Date
1 - 20 of 23
AP600 vs Mach 1
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Bill Long
Looking around the used market and had a question. The Mach 1 is rated at 65lbs capacity and the 600E at 30 lbs. Other than likely price differences, is there any advantage to the 600E? Weight of each is negligible.
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Roland Christen
The 600E can hold more than 30lb.
Roland
-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Long <bill@...> To: AP-GTO Groups.io <ap-gto@groups.io> Sent: Fri, Mar 18, 2022 7:10 pm Subject: [ap-gto] AP600 vs Mach 1 Looking around the used market and had a question. The Mach 1 is rated at 65lbs capacity and the 600E at 30 lbs. Other than likely price differences, is there any advantage to the 600E? Weight of each is negligible.
-- Roland Christen Astro-Physics |
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Bill Long
Thanks looks like it was a non GOTO version.
The AP400GTO is listed at 18lbs capacity. What I'm hunting for is something very portable that will perform great imaging with the Stowaway, GTX, or my e160ED.
Is there some room in that 18lbs? 🤔
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> on behalf of Roland Christen via groups.io <chris1011@...>
Sent: Friday, March 18, 2022 5:15 PM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> Subject: Re: [ap-gto] AP600 vs Mach 1 The 600E can hold more than 30lb.
Roland
-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Long <bill@...> To: AP-GTO Groups.io <ap-gto@groups.io> Sent: Fri, Mar 18, 2022 7:10 pm Subject: [ap-gto] AP600 vs Mach 1 Looking around the used market and had a question. The Mach 1 is rated at 65lbs capacity and the 600E at 30 lbs. Other than likely price differences, is there any advantage to the 600E? Weight of each is negligible.
-- Roland Christen Astro-Physics |
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Peter Nagy
Are you trying to win "the person who dies with the most toys win" contest? 😀
Peter |
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Bill Long
That is a side goal. 😉
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> on behalf of Peter Nagy <topboxman@...>
Sent: Friday, March 18, 2022 7:42 PM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> Subject: Re: [ap-gto] AP600 vs Mach 1 Are you trying to win "the person who dies with the most toys win" contest? 😀
Peter |
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Peter Nagy
Good plan 👍
Peter |
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I thought that was gonna be me. Or at least Roland thinks so... On Fri, Mar 18, 2022, 7:57 PM Peter Nagy <topboxman@...> wrote: Good plan 👍 |
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Scott Cooke
This is what company 7 says about AP400 capacity, having had a 130GTX and an AP400, it would handle it no problem. I don't know where the 18lb figure came from. It is a stout little mount. FEATURES
On Fri, Mar 18, 2022 at 10:57 PM Peter Nagy <topboxman@...> wrote: Good plan 👍 |
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Bill Long
Thanks Scott. You definitely should sell it to me then.
🙂 I think this is a perfect solution for what I am looking for.
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> on behalf of Scott Cooke <TSCOOKE64@...>
Sent: Friday, March 18, 2022 8:41 PM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> Subject: Re: [ap-gto] AP600 vs Mach 1 This is what company 7 says about AP400 capacity, having had a 130GTX and an AP400, it would handle it no problem. I don't know where the 18lb figure came from. It is a stout little mount.
FEATURES
On Fri, Mar 18, 2022 at 10:57 PM Peter Nagy <topboxman@...> wrote:
Good plan 👍 |
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Scott Cooke
I might just sell it to you but I have to figure out if it is better guiding than my iOptron40EC first. I think 1000 second subs at .25-.33 rms are pretty good. On Fri, Mar 18, 2022 at 11:44 PM Bill Long <bill@...> wrote:
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Scott Cooke
I have to admit, I really want the AP400 to be better. It is so much better craftsmanship. On Sat, Mar 19, 2022 at 12:13 AM Scott Cooke <tscooke64@...> wrote:
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Roland Christen
I have seen people put 8" Newtonians on the 400 mount. However, these are yesteryear mounts without the sophistication of today's software. Kind of bare bones tracking in their stepper drives.
Here's a recent discussion on CN: https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/814167-what-is-ap400-worth/page-2#entry11783107
Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Long <bill@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> Sent: Fri, Mar 18, 2022 7:33 pm Subject: Re: [ap-gto] AP600 vs Mach 1 Thanks looks like it was a non GOTO version.
The AP400GTO is listed at 18lbs capacity. What I'm hunting for is something very portable that will perform great imaging with the Stowaway, GTX, or my e160ED.
Is there some room in that 18lbs? 🤔
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> on behalf of Roland Christen via groups.io <chris1011@...>
Sent: Friday, March 18, 2022 5:15 PM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> Subject: Re: [ap-gto] AP600 vs Mach 1 The 600E can hold more than 30lb.
Roland
-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Long <bill@...> To: AP-GTO Groups.io <ap-gto@groups.io> Sent: Fri, Mar 18, 2022 7:10 pm Subject: [ap-gto] AP600 vs Mach 1 Looking around the used market and had a question. The Mach 1 is rated at 65lbs capacity and the 600E at 30 lbs. Other than likely price differences, is there any advantage to the 600E? Weight of each is negligible.
-- Roland Christen Astro-Physics -- Roland Christen Astro-Physics |
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Roland Christen
Chris, I have no doubt that you will win that race!
 Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: Christopher Erickson <christopher.k.erickson@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Fri, Mar 18, 2022 10:36 pm Subject: Re: [ap-gto] AP600 vs Mach 1 I thought that was gonna be me. Or at least Roland thinks so...
On Fri, Mar 18, 2022, 7:57 PM Peter Nagy <topboxman@...> wrote:
Good plan 👍 -- Roland Christen Astro-Physics |
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Bill Long
Fair enough. My other option is to pray for the rebirth of the AP400 with the encoder on it 😀
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> on behalf of Roland Christen via groups.io <chris1011@...>
Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2022 9:38 AM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> Subject: Re: [ap-gto] AP600 vs Mach 1 I have seen people put 8" Newtonians on the 400 mount. However, these are yesteryear mounts without the sophistication of today's software. Kind of bare bones tracking in their stepper drives.
Here's a recent discussion on CN: https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/814167-what-is-ap400-worth/page-2#entry11783107
Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Long <bill@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> Sent: Fri, Mar 18, 2022 7:33 pm Subject: Re: [ap-gto] AP600 vs Mach 1 Thanks looks like it was a non GOTO version.
The AP400GTO is listed at 18lbs capacity. What I'm hunting for is something very portable that will perform great imaging with the Stowaway, GTX, or my e160ED.
Is there some room in that 18lbs? 🤔
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> on behalf of Roland Christen via groups.io <chris1011@...>
Sent: Friday, March 18, 2022 5:15 PM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> Subject: Re: [ap-gto] AP600 vs Mach 1 The 600E can hold more than 30lb.
Roland
-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Long <bill@...> To: AP-GTO Groups.io <ap-gto@groups.io> Sent: Fri, Mar 18, 2022 7:10 pm Subject: [ap-gto] AP600 vs Mach 1 Looking around the used market and had a question. The Mach 1 is rated at 65lbs capacity and the 600E at 30 lbs. Other than likely price differences, is there any advantage to the 600E? Weight of each is negligible.
-- Roland Christen Astro-Physics -- Roland Christen Astro-Physics |
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weems@...
I’m the one who picked up the 600E QMD that I think was the source of this thread. (My third AP mount.) It will be carrying a 6”f9 scope (not my AP) that weighs about 35 lbs. It looks like new, and is on the original AP hardwood tripod. I’ll report on how it does with that load once I get it out under the stars, with the feet firmly planted. Chip |
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I've owned an AP600E GTO mount upgraded to CP3 for around 10 years and used it exclusively for close to 4 years as one of my first mounts. I still have this mount.
I have used this mount to carry an AP130 starfire and also an 8" RC. I believe it could easily handle much more. I only used the mount guided. The only issue I saw with this mount was a bit of stiction in the DEC axis. This is a very simple issue to fix -- just guide DEC in one direction only. It is pretty easy to figure out which direction the drift is in. Within its limits it appeared to perform about equal to a mach1 that my friend was using. The mach1 seems more robust and can carry a larger payload. The AP900 was a definite upgrade for me as I also started using a 12" telescope for imaging. |
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thefamily90 Phillips
I have two AP 600 Goto mounts I use with a CP2 controller and modern keypad. I use them with my AP 155 F/7 and LZOS 130 F/9.2 and have experienced no problems at all.
JimP
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> on behalf of Ram <ramviswanathan@...>
Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2022 12:41:03 AM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> Subject: Re: [ap-gto] AP600 vs Mach 1 I've owned an AP600E GTO mount upgraded to CP3 for around 10 years and used it exclusively for close to 4 years as one of my first mounts. I still have this mount.
I have used this mount to carry an AP130 starfire and also an 8" RC. I believe it could easily handle much more. I only used the mount guided. The only issue I saw with this mount was a bit of stiction in the DEC axis. This is a very simple issue to fix -- just guide DEC in one direction only. It is pretty easy to figure out which direction the drift is in. Within its limits it appeared to perform about equal to a mach1 that my friend was using. The mach1 seems more robust and can carry a larger payload. The AP900 was a definite upgrade for me as I also started using a 12" telescope for imaging. |
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Howard Ritter
I have a 600E (I think an early version, with no special capabilities) carrying a 155EDT. Can any upgrades be made to it, internally or in the hand controller? I may have asked George this earlier, in reference to internal mods, but this thread has made me wonder whether anything else might be done. My suspicion is that the answer is No, if it’s not a GTO mount.
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—howard
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weems@...
I ran some tests on terrestrial objects today. With the tripod feet firmly in the ground, and everything tight, the 35lb 6”f9 OTA, when rapped firmly on the focuser, showed about a 0.8 arcminute vibration that dampened in 3.5 seconds. The flexure seems to mostly be in the hardwood tripod.
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Jeff B
Which is where most vibration comes from with portable instruments in my experience. Now I believe that a robust rap test (or as in my job the "ping test") is a very severe test. I've found I can get just about any scope/mount combination to ring if I hit it hard enough. For example, if I gave the diagonal of my TEC200ED/AP1200 system a good thump with my index finger, while watching the image at high power, the image would indeed go through about a half second of a well damped vibration. However, a lower level touch or mpulse would result in no movement of the image. The system had a high quality "Q", meaning it takes a certain amount of input to get its attention. So from a practical point of view, for me, the better test is the ease of manual focusing at high power. That involves me actually touching the focuser, providing a relatively continuous low level series of inputs or impulses to the system. I've found if a system is easy to focus at high power, it also has rather decent wind tolerance. I've also found that in general, spring loaded worms can display a bit more of a tendency for vibration when focusing compared with some drives that are not spring loaded (however, those can vibrate as well from a bit too much backlash). Jeff On Thu, Mar 31, 2022 at 12:56 AM <weems@...> wrote:
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