My EQ8 is still not here despite the tracking showing it's been " On Board for Delivery" in the Brisbane Depot since last Friday afternoon. StarTrack are you out there? Is anyone home? I'm 45 nautical miles from Brisbane International Airport. This is not remote.
Peter
They have trouble finding Toowong and that's walking distance from the CBD
High power supply ratings are probably less important than the size of the cable feeding the power. Ohms law is very unforgiving at low voltages and high currents, fractions of an ohm of resistance in your leads equate to serious voltage drops with any significant current. A current draw of 12 amps with 0.1 ohm of resistance in your feed cable (and associated connectors) equates to 1.2 volts drop, .2 ohm and your down by 2.4 volts.
Come on boys and girls, this thread is a little slow, you've got at least 988 pages to go before you reach the 1000 mark, afterall this is the mount to beat all mounts
Trouble is, it is and it does. And when faced with near perfection at a fraction of the price, one just tries to be gracious...
High power supply ratings are probably less important than the size of the cable feeding the power. Ohms law is very unforgiving at low voltages and high currents, fractions of an ohm of resistance in your leads equate to serious voltage drops with any significant current. A current draw of 12 amps with 0.1 ohm of resistance in your feed cable (and associated connectors) equates to 1.2 volts drop, .2 ohm and your down by 2.4 volts.
That may have been my problem Phil. I have a dc distribution box and am using rca connectors for the 12v. The mount may have been plugged into a bad socket, the box is several years old now. I notice the manual quotes voltages for when the red light flashes and a computer psu supplies 12v not 13.5v like a power adapter.
Well my EQ8 did arrive a couple of days ago, unfortunately a little in advance of my 152mm refractor arriving from the UK and my little Meade only has a Vixen rail so I can't yet mate it with a scope, but that hasn't stopped me trying it out.
As far as I can tell it looks as though the mount is doing everything it is supposed to do - pointing accuracy looks right - I can hardly comment on the accuracy without a scope, but it goers where it is supposed to go and it homes etc.
The only odd thing though is that it makes an unexpected noise, often more than once part way through the slewing. It is difficult to explain so I did a poor video and put it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4aIf7vUh08 - obviously no scope and I didn't put the counterweight shaft on either, but somehow I doubt that is the issue. In fact, there may be no issue, but I have been able to see one other EQ8 and it didn't make this noise.
So, anyone know what might be causing it and if it something to worry about?
Mine was flashing the other night but it didn't beep. Maybe because I was in pc-direct and it's his handset that's beeping?
I had a look at pointing without a model the other night. I used to own a tak mount and it could go from a SE sync to a NW star and put it bang center. My eq6 would sometimes get lost after a flip, it was hopeless. This one came close. The star was outside the cameras FOV, and an 11000 sensor has a huge FOV, but a pinpoint and sync showed it was really close. It solved instantly and I was on target straight away with no model.
Had a look at the new EQ8 today at BTOW (WA) and at $4,300, the price is great for such a beefy mount.
But, and isn't there always a but, it will be interesting to work out how to fit this to a permanent pier, given the use of the bevel gears arrangement that tightens it onto the tripod head. Although, it may just be easier to fit this existing pier into a floor mount collar instead. I certainly don't want tripod legs inside my dome. I have been holding off on building a permanent pier until I finalise what mount I will get.
Also, it is a little confusing regarding this mount, as there appears to be a pro version, which is shown as the "CGE Pro Mount" (that has the new 20" Astrograph fitted to it), in the latest catalogue, which I saw today at BTOW. Although the mount looks similar, there appears to be some major differences.
Had a look at the new EQ8 today at BTOW (WA) and at $4,300, the price is great for such a beefy mount.
But, and isn't there always a but, it will be interesting to work out how to fit this to a permanent pier, given the use of the bevel gears arrangement that tightens it onto the tripod head. Although, it may just be easier to fit this existing pier into a floor mount collar instead. I certainly don't want tripod legs inside my dome. I have been holding off on building a permanent pier until I finalise what mount I will get.
Also, it is a little confusing regarding this mount, as there appears to be a pro version, which is shown as the "CGE Pro Mount" (that has the new 20" Astrograph fitted to it), in the latest catalogue, which I saw today at BTOW. Although the mount looks similar, there appears to be some major differences.
It could be roughly the same mount, that has been refined and perhaps built using better materials.
It might account for the long delays to the launch of the EQ8, due to also working on a CGE Pro version of the mount, which may be sharing technology with the EQ8.
It would make sense to share some design components to save on costs, since they are both owned by the same company.
There were rumours of the eariier "EQ7" design being shelved and the EQ8 being "rushed" out in its place, re-using much of the CGE Pro (which is also a Synta product). But perhaps they were just rumours ...
Celestron catalogue. I know Celestron and Skywatcher are supposedly different companies, however, the company that produces these brands is Synta Optical Technology, who own several other brands as well.
But, and isn't there always a but, it will be interesting to work out how to fit this to a permanent pier, given the use of the bevel gears arrangement that tightens it onto the tripod head. Although, it may just be easier to fit this existing pier into a floor mount collar instead. I certainly don't want tripod legs inside my dome. I have been holding off on building a permanent pier until I finalise what mount I will get.
Its a pretty easy pier fit due to the flat base. The manual has the fixing dimentions in it if you plan (like me) to get someone to build it for you. It seems reasonable too to create a collar for the existing pier - I'm beginning to like that idea now you've mentioned it
There were rumours of the eariier "EQ7" design being shelved and the EQ8 being "rushed" out in its place, re-using much of the CGE Pro (which is also a Synta product). But perhaps they were just rumours ...
If the EQ8 was rushed, I'd hate to see how long it would take them to put something together if they took their time
There were rumours of the eariier "EQ7" design being shelved and the EQ8 being "rushed" out in its place, re-using much of the CGE Pro (which is also a Synta product). But perhaps they were just rumours ...
Probably just rumours, as I have heard a couple of differing stories. From what I know, the story appears to be a little more complicated, apparently? I think we will never truly know what the story is, as Synta are not overly forthcoming about such matters. It matters not anyway, as the EQ8 is here now.
Price wise, at $4,300 (BTOW's price) it appears to be great value. I expect that the CGE Pro is probably quite expensive in comparison. Mind you, the old CGE Pro price was such that I would never have considered it anyway, as the price of the Paramount was much more attractive, given the differences. But, that will all change now that our dollar is heading south, as some analysts are predicting it will hit 80 cents, or lower, by years end. Great for exporters, but not so great for those wanting astro gear, never mind the extra costs for fuel to get to your favourite dark sky site. Just hope it doesn't dive to its previous low levels of 47 cents.
I am just glad I bought my US dollars for my upcoming trip to the US in July/August, as I got an actual exchange rate of 101.8. I bought enough to to pay for the trip and to buy some gear whilst there, so I was lucky I bought it when I did, literally the day before it began to take a dive below parity. The highlight of the trip will be my attending the Stellafane Telescope Makers Conference in August; something I have wanted to do for years and thought with the dollar where it was, it was this year or never.
Its a pretty easy pier fit due to the flat base. The manual has the fixing dimentions in it if you plan (like me) to get someone to build it for you. It seems reasonable too to create a collar for the existing pier - I'm beginning to like that idea now you've mentioned it
That's good to know, thanks. I will be making it myself anyway, as I already have the material, scrounged from a scrap yard for next to nothing. I also have the skills, as a machinist, to make it myself, although I do need to gain access a lathe though.
I am using hydraulic cylinder tube, as it has a nice thick wall, although, I did note that the EQ8 pier has a thick wall anyway.
Ok, I haven't been able to get hold of a 9pin female to make an adapter for my Shoestring usb eq6 eq-dir device so I opened the 9pin plug and tack soldered my rj connector and tail to it.
It works. I connected to the mount using the usb eq-dir device without the handset.
I'm guessing the shoestring eq5 eq-dir device is the one to use on an eq8.
Not sure why my 3.3v bluetooth didn't work but this does.
Quote from skywatcher:
Quote:
The motor controller on the AZ-EQ6 and the EQ8 are using 3.3V logic, and in the future, all our new motor controller will use 3.3V logic, too. But we have made sure that the communication interface is +5V tolerant and the new motor controllers will be compatible with the old SynScan hand control. The EQMOD user should make sure that their adapter can receive 3.3V serial input signal reliably.