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Getting Started

arkenaul@...
 

Hello:


I will be a new AP Mach1GTO owner come sometime in Jan. or Feb. , and I was wondering if this group has any information or documents on getting started and setup with the mount, aside from the supplied documentation that AP provides?  If this type of support documentation exists within this group, please point me in that direction, and I thank the members of this group in advance for this help.


Thanks !


Len A. 

Christopher Erickson
 

Congratulations!
 
AP mounts come with tons of documentation (unlike all other mounts) so you probably will have more than enough information to get going.  In fact I would say to download the manuals right now and start going through them so you will be ready when your new Mach1 arrives.
 
And if you have any questions, we are here to help.
 
How do you plan to use your new mount?
 
Did you get the RAPAS or the PASILL4?
 
What OTA are you going to put on it?
 
Did you get the AP hand controller?
 
What kind of pier or tripod did you decide to go with?

Christopher Erickson
Consulting Engineer
Summit Kinetics
Waikoloa, HI 96738
www.summitkinetics.com

 


From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Sent: Saturday, November 21, 2015 7:49 AM
To: ap-gto@...
Subject: [ap-gto] Getting Started

Hello:


I will be a new AP Mach1GTO owner come sometime in Jan. or Feb. , and I was wondering if this group has any information or documents on getting started and setup with the mount, aside from the supplied documentation that AP provides?  If this type of support documentation exists within this group, please point me in that direction, and I thank the members of this group in advance for this help.


Thanks !


Len A. 

Harley Davidson
 

The download page is:

http://www.astro-physics.com/index.htm?tech_support/tech_support

Go down to the Mach1GTO section to download the PDF's.

tony

On 11/21/2015 3:53 PM, 'Christopher Erickson' christopher.k.erickson@... [ap-gto] wrote:

Congratulations!
AP mounts come with tons of documentation (unlike all other mounts) so you probably will have more than enough information to get going. In fact I would say to download the manuals right now and start going through them so you will be ready when your new Mach1 arrives.
And if you have any questions, we are here to help.
How do you plan to use your new mount?
Did you get the RAPAS or the PASILL4?
What OTA are you going to put on it?
Did you get the AP hand controller?
What kind of pier or tripod did you decide to go with?

Christopher Erickson
Consulting Engineer
Summit Kinetics
Waikoloa, HI 96738
www.summitkinetics.com


From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Sent: Saturday, November 21, 2015 7:49 AM
To: ap-gto@...
Subject: [ap-gto] Getting Started

Hello:


I will be a new AP Mach1GTO owner come sometime in Jan. or Feb., and I was wondering if this group has any information or documents on getting started and setup with the mount, aside from the supplied documentation that AP provides?If this type of support documentation existswithin this group,please point me in that direction, and I thank the members of this group in advance for this help.


Thanks !


Len A.


arkenaul@...
 

Christopher:

I will be starting with visual and working my way to imaging with a DSLR.

I have a AT 111 refractor and TMB 80 mm refractor.

I did purchase the RASPAS and the hand controller.

I also have a Losmandy HD tripod that I will be using for the mount. 

I will also check out the links that Harley posted to AP pdfs for support.

Thanks !

Len

Christopher Erickson
 

I think the Mach1 mount itself is pretty straightforward.  For me, it was the AP hand controller that took me the most time to learn.  It is so different from the Meade and Celestron hand controllers that I was already familiar with.  But now that I am comfortable with it, I find myself annoyed by Meade and Celestron hand controllers because they don't/can't do things like AP.
 
The AP main screen was a bit cryptic at first. At first I didn't know what S, B, A and T meant.  Now I know they mean Slew speed, Button speed, Autoguiding rate and Tracking rate.
 
Next step in my learning curve was how to do the basic settings.  Long, Lat, TZ, date, time, Auto-connect:YES.
 
Then came the various park positions and polar alignment routines.
 
Then came calibrations (synchronization) with the sky.   
 
Then came discovering the object catalogs and especially Tour/Common Object Names.
 
Then came learning what the "other" keys on the hand controller do. 
 
Then finally came understanding of the Mount Move Limits.
I use a Losmandy LW tripod under my Mach1, mostly because I already had one sitting around.  It works very well and is very solid however I hope to find a good enough excuse one day to get the Eagle tripod instead.  I have a Losmandy HD tripod under my AP 900 mount and it is very solid.  I just wish the Losmandy tripods were as pretty as my AP mounts!  I assume that you talked to George and got the right Losmandy-to-AP adapter coming as well.
 
You are going to love your new mount! 
 
 
Christopher Erickson
Consulting Engineer
Summit Kinetics
Waikoloa, HI 96738
www.summitkinetics.com
 


From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Sent: Saturday, November 21, 2015 7:28 PM
To: ap-gto@...
Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Getting Started

Christopher:

I will be starting with visual and working my way to imaging with a DSLR.

I have a AT 111 refractor and TMB 80 mm refractor.

I did purchase the RASPAS and the hand controller.

I also have a Losmandy HD tripod that I will be using for the mount. 

I will also check out the links that Harley posted to AP pdfs for support.

Thanks !

Len

Joe Zeglinski
 

Hi Chris,
 
    While I agree with your chronological steps of learning the AP Keypad functions,  I don’t understand your comment about having an Losmandy tripod as pretty as the AP mounts – and your longing to justify an Eagle tripod. Actually, I too concur with the last port.
Why don’t you have your Losmandy HD “powder coated white” – it would then  not look much different from the Eagle, in fact its legs would be slimmer and being welded on, likely more solid, though not as easily portable.
 
    I like my Losmandy HD tripod – in fact it now easily supports my AP-1200 with my 90+ lb OTA ... it even uses the same off-the-shelf  AP adapters to make the LT2APM and AP mounts work together, just as they were originally intended, for the AP-900.
 
Joe

Christopher Erickson
 

Living in Hawaii, I would have to send the two heavy Losmandy tripods to the mainland and back to get powder coated and that just isn't worth it for two-way air mail shipping.  I would rather put that money towards an Eagle tripod!
 
And the LW tripod wasn't very rigid the way it was originally designed.  I modified mine a lot.

Christopher Erickson
Consulting Engineer
Summit Kinetics
Waikoloa, HI 96738
www.summitkinetics.com

 


From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Sent: Sunday, November 22, 2015 4:40 AM
To: ap-gto@...
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Getting Started

Hi Chris,
 
    While I agree with your chronological steps of learning the AP Keypad functions,  I don’t understand your comment about having an Losmandy tripod as pretty as the AP mounts – and your longing to justify an Eagle tripod. Actually, I too concur with the last port.
Why don’t you have your Losmandy HD “powder coated white” – it would then  not look much different from the Eagle, in fact its legs would be slimmer and being welded on, likely more solid, though not as easily portable.
 
    I like my Losmandy HD tripod – in fact it now easily supports my AP-1200 with my 90+ lb OTA ... it even uses the same off-the-shelf  AP adapters to make the LT2APM and AP mounts work together, just as they were originally intended, for the AP-900.
 
Joe

Edd Weninger
 

Hard to imagine you couldn't find a shop to do powder coating somewhere over there.  They should also be able to match the A-P color.  Check with custom or hot-rod car shops.


Cheers,


Edd Weninger

Blackdog Observatory

Overgaard, AZ

Christopher Erickson
 

Biggest town on the island, Hilo, only has 43,000 people.
 
The Big Island is fairly rural.
 
 
Christopher Erickson
Consulting Engineer
Summit Kinetics
Waikoloa, HI 96738
www.summitkinetics.com
 


From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2015 6:25 AM
To: ap-gto@...
Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Getting Started

Hard to imagine you couldn't find a shop to do powder coating somewhere over there.  They should also be able to match the A-P color.  Check with custom or hot-rod car shops.


Cheers,


Edd Weninger

Blackdog Observatory

Overgaard, AZ

Roland Christen
 

Hilo is a University town. Lots of eggheads, not too many welders.  or painters ;^))
 
Rolando
 
 

-----Original Message-----
From: 'Christopher Erickson' christopher.k.erickson@... [ap-gto] To: ap-gto
Sent: Tue, Nov 24, 2015 5:47 pm
Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Getting Started



Biggest town on the island, Hilo, only has 43,000 people.
 
The Big Island is fairly rural.
 
 
Christopher Erickson
Consulting Engineer
Summit Kinetics
Waikoloa, HI 96738
www.summitkinetics.com
 

From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2015 6:25 AM
To: ap-gto@...
Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Getting Started

Hard to imagine you couldn't find a shop to do powder coating somewhere over there.  They should also be able to match the A-P color.  Check with custom or hot-rod car shops.

Cheers,

Edd Weninger
Blackdog Observatory
Overgaard, AZ


Herb York
 

Tell them it is a surf board

Live Long and Prosper
Herb York
www.BuyTelescopes.com



On Nov 24, 2015, at 3:56 PM, chris1011@... [ap-gto] <ap-gto@...> wrote:


Hilo is a University town. Lots of eggheads, not too many welders.  or painters ;^))
 
Rolando
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: 'Christopher Erickson' christopher.k.erickson@... [ap-gto] <ap-gto@...>
To: ap-gto <ap-gto@...>
Sent: Tue, Nov 24, 2015 5:47 pm
Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Getting Started



Biggest town on the island, Hilo, only has 43,000 people.
 
The Big Island is fairly rural.
 
 
Christopher Erickson
Consulting Engineer
Summit Kinetics
Waikoloa, HI 96738
www.summitkinetics.com
 

From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...] 
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2015 6:25 AM
To: ap-gto@...
Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Getting Started

Hard to imagine you couldn't find a shop to do powder coating somewhere over there.  They should also be able to match the A-P color.  Check with custom or hot-rod car shops.

Cheers,

Edd Weninger
Blackdog Observatory
Overgaard, AZ




Christopher Erickson
 

It's not even a university town.  The University of Hawaii-Hilo campus is a lot smaller than most mainland community college campuses.  Heck, I think the average Wal*Mart parking lot is a lot bigger than the UH-H campus.
 
 
Christopher Erickson
Consulting Engineer
Summit Kinetics
Waikoloa, HI 96738
www.summitkinetics.com
 


From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2015 1:56 PM
To: ap-gto@...
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Getting Started

Hilo is a University town. Lots of eggheads, not too many welders.  or painters ;^))
 
Rolando
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: 'Christopher Erickson' christopher.k.erickson@... [ap-gto]
To: ap-gto Sent: Tue, Nov 24, 2015 5:47 pm
Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Getting Started



Biggest town on the island, Hilo, only has 43,000 people.
 
The Big Island is fairly rural.
 
 
Christopher Erickson
Consulting Engineer
Summit Kinetics
Waikoloa, HI 96738
www.summitkinetics.com
 

From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2015 6:25 AM
To: ap-gto@...
Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Getting Started

Hard to imagine you couldn't find a shop to do powder coating somewhere over there.  They should also be able to match the A-P color.  Check with custom or hot-rod car shops.

Cheers,

Edd Weninger
Blackdog Observatory
Overgaard, AZ

Christopher Erickson
 

Who ever heard of a powder-coated surf board?
 
Surf boards are Styrofoam, fiberglass, stickers and clear epoxy resin.
 
 
Christopher Erickson
Consulting Engineer
Summit Kinetics
Waikoloa, HI 96738
www.summitkinetics.com
 


From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2015 2:03 PM
To: ap-gto@...
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Getting Started

Tell them it is a surf board

Live Long and Prosper
Herb York
www.BuyTelescopes.com



On Nov 24, 2015, at 3:56 PM, chris1011@... [ap-gto] <ap-gto@...> wrote:


Hilo is a University town. Lots of eggheads, not too many welders.  or painters ;^))
 
Rolando
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: 'Christopher Erickson' christopher.k.erickson@... [ap-gto] <ap-gto@...>
To: ap-gto <ap-gto@...>
Sent: Tue, Nov 24, 2015 5:47 pm
Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Getting Started



Biggest town on the island, Hilo, only has 43,000 people.
 
The Big Island is fairly rural.
 
 
Christopher Erickson
Consulting Engineer
Summit Kinetics
Waikoloa, HI 96738
www.summitkinetics.com
 

From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...] 
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2015 6:25 AM
To: ap-gto@...
Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Getting Started

Hard to imagine you couldn't find a shop to do powder coating somewhere over there.  They should also be able to match the A-P color.  Check with custom or hot-rod car shops.

Cheers,

Edd Weninger
Blackdog Observatory
Overgaard, AZ


Roland Christen
 

Hu boy, you've just insulted a lot of surfin' safari studies majors!
 
Rolando
 
 

-----Original Message-----
From: 'Christopher Erickson' christopher.k.erickson@... [ap-gto]
To: ap-gto <ap-gto@...>
Sent: Tue, Nov 24, 2015 6:12 pm
Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Getting Started



It's not even a university town.  The University of Hawaii-Hilo campus is a lot smaller than most mainland community college campuses.  Heck, I think the average Wal*Mart parking lot is a lot bigger than the UH-H campus.
 
 
Christopher Erickson
Consulting Engineer
Summit Kinetics
Waikoloa, HI 96738
www.summitkinetics.com
 

From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2015 1:56 PM
To: ap-gto@...
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Getting Started

Hilo is a University town. Lots of eggheads, not too many welders.  or painters ;^))
 
Rolando
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: 'Christopher Erickson' christopher.k.erickson@... [ap-gto] <ap-gto@...>
To: ap-gto <ap-gto@...>
Sent: Tue, Nov 24, 2015 5:47 pm
Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Getting Started



Biggest town on the island, Hilo, only has 43,000 people.
 
The Big Island is fairly rural.
 
 
Christopher Erickson
Consulting Engineer
Summit Kinetics
Waikoloa, HI 96738
www.summitkinetics.com
 

From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2015 6:25 AM
To: ap-gto@...
Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Getting Started

Hard to imagine you couldn't find a shop to do powder coating somewhere over there.  They should also be able to match the A-P color.  Check with custom or hot-rod car shops.

Cheers,

Edd Weninger
Blackdog Observatory
Overgaard, AZ


Christopher Erickson
 

Fortunately a lot of them probably can't read...
 
 


From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2015 2:23 PM
To: ap-gto@...
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Getting Started

Hu boy, you've just insulted a lot of surfin' safari studies majors!
 
Rolando
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: 'Christopher Erickson' christopher.k.erickson@... [ap-gto]
To: ap-gto
Sent: Tue, Nov 24, 2015 6:12 pm
Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Getting Started



It's not even a university town.  The University of Hawaii-Hilo campus is a lot smaller than most mainland community college campuses.  Heck, I think the average Wal*Mart parking lot is a lot bigger than the UH-H campus.
 
 
Christopher Erickson
Consulting Engineer
Summit Kinetics
Waikoloa, HI 96738
www.summitkinetics.com
 

From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2015 1:56 PM
To: ap-gto@...
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Getting Started

Hilo is a University town. Lots of eggheads, not too many welders.  or painters ;^))
 
Rolando
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: 'Christopher Erickson' christopher.k.erickson@... [ap-gto] <ap-gto@...>
To: ap-gto <ap-gto@...>
Sent: Tue, Nov 24, 2015 5:47 pm
Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Getting Started



Biggest town on the island, Hilo, only has 43,000 people.
 
The Big Island is fairly rural.
 
 
Christopher Erickson
Consulting Engineer
Summit Kinetics
Waikoloa, HI 96738
www.summitkinetics.com
 

From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2015 6:25 AM
To: ap-gto@...
Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Getting Started

Hard to imagine you couldn't find a shop to do powder coating somewhere over there.  They should also be able to match the A-P color.  Check with custom or hot-rod car shops.

Cheers,

Edd Weninger
Blackdog Observatory
Overgaard, AZ


Don Anderson
 

What about over in Honolulu?
 
Don Anderson

From: "'Christopher Erickson' christopher.k.erickson@... [ap-gto]"
To: ap-gto@...
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2015 5:12 PM
Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Getting Started

 
It's not even a university town.  The University of Hawaii-Hilo campus is a lot smaller than most mainland community college campuses.  Heck, I think the average Wal*Mart parking lot is a lot bigger than the UH-H campus.
 
 
Christopher Erickson
Consulting Engineer
Summit Kinetics
Waikoloa, HI 96738
www.summitkinetics.com
 



From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2015 1:56 PM
To: ap-gto@...
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Getting Started

Hilo is a University town. Lots of eggheads, not too many welders.  or painters ;^))
 
Rolando
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: 'Christopher Erickson' christopher.k.erickson@... [ap-gto]
To: ap-gto
Sent: Tue, Nov 24, 2015 5:47 pm
Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Getting Started



Biggest town on the island, Hilo, only has 43,000 people.
 
The Big Island is fairly rural.
 
 
Christopher Erickson
Consulting Engineer
Summit Kinetics
Waikoloa, HI 96738
www.summitkinetics.com
 

From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2015 6:25 AM
To: ap-gto@...
Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Getting Started

Hard to imagine you couldn't find a shop to do powder coating somewhere over there.  They should also be able to match the A-P color.  Check with custom or hot-rod car shops.

Cheers,

Edd Weninger
Blackdog Observatory
Overgaard, AZ




Christopher Erickson
 

That's a different island and it takes a commercial jet to get there and back from the Big Island.
 
And that takes us back to the "shipping is too expensive" problem again.
 
Besides powder coating a Losmandy tripod will not make it prettier.  Just make it a different flavor of ugly.
 
 
Christopher Erickson
Consulting Engineer
Summit Kinetics
Waikoloa, HI 96738
www.summitkinetics.com
 


From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2015 5:15 PM
To: ap-gto@...
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Getting Started

What about over in Honolulu?
 
Don Anderson

From: "'Christopher Erickson' christopher.k.erickson@... [ap-gto]"
To: ap-gto@...
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2015 5:12 PM
Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Getting Started

 
It's not even a university town.  The University of Hawaii-Hilo campus is a lot smaller than most mainland community college campuses.  Heck, I think the average Wal*Mart parking lot is a lot bigger than the UH-H campus.
 
 
Christopher Erickson
Consulting Engineer
Summit Kinetics
Waikoloa, HI 96738
www.summitkinetics.com
 



From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2015 1:56 PM
To: ap-gto@...
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Getting Started

Hilo is a University town. Lots of eggheads, not too many welders.  or painters ;^))
 
Rolando
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: 'Christopher Erickson' christopher.k.erickson@... [ap-gto]
To: ap-gto
Sent: Tue, Nov 24, 2015 5:47 pm
Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Getting Started



Biggest town on the island, Hilo, only has 43,000 people.
 
The Big Island is fairly rural.
 
 
Christopher Erickson
Consulting Engineer
Summit Kinetics
Waikoloa, HI 96738
www.summitkinetics.com
 

From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2015 6:25 AM
To: ap-gto@...
Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Getting Started

Hard to imagine you couldn't find a shop to do powder coating somewhere over there.  They should also be able to match the A-P color.  Check with custom or hot-rod car shops.

Cheers,

Edd Weninger
Blackdog Observatory
Overgaard, AZ




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