#241  
Old 18-06-2013, 05:41 PM
RickS's Avatar
RickS (Rick)
PI cult recruiter

RickS is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 10,584
Quote:
Originally Posted by pmrid View Post
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
Reply With Quote
  #242  
Old 18-06-2013, 06:48 PM
acropolite's Avatar
acropolite (Phil)
Registered User

acropolite is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Launceston Tasmania
Posts: 9,019
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.
Reply With Quote
  #243  
Old 18-06-2013, 06:52 PM
AstroJunk's Avatar
AstroJunk (Jonathan)
Shadow Chaser

AstroJunk is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Moonee Beach
Posts: 1,909
Quote:
Originally Posted by UniPol View Post
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...
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (eq8selfie.JPG)
136.3 KB306 views
Reply With Quote
  #244  
Old 18-06-2013, 07:23 PM
h0ughy's Avatar
h0ughy (David)
Moderator

h0ughy is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: NEWCASTLE NSW Australia
Posts: 33,156
Quote:
Originally Posted by AstroJunk View Post
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...
i can see you are unhappy there
Reply With Quote
  #245  
Old 18-06-2013, 07:30 PM
Tandum's Avatar
Tandum (Robin)
Registered User

Tandum is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Wynnum West, Brisbane.
Posts: 4,161
Quote:
Originally Posted by acropolite View Post
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.
Reply With Quote
  #246  
Old 18-06-2013, 10:10 PM
OneCosmos's Avatar
OneCosmos (Chris)
Registered User

OneCosmos is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 537
Funny EQ8 noise

Hi folks,

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?

Chris
Reply With Quote
  #247  
Old 18-06-2013, 10:26 PM
AstroJunk's Avatar
AstroJunk (Jonathan)
Shadow Chaser

AstroJunk is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Moonee Beach
Posts: 1,909
Was your power light flashing?
Reply With Quote
  #248  
Old 18-06-2013, 10:38 PM
Tandum's Avatar
Tandum (Robin)
Registered User

Tandum is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Wynnum West, Brisbane.
Posts: 4,161
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.
Reply With Quote
  #249  
Old 18-06-2013, 11:52 PM
Stardrifter_WA
Life is looking up!

Stardrifter_WA is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,017
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.

A photo of the new rig is shown at http://www.automation-drive.com/c20-astrograph
Reply With Quote
  #250  
Old 19-06-2013, 05:54 AM
OneCosmos's Avatar
OneCosmos (Chris)
Registered User

OneCosmos is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 537
Quote:
Originally Posted by AstroJunk View Post
Was your power light flashing?
Nope
Reply With Quote
  #251  
Old 19-06-2013, 09:39 AM
rob288 (Robert)
Registered User

rob288 is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 24
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stardrifter_WA View Post
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.

A photo of the new rig is shown at http://www.automation-drive.com/c20-astrograph
Stardrifter,

Was that a skywatcher or celestron catalogue?

Regards

Robert
Reply With Quote
  #252  
Old 19-06-2013, 04:14 PM
ribuck (Richard)
Registered User

ribuck is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Newcastle, UK
Posts: 33
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.

Rich.
Reply With Quote
  #253  
Old 19-06-2013, 04:17 PM
Astro_Bot's Avatar
Astro_Bot
Registered User

Astro_Bot is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 1,605
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 ...
Reply With Quote
  #254  
Old 19-06-2013, 04:43 PM
Merlin66's Avatar
Merlin66 (Ken)
Registered User

Merlin66 is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Junortoun Vic
Posts: 8,904
Hello....
The CGEPro looks nothing like the EQ8
http://www.celestron.com/astronomy/c...pro-mount.html

What am I missing - "Yeah, but it sounds like a Golf..."
Reply With Quote
  #255  
Old 19-06-2013, 06:53 PM
Stardrifter_WA
Life is looking up!

Stardrifter_WA is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,017
Quote:
Originally Posted by rob288 View Post
Stardrifter,

Was that a skywatcher or celestron catalogue?

Regards

Robert
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.

Cheers Peter
Reply With Quote
  #256  
Old 19-06-2013, 07:16 PM
AstroJunk's Avatar
AstroJunk (Jonathan)
Shadow Chaser

AstroJunk is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Moonee Beach
Posts: 1,909
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stardrifter_WA View Post
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
Reply With Quote
  #257  
Old 19-06-2013, 07:18 PM
AstroJunk's Avatar
AstroJunk (Jonathan)
Shadow Chaser

AstroJunk is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Moonee Beach
Posts: 1,909
Quote:
Originally Posted by Astro_Bot View Post
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
Reply With Quote
  #258  
Old 19-06-2013, 07:21 PM
Stardrifter_WA
Life is looking up!

Stardrifter_WA is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,017
Quote:
Originally Posted by Astro_Bot View Post
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.

Cheers Peter
Reply With Quote
  #259  
Old 19-06-2013, 07:30 PM
Stardrifter_WA
Life is looking up!

Stardrifter_WA is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,017
Quote:
Originally Posted by AstroJunk View Post
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.

Cheers Peter
Reply With Quote
  #260  
Old 20-06-2013, 08:39 AM
Tandum's Avatar
Tandum (Robin)
Registered User

Tandum is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Wynnum West, Brisbane.
Posts: 4,161
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.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +10. The time is now 02:15 AM.

Powered by vBulletin Version 3.8.7 | Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Advertisement
Bintel
Advertisement
Testar
Advertisement