Lack of a built-in ethernet interface should not constrain your search for a new laptop. You can still connect to a CP4/CP5 wirelessly or over USB. If you wish to continue using hardwire ethernet on a

#Mach2GTO

Ah. Since you're imaging, you can use any number of software-assisted polar alignment methods, so the RAPAS isn't really a needed upgrade then. Yeah I would just do the maintenance items and you'll pr

#Keypad

This advice isn't universal since there are 2 generations of keypads. The older model keypad with less memory does indeed take an off-the-shelf CR1632. The newer-generation keypad with more memory req

#Keypad

First, some maintenance items: * New keypad battery, $25 or so. Must order over the phone from Astro-Physics because which battery you need depends on your keypad serial number. The one in your keypad

#Keypad

I had a rash of clear nights with passable seeing the past week, so I managed to get 32 hours of data on the Soul Nebula 130GTX, Mach1, QHY600. https://www.astrobin.com/full/x6124n/0/

Thank you for all of the appreciation, everyone :) It's encouraging after a long break and means a lot. /dale

After a summer of little time for astrophotography and my main imaging rig undergoing a near total reconfiguration to accommodate a QHY600, I finally was able to get a few sessions in over the month o

The auto-dew feature on the UPBv2 is a bit ham-fisted at the moment, but it will get some improvements according to Evan of Pegasus. I was also contemplating a Dew Buster as well before getting this,

Yep, I did the switch. The FocusBoss controller, as nice as it is, is no longer used. The UPBv2 drives the HSM35 motor now using a cable I made based on the pinouts provided by Pegasus. It works like

When I decided to go for the UPBv2, the one thing I was ultra hesitant about was using its built-in stepper motor controller to drive the Starlight/Optec HSM35 motor instead of the rather substantial

I use a 14" Losmandy D plate on top of the rings, mounted inverted (keystone up), on top of my 130GTX. I did the same thing as you plan to - powerpole and USB hub, dew controller, a homemake temperhum

I think for the typical backyard observatory, it's going to come down to local soil type, local soil hydraulic nature, and weather more than earthquakes and faults. Even if the footer extends below th

I'll take "Why Microsoft-inspired versioning habits are terrible" for $200, Alex. ;) /dale

#APCC #ASCOM_V2_Driver

Indeed, such software exists in the form of ASCOMPAD from the EQMOD project: http://eq-mod.sourceforge.net/apindex.html /dale

As another data point in this vein, we set NINA to poll drivers every 2 seconds by default. We found that some older hardware and/or their drivers have a tough time dealing with more frequent polling;

#APCC

Great, glad it works for you. If you didn't have an internet connection, I have a small and easy Arduino-based electronics project and ASCOM driver that can add an air pressure sensor to any setup. /d

#Mach2GTO #APCC

I would use weather service sources for barometric pressure if it was not available on-site. Barometric pressure is going to be largely consistent across a wide geographic area. You can use the ASCOM

#Mach2GTO #APCC

Yes, plenty of reasons. For one you could be correcting for backlash that does not exist on your Mach2. If you are using PHD2, just make a n hardware profile for the Mach2 using the profile wizard and

Yes, that's what it means. Han has prepared a few databases for use, with the G17 one fitting most needs down to a 20 armin FoVs. If you FoV is smaller than that, he says the G18 database will be need

#APCC

Honestly the virtual cameras like this are useful; I use them all the time. Han even makes one himself and he uses it for testing ASTAP: https://sourceforge.net/projects/sky-simulator/ It can use DSS

#APCC