On Mon, Jun 8, 2020 at 07:58 AM, Ray Gralak wrote:

Ray Gralak

Hi Ray,
It works. Thank you.
Jian Yuan Peng

This is my approach for the "case" for the counterweight bar, the saddle plate and the counterweights:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-22-in-Pro-Box-Black-226036/206291778

I grabbed some old bath and beach towels and I wrap the counterweight shaft and the saddle plate with the towels.
--
Dean Jacobsen
http://astrophoto.net/wp/ 
Image Gallery - http://astrophoto.net/wp/image-gallery/
Astrobin - https://www.astrobin.com/users/deanjacobsen/ 

Thank you so much Dean.

Just based on what I see, keeping the saddle on there will be tight.    I kind of wish the counterweight bar was hollow vs. solid, because it's so heavy I'd never put it in the case with the mount, at least not without a case-in-a-case kind of configuration. 
So in reality we'll need a few cases..   Case/some kind of container for the counterweight bar, and then something or cases for the weights.

Terri

That is an excellent image, Didier.  Congratulations on the first light!

--

Stuart
http://www.astrofoto.ca/stuartheggie/

Here it is Terri.  A pretty good fit of the original packing.  Certainly better than using the original cardboard box to transport.


--
Dean Jacobsen
http://astrophoto.net/wp/ 
Image Gallery - http://astrophoto.net/wp/image-gallery/
Astrobin - https://www.astrobin.com/users/deanjacobsen/ 

On Mon, Jun 8, 2020 at 08:03 AM, Ray Gralak wrote:

Did someone tell you there wasn't?

No, I guess this is why I included the question in my dumb question series.  ;-)

Yes, I am safe at all declinations.

Aligning flipped images is not an issue.

It is very rare that I image an object which I can follow into the west with the OTA under the tube.  That might happen once a year and I can set up that special case in the software when it is appropriate.  So I just assume that I am always going to be flipping the mount an hour past the meridian, and that is safe for all of my OTAs.
 
I was just wondering if there was some other reason that I may not be aware of that would tend to prefer one method vs. the other.
--
Dean Jacobsen
http://astrophoto.net/wp/ 
Image Gallery - http://astrophoto.net/wp/image-gallery/
Astrobin - https://www.astrobin.com/users/deanjacobsen/ 

Home is fixed to be park position 3 for the Mach 2 but the AE tab user interface and routines are shared for all the encoder mounts. Since the Mach2 is new we have been refining the procedure for Sync to the home position for "Find Home", so APCC may ( or may not) think home has been setup depending on which version of APCC is in use.

BTW, you must use APCC Pro 1.8.2.1 or later.

-Ray Gralak
Author of APCC (Astro-Physics Command Center): https://www.astro-physics.com/apcc-pro
Author of PEMPro V3: https://www.ccdware.com
Author of Astro-Physics V2 ASCOM Driver: https://www.siriusimaging.com/apdriver

On Mon, Jun 8, 2020 at 07:58 AM, Ray Gralak wrote:

If Home hasn't been setup yet, you may need to configure it, but it should be straight forward.

Does Home need to be set up with the Mach2?  I have seen the panel in the AE tab but haven't "experimented" with it yet.

I haven't had the OP's problem... at least not yet.
 
--
Dean Jacobsen
http://astrophoto.net/wp/ 
Image Gallery - http://astrophoto.net/wp/image-gallery/
Astrobin - https://www.astrobin.com/users/deanjacobsen/ 

Is there any real benefit to following the object an hour past the meridian with a proper model that incorporates
couterweight up point mapping vs. just flipping at the meridian and not using meridian limits and counterweight up
points in the map?

Did someone tell you there wasn't?

First it saves time not having to flip the mount.

Second, the images will be flipped unless you have a rotator to compensate, so you'll have an extra step in processing.

I have set up a one hour post meridian limit for all declinations. The APPM map now shows counterweight up points
west of the meridian for a mapping run.

Are you sure that is safe for all declinations? For some setups that might allow a collision at certain declinations.

-Ray Gralak
Author of APCC (Astro-Physics Command Center): https://www.astro-physics.com/apcc-pro
Author of PEMPro V3: https://www.ccdware.com
Author of Astro-Physics V2 ASCOM Driver: https://www.siriusimaging.com/apdriver

-----Original Message-----
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io [mailto:main@ap-gto.groups.io] On Behalf Of Dean Jacobsen
Sent: Monday, June 8, 2020 7:49 AM
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Dumb question about APPM

On Sat, Jun 6, 2020 at 07:42 PM, Ray Gralak wrote:


APCC and APPM can also map data points with counterweight up! Thus some parts of the sky can have a
different model depending on the pier side.

To do this you need to setup Meridian Limits, which provides a way to automatically change the mount's flip
point based on declination.

APPM will automatically map counterweight up points once you setup Meridian limits and enable "Use APCC
Meridian Limits" in APPM.

OK, more in the "dumb questions about APCC & APPM" series:

I have been exploring the Meridian Limits feature and have been studying the manual.

My usual practice has been to image about 1 hour past the meridian and then flip the mount and follow the object
down in the western sky for another 1.5 or two hours.

I have set up a one hour post meridian limit for all declinations. The APPM map now shows counterweight up points
west of the meridian for a mapping run.

Now I am wondering if all of this [setting up meridian limits and counterweight up point mapping] is necessary.

Flipping the mount and re-acquiring the target takes the same amount of time at the meridian as it does one hour
past the meridian.

Is there any real benefit to following the object an hour past the meridian with a proper model that incorporates
couterweight up point mapping vs. just flipping at the meridian and not using meridian limits and counterweight up
points in the map?

I have always followed objects across the meridian because I didn't want to take the time to manually flip the mount,
re-center,, and get guiding going while pointing at the best part of the sky.
--
Dean Jacobsen
http://astrophoto.net/wp/ <http://astrophoto.net/wp/>
Image Gallery - http://astrophoto.net/wp/image-gallery/
Astrobin - https://www.astrobin.com/users/deanjacobsen/ <https://www.astrobin.com/users/deanjacobsen/>

Jian,

Set your Longitude back to what it should be and power cycle the mount. After confirming the mount has right lat/long/time/timezone, on the AE tab click "Find Home". If Home hasn't been setup yet, you may need to configure it, but it should be straight forward.

-Ray Gralak
Author of APCC (Astro-Physics Command Center): https://www.astro-physics.com/apcc-pro
Author of PEMPro V3: https://www.ccdware.com
Author of Astro-Physics V2 ASCOM Driver: https://www.siriusimaging.com/apdriver

On Sat, Jun 6, 2020 at 07:42 PM, Ray Gralak wrote:

APCC and APPM can also map data points with counterweight up! Thus some parts of the sky can have a different model depending on the pier side.

To do this you need to setup Meridian Limits, which provides a way to automatically change the mount's flip point based on declination.

APPM will automatically map counterweight up points once you setup Meridian limits and enable "Use APCC Meridian Limits" in APPM.

OK, more in the "dumb questions about APCC & APPM" series:

I have been exploring the Meridian Limits feature and have been studying the manual.

My usual practice has been to image about 1 hour past the meridian and then flip the mount and follow the object down in the western sky for another 1.5 or two hours.

I have set up a one hour post meridian limit for all declinations.  The APPM map now shows counterweight up points west of the meridian for a mapping run.

Now I am wondering if all of this [setting up meridian limits and counterweight up point mapping] is necessary.

Flipping the mount and re-acquiring the target takes the same amount of time at the meridian as it does one hour past the meridian.

Is there any real benefit to following the object an hour past the meridian with a proper model that incorporates couterweight up point mapping vs. just flipping at the meridian and not using meridian limits and counterweight up points in the map?

I have always followed objects across the meridian because I didn't want to take the time to manually flip the mount, re-center,, and get guiding going while pointing at the best part of the sky.
--
Dean Jacobsen
http://astrophoto.net/wp/ 
Image Gallery - http://astrophoto.net/wp/image-gallery/
Astrobin - https://www.astrobin.com/users/deanjacobsen/ 

Hi Ray, 
I had tried to set up my Mach2 and configured APPC Pro for a week. I always get 15 degrees (RA 1 hour) off from the target I slew(center) in Sequence Generation Pro. 
I think it is related to the time zone and site location. I couldn't figure out what was wrong in my setup.
I have shared a folder containing all of screenshots from beginning to connect and plate solve. 
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16TUhc_jl1Ewokk_nEsEk4-ot6SQhC1qq?usp=sharing
My current temporary workaround solution is using AP V2 ASCOM Driver with offset my Longitude from W122.07 to W137.01.  
Could you please review my setup in the screenshots and how to correct more information for you to identify my issue?

AP V2 ASCOM v5.30.10
APCC Pro 1.8.2.1  (also tried 1.8.3.1)
Windows 10 Pro
My site: Latitude: 37° 25'  N Longitude: -122° 07'  W  
              UTC -7 PDT Pacific Daylight Time

Thanks,
Jian Yuan Peng

On Sun, Jun 7, 2020 at 02:59 PM, Dean Jacobsen wrote:

Just got the case and the padding from the shipping box is almost a perfect fit.  It will work great for transport.
--
Dean Jacobsen
http://astrophoto.net/wp/ 
Image Gallery - http://astrophoto.net/wp/image-gallery/

Dean, can you send a picture of your mount in the case?   Does the counterweight bar fit?     The counterweight bar on this thing is a huge piece of metal.  

Terri

Just got the case and the padding from the shipping box is almost a perfect fit.  It will work great for transport.
--
Dean Jacobsen
http://astrophoto.net/wp/ 
Image Gallery - http://astrophoto.net/wp/image-gallery/
Astrobin - https://www.astrobin.com/users/deanjacobsen/