarity is incredible.
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Re: Field Flattener
Emilio J. Robau, P.E.
I forgot,
If I ever get the 130 GTX I will still keep my GSO RC. I really like the thing. I must have gotten a good sample. I have taken it apart and know it inside and out. It really is a good learning scope for tinkerers who don't have the cash for the more expensive RCs and want larger aperture and longer FL. That said, I do have a stack of cash ready for an AP scope anytime anywhere. Recently, thanks to an off topic comment here in which Dr. Rolando diagnosed the problem posted by another user, I was able to eliminate some superfluous reflections by simply extending the baffle. Finally, I also have a field flattener from TS for the scope, but honestly, I just keep the AP27TVPH on it and enjoy the larger field of view and the faster scope.
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Re: Field Flattener
Emilio J. Robau, P.E.
I wanted to add my two cents.
The folks at AP are somewhat eccentric with respect to round stars at all corners everywhere and quality of course. We would not want them to be anything else. However, I have to say that I use the AP27TVPH with my 12" GSO Truss RC and I have to comment that I love it and it does fine with my APS-H. It is a reducer and as a result has some element of correction to it. The circle of illumination is larger than the CCD T67. I use this device on both of my Chinese scopes, the RC and the ES 127 FCD 100 and I can say it is not perfect for sure, but it produces some nice images. I really like the product. I could recommend it for the intended use posted here. I doubt it would produce a good field on a full frame chip. However, as large as an APS-H, which is larger than an APS-C it does just fine. Personally I love it until such time as Roland can make my 130GTX and I can sell the ES.
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Re: Transporting Counter-Weights and Shaft
Barry Megdal
I think I was the one who posted the suggestion to use these dive weight bags. To make their use even easier, I purchased some aluminum rod of the proper diameter to slide and lock the weights onto, so they make a stable set in the bag.
- Barry
Dr. Barry Megdal
President Shb Instruments, Inc. 19215 Parthenia St. Suite A Northridge, CA 91324 (818) 773-2000 (818)773-2005 fax
Faculty (retired) Dept. of Electrical Engineering Caltech
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moderated
Improved lunar tracking speed ?
christian viladrich
Hello AP users, The apparent motion of the Moon with respect to the stars is usually approximated by 0.5 arsec/s. However this is an approximation and the true value changes from day to day (see delta alpha x cos delta (arsec/min) column in the table below). This approximation is a real pain when doing high resolution
images of the Moon with 14" telescopes or larger. By high resolution, I mean this kind of picture : This one was taken with a 500 mm RC telescope on an AP1600 GTOCP4 mount. Smallest visible craters are in the range of 350 m. Because the lunar tracking speed is approximated, we have to constantly play with the alpha slow motion to recenter the field imaged. This would be a huge improvement if we could have a tracking speed based on lunar ephemerid. Would it be possible thanks to the increased power of the processors embedded in the GTOCP 4 or CP 5 ? I admit this is a very specialized demand, very far from the classic use of equatorial mounts. Best regards Christian Viladrich http://astrosurf.com/viladrich/astro/moon/closeup/RC500/Moon-RC500.html
GTOCP4 or GTOCP5
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Re: Field Flattener
Dean S
I used this reducer with my 10” AstroTech and it did fine, but with a
4020 CCD chip. Doubt it would work well for much bigger size.
Some of my pics with it are at www.astroimagers.com/DeanS
Dean
From: Steven Panish
Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2021 11:26 AM
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Field Flattener I'm also interested. I'm
considering a GSO 10" truss RC and would need a flattener/reducer.
Steve On Tue, Dec 21, 2021 at 4:32 PM michael mccann via
groups.io
<mmccawsprojects@...> wrote:
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