the doghouse Mark2 - a new beginning

[h0ughy]

i am having major issues with the Sirius maxdome 2 Dome setup after the demise of my dome pc . for those out there with the dome control setup do you have any advice? when it pointing north the numbers are vastly different when pointing south or even west? its doing my head in!!

using maxdome through POTHub and ascom setup!:question::help:

see video here (https://www.facebook.com/100008170488689/videos/2620869744862016/)

[marc4darkskies]

Having just recommissioned my obs this is reasonably fresh in my mind. Unfortunately, I have no clue what POTHub even is, but getting the dome parameters set correctly is key (of course) and I think those parameters are universal. Attached are mine (for my scope and location). It's probably of limited use to you but at least the parameters are explained. BTW, I use TheSkyX's Maxdome II controller.

NOTE:
1) “The Mount” is the point on the mount where the RA axis intersects the Declination axis
2) “The Optical Center” is the point lying on the optical axis of the telescope that is closest to “The Mount”
3) “The Dome” is the point at the center of the dome that lies on the plane of the equator (or bottom) of the dome hemisphere.
4) When measuring the values, always use the same units, (eg inches or millimeters). The type of unit is not important.

PS: Your facebook won't let me view the video.

[h0ughy]

Thanks Marc, as for the video thought it was shared? The setup uses inches so I will stick with that. It's the measure to each bit that is getting the better of me. Jonathan fixed me up with one tip, I forgot to tag GEM. But it's the north east positive measurements which is confusing. I originally spotted the center of the dome then placed my pier on that. Also because I have two scopes set I measured to the middle of them to get the ota optical axis, or is that AC completely wrong assumption to conclude?

[marc4darkskies]

That's fine (and it's what I've done), but that only means your Xm term is zero. The Ym term will always be to the south of the pier.



Correct ... you are completely wrong! :D With such a small slit opening (600mm) you can only use one scope at a time and that means you (almost certainly) have to have 2 geometries with different Xt terms - one for the main scope and one for the piggy back. I have a single 14" scope and if I had anything piggy backed it would more often than not be staring at the inside of the dome unless I used a separate geometry for it.

[h0ughy]

OK point taken

[Sunfish]

I think sometimes the GPS North is a little haywire. My Camera gps system sometimes refuses to cooperate. If you are lucky and have a physical Bearing that confirms a rough frame of reference , like a boundary fence bearing, then you can know there is something wrong. Otherwise it gets very sticky. Sure makes my head spin.

[RB]

In other words hough, "you're gonna need a bigger boat"

:lol:

[h0ughy]

No need for a boat, I am wading in it

[h0ughy]

Following sound advice from Marcus we deduced that the following figures be used to set up the computer. Will test this out later today

[AstroJunk]

I've never found that pointing was reliable with the 14", and lets face it, the margin of error is small, so I installed a forward facing 120MC with the fisheye to let me know how it was doing!

[h0ughy]

Yep that didn't work, so I think after 80mib of chatting and deep discussion Marcus is quite sure now I am an idiot without a licence to do astro. In the end we think that I have made a very basic mistake that has mucked every single thing up. So it's back to basics and retrace every single setting starting from layout.

[h0ughy]

What a very good idea

[marc4darkskies]

I don't think that. It IS funny though! :lol: Besides, silly mistakes make us wiser. And by that account I must be the wisest man on earth!! :lol: :P

Anyway, I'm hoping what we discussed fixes the problem!!

[h0ughy]

Tried solar noon today

[glend]

Looks like a great night tonight, hope you get it sorted. Good luck.

[h0ughy]

I think that it is time to remove one of the issues I have in the dome. My pier is not up to the load I have on it. It would have been happy with a g11 or an eq6 but with a Titan mount and dual scopes I was asking for too much.

I need to investigate what pier I will need to support the Titan and maybe the eq8

[h0ughy]

I am still having guiding issues of flexure when the Mount moves on the side and moves under the weight. Would there be a way just to make a bracket to support and stiffen up the Pier?

[glend]

What sort of material is that? It looks like extruded aluminium.

[h0ughy]

I think it is

[h0ughy]

It's the same as this http://piertechinc.com/telescope-piers/pier-tech-2/

[glend]

Look I am no expert but any extendible pier type structure means that one section must slide Inside the other, and likely involves a system of roller bearings as two extruded sections would likely bind.
It maybe that the bearings are not properly adjusted to provide the operational ridigity required, and any internal locking mechanism may not stop flex or slop between the two extruded sections when under load.
Seems like you might have to question the pier manufacturer about the problem, and physical limits of the pier.

[h0ughy]

The rains are here


My new pier has arrived, so happy with it.

Probably install it after Christmas. Clouds , rains, pestilence ,Noah's ark lol

[RB]

You laugh, but I start to shake when you buy things, especially in two by two

:lol:

[h0ughy]

OK the next brick in the wall, I have done the cage. It's as solid as.
The next process will be decommissioning the current setup. I can say I know I have to do it, but I can't do it. It cleared up on the weekend allowing 2 all-nighters. Typical.

Maybe I could improve the cable management :lol: For next time :question:

So this weekend is D-day :help: Crappy weather forecast but will clear as soon as I remove the pier

[multiweb]

The mother of all piers... :eyepop:

[RB]

This would’ve been a perfect mooring for the Pasha Bulker

:lol:

[multiweb]

:lol::lol::lol:

Actually it looks like a surplus part. Maybe the plug from the Titanic. That's why it sank. :question:

[RB]

:lol: :rundog:

[h0ughy]

No not quite there are some way bigger ones around

[h0ughy]

Rock shelf was good enough for the pasha,

[h0ughy]

That would be something, but no, although if it ever floods out the back again there are some options :thumbsup::lol:

[strongmanmike]

Ha ha ha...That's not a pier....that's a pier :)...

[h0ughy]

Thanks Mike, I'm just happy having one like this now, should have done it years ago

[h0ughy]

OK a tad extreme and scary so the entire East Coast should be safe now. Took a few hours and still have heaps to do. There must be a black hole as the speggettification at the core was extreme.

[h0ughy]

Next stage done, old pier gone and new one placed in. It was very heavy and I enlisted the help of my son to move it. So now need to drill two Bolt holes in the top plate to secure the MAL and the mark the holes on the concrete to drill.

I will note here that I hammered in the existing dynabolts into the concrete and the hammer bounced back when the tops were level with the surface. I am not looking forward to drilling 8 X M12 x120mm holes in this is it's 50mpa.

[h0ughy]

My universe is not centered

[h0ughy]

Getting closer

[h0ughy]

Well revisiting the scene of the crime I can see where I went wrong the first time, and the second and the third, but the fourth time should be fine :lol::help:

And for the record it's only 28 degrees and 85 percent humid, it's bloody uncomfortable, especially with the sun coming in the door

[glend]

There is a significant difference there, looking at the previous holes. Perhaps a gravitational anomaly or a magnetic personality swayed the plumb bob.

[h0ughy]

So I did an excellent job of keeping it real lol. Some tiny minor adjustments buuuut I hope that this will work. PlanB is dynabolts

[h0ughy]

So I needed a bigger boat, went and upgraded my 15 dollar ratchet set to something a little bit bigger. Then got an extension bar and a ratchet adaptor and now it's bolted down. :rockband: :rockband: :atom: :atom: :cloudy: :cheers: :jump: :party2: :work: :drink: :prey: :stargaze: :stupid:

I called in for muscle and thankfully my son nipped up the bolts.

Each Bolt has minimum 600kg holding weight X 8. That's for 20mpa, mines 50mpa. And did in 2 masonry bits drilling the holes though :question:

[h0ughy]

The only thing gravitational might be my ability to get thing's right:lol:

[h0ughy]

Mike I virtually swung off the pier this afternoon, it did not budge ,flex,groan moan or whimper with me tugging it agressively :thumbsup:. It is an amazingly beautiful object that will no doubt Hold up whatever I Will throw at it. As long as the Optics can point through the dome.
:D

[strongmanmike]

Ok, next time I'm in Newie, I'll come over and throw my own 140kg frame around it, juuust to confirm...:P

Mike

[h0ughy]

Meet Miss Marples, she will have the honour of riding atop the new setup for the first time.

She comes to me with a modicum of pedigree discovering a few supernovas. This time around she will help me become more luny.

Speaking of luny, there was a gathering of gentlemen to celebrate the occasion, they are extraordinary gentlemen. It was great to catch up with Pat, Greg and a complete host Peter. The 1600km round trip was well worth it.

[jjjnettie]

:) Will you be looking to capture Lunar impacts?
You could use the same software the BOSS lads use to blink your data.
There used to be a Pro/Am colab going on with NASA doing this.

[h0ughy]

At this stage just getting everything working is the challenge, the other stuff will come, like clear skies :lol:

[h0ughy]

Next step done, mount levelled just need to get it aligned and get all the junk on and balanced

[h0ughy]

Anyone would think that I have it done but it is a firm no. Levelling tick
Balanced Now tick
Have to redo Polar alignment and refocus the camera and off axis guider. NO TICK


THEN THERE IS THE SMALL ISSUE OF CABLE MANAGEMENT.
luckily the weather will allow me to come to some arrangement as I will have little else to achieve this week.......

[h0ughy]

OK I tried to address the cable management issue, I'm not good with management......

So on a cool rainy afternoon I did my best :help:

[h0ughy]

After near impossible guiding results I finally relented and have now pulled out the titan50 from the doghouse. It will be lovingly refurbished then put back into service.

What that means for everyone else is my sacrifice should help offset the universe :lol:

[h0ughy]

well the Titan was refurbished back in August 2021, and as everybody knows the weather has been ......... ever since. i still haven't been keen to remove the temporary setup of the eq8 gclamped to the mount and swap it over to the titan. you need clear skies to drift align. i will get it done soon......

but since then i have had spiders, dead motor battery, leakage issues near the opening and now mosquitoes in plague proportions. i need a nasa space suiot to get out there after dark, when it ever clears

[strongmanmike]

The G-Clamp is always hard to find..? Good luck Houghy, hope you get it PA'd soon and get back in to it :thumbsup:

Mike