AZ-GTI WiFi mount

[glend (Glen)]

Well i have been trying to image with this mount, but cannot get much joy. I have been using a very simple setup: the AT60ED with a Nikon D5300. Taking care to do a three star alignment, and testing using it visually before starting. Picked out a star, Antares, and centred it and left it for 15 minutes with no noticeable movement. Installed the camera, got it focused using BYNikon, and setup a run of a few 30 sec subs. The mount tripod was sitting on my observatory floor, so no vibration or flex in that floor. As soon as the first sub finished it was obvious there was a tracking problem, trailing stars. I checked the tracking settings and Sideral was running. Did three more subs, all with the same results, trailing stars. I cut back to 20 sec and it got better but not good enough. No wind to cause a problem. I am at a lost to name the problem, other than perhaps this little mount just does not have the accuracy to drive a camera without star tails.
Has anyone else tried imaging with this mount?

[JA]

Originally Posted by glend

Well i have been trying to image with this mount, but cannot get much joy. I have been using a very simple setup: the AT60ED with a Nikon D5300. Taking care to do a three star alignment, and testing using it visually before starting. Picked out a star, Antares, and centred it and left it for 15 minutes with no noticeable movement. Installed the camera, got it focused using BYNikon, and setup a run of a few 30 sec subs. The mount tripod was sitting on my observatory floor, so no vibration or flex in that floor. As soon as the first sub finished it was obvious there was a tracking problem, trailing stars. I checked the tracking settings and Sideral was running. Did three more subs, all with the same results, trailing stars. I cut back to 20 sec and it got better but not good enough. No wind to cause a problem. I am at a lost to name the problem, other than perhaps this little mount just does not have the accuracy to drive a camera without star tails.
Has anyone else tried imaging with this mount?

Maybe it's too much to expect at the focal length you're using: 60mm f/6 (360mm) with a 1.5x FOV crop is equivalent to the field of view from a 540mm focal length.

Best
JA

[JimsShed (Jim)]

This is interesting. I bought a synscan wifi thing to replace the handset on my azeq6. I tried it this week with the mount in altaz mode. Did an alignment and all okay. But from there on whenever I slewed to a target, it would track for about a minute then the object would drift. In time I realised the dec motor was stopping. You could hear it stop. If I use the app to select no tracking, then reselect sidereal tracking, it would start tracking again for another minute and so on. Glen maybe yours is stopping too. I’m pretty sure we’re using the same app here.

[glend (Glen)]

Originally Posted by JimsShed

This is interesting. I bought a synscan wifi thing to replace the handset on my azeq6. I tried it this week with the mount in altaz mode. Did an alignment and all okay. But from there on whenever I slewed to a target, it would track for about a minute then the object would drift. In time I realised the dec motor was stopping. You could hear it stop. If I use the app to select no tracking, then reselect sidereal tracking, it would start tracking again for another minute and so on. Glen maybe yours is stopping too. I’m pretty sure we’re using the same app here.

Try pressing Point and Track after your GOTO stops. There was a discussion of AltAz mode not tracking right, on CN, with a Skywatcher recommendation to push Point and Track.

[Karlzburg (Karl)]

Originally Posted by glend

Well i have been trying to image with this mount, but cannot get much joy. I have been using a very simple setup: the AT60ED with a Nikon D5300. Taking care to do a three star alignment, and testing using it visually before starting. Picked out a star, Antares, and centred it and left it for 15 minutes with no noticeable movement. Installed the camera, got it focused using BYNikon, and setup a run of a few 30 sec subs. The mount tripod was sitting on my observatory floor, so no vibration or flex in that floor. As soon as the first sub finished it was obvious there was a tracking problem, trailing stars. I checked the tracking settings and Sideral was running. Did three more subs, all with the same results, trailing stars. I cut back to 20 sec and it got better but not good enough. No wind to cause a problem. I am at a lost to name the problem, other than perhaps this little mount just does not have the accuracy to drive a camera without star tails.
Has anyone else tried imaging with this mount?

I've had the mount for a few months now and have used in both altaz and eq modes. With synscan pro you can the sidereal rate from .25 up to full sidereal, the longest I've had the camera on for is 180 sec with slight trailing. I've taken pics of Orion's nebulae and the car nebulae as well as quite a few star clusters. In altaz mode, the closer to the scp the more the stars tail even at short exposure, I'm yet to try in eq mode similar shots. A cold that wouldn't go away has kept me inside of late.
I use a 127 mak, with the weight of it plus counter weight on AA battery power will chew through the batteries. When power levels get low, the mount does some pretty weird manoeures. I've since gotten 12v power pack.
Hope that helps
Cheers
Karl

[JimsShed (Jim)]

Originally Posted by glend

Try pressing Point and Track after your GOTO stops. There was a discussion of AltAz mode not tracking right, on CN, with a Skywatcher recommendation to push Point and Track.

Thanks Glen. I've now found a thread on https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/3...er-az-gti-help. Glad to see it's not just me. I've updated with the latest firmware and tried again last night but it's still not fixed. Incredible that SW have known about this for several months now but still no proper fix. It's a waste for time slewing in Skysafari, only to have to pick up another device to press Point and Track. So for now the time wasting wifi module is in the growing box of unused things and I'm back with the trusty hand controller

[axle01 (Alan)]

Has anyone tried using a SkyFi Wireless Controller connected to the hand controller.
http://skysafariastronomy.com/skyfi-...e-control.html

Al