Asking for help from an AP GTO user

[stevous67]

Hello,

I've just received an Astro-Phyics AP900GTO CP3.

Coming from the Gemini controller and others before that, it's always a new
learning curve one faces with the new menu layout, concepts behind it and the way to input information.

In advance, I have read through the various manuals a couple of times, however, it seems in one ear and out the other at the moment.

I have two sets of questions I was hoping anyone could help me answer:

1. TIME ZONE: I cannot figure this one out. I'm in Melbourne Australia, which is +10 from GMT. But I see Hawaii is listed in the examples at "10", but Hawaii is -10 isn't? What should I use for +10 GMT?


2. I see the manual input of location is quite easy for the GTO, but I wonder if a GPS can be connected directly to one of the serial ports of the GTO? If so, is there a guide somewhere on the net how to do this? Or am I limted to uploading this information from the PC? Can I use Starry Night 6 Pro for this purpose?


Thanks kindly for any help, bye now.

Steve

[DavidTrap]

Hi Steve

Congrats on the new arrival!!

Can't remember about timezones. I do recall something in the manual. I can have a look tomorrow night (would have to fire it up to check)

As for locations, I don't believe you can plug in a GPS to the mount, but you can type them in or talk to the mount via computer. I've used ASCOM and you can edit the location and time fields. I have also connected via SkyX and Astroplanner - not 100% sure on what you can edit there though. No idea about starry night. I recommend Keyspan Serial to USB adapters too.

Hope this helps - let me know if you want me to check the timezones for you.

DT

[stevous67]

Hi David,

Thanks for the reply and congrats.

That's helpful information - greatly appreciated!

If you can tell me what's in your settings for time zone number that would be great. I'll try the ASCOM software too, to see what happens, that may be the trick as it's a set once item.


Cheers!

Steve

[Rigel003]

Steve, the manual says to enter your time zone as a positive number. It knows the difference between Melbourne and Hawaii because you've also entered longitude.There is a 3rd party GPS unit compatible with the AP GTO mounts here http://www.stargps.ca/
I've never seen the need though. You can enter up to 9 observing locations into the keypad and once set, they never need to be entered again.

[DavidTrap]

That's what I was thinking about from the manual.

DT

[stevous67]

Hi Rigel and David,

Thanks for the advice, it makes sense.

I also followed Davids suggestion and used Pulseguide, and that allowed me to confirm my settings.

Thanks a lot for the advice.

Cheers

Steve