Goto

[xelasnave]

My first goto mount was a Meade LXD 55 which I purchased I recall before I joined Iceinspace...and shortley after I purchased an eq6 ...I was not interested in goto ( I just wanted tracking nothing else) as I enjoyed being able to find objects just by looking at a star map going out and finding it...I did so much visual I sortta knew where everything was.. even recently I bought a heq5 and not used goto...it always seemed a slow way of doing things...however I recently bought a new eq6 and after doing a perfect polar align thought ok lets do the goto thing...so I did a one star alignment and a minor correction and everything now appears on the Sharpcap screen ..not exactly center but its there...I can see the attraction...so after not finding M74 the other night which was most strange I thought let me see if goto can get it...well yes it did..so took some snaps but have not processed but I thought there was a supernova in there...that would be funny...but the batteries have been flattened after two nights ...So I bought a new genny yesterday but I am so crook I cant lift it out of the car...
But goto is not bad I guess.
Alex

[bojan]

Yep, GoTo is very useful...especially if you are in hurry or you want to point to unfamiliar direction.. for comet for example. Or some very faint stuff...

[gb44]

Yes, Ive always thought it would be great to have even a cheapo system, put a laser on it and then even any push-to large scope could use the laser to find objects.

One goto then becomes everyones goto at a star party.

GlennB

[xelasnave]

Well talk about getting lazy..I just switch it on enter the date and time..bit time consuming..and sit down at the desk with the hand control and find and frame my target.
And no worries about moving to find a star for focus...I can get to like this.
Alex

[Startrek]

Alex


I was either adventurous or stupid imaging NGC 1365 last night in Bortle 8 Sydney ( The Great Barred Spiral Galaxy in Fornax at Magnitude 10.3 ) with my 6' f6 newt and using EQMOD and Stellarium found this dim little sucker in 2 mins from Home Position.
It only took 2 Sync stars 10 deg away and the scope slewed and centred it perfectly

My way of thinking, if I was slewing around with the hand controller trying to find this galaxy I probably would have waisted maybe 20 to 30mins of precious exposure time as last night was super clear and I need 4 hours ( 60 sec subs ) on the is target to process any sort of reasonable image
EQMOD and Stellarium is really accurate and simple to navigate with especially trying to find dim targets
Plate solving is too complicated for me, I try to keep things simple ( being a senior citizen )
I'm on it again tonight as its clear, maybe 3 hours worth



PS: Believe it or not I still use my hand controller to Polar Align. DSLR on live view in BYEOS ( 5 x zoom reticle ) I got the error down to 0.35 arc sec DEC and 0.50 arc sec RA with only 3 iterations ( about 10 mins )



Cheers
Martin

[xelasnave]

I did not even use the motors when finding objects as I would just disengage the clutches and drag the scope to where I knew the object would be...as I said I did a lot of visual where I just cruised around plus according to a test I have a brain that can read maps and visually fit things..top 2 % apparently ..great for law and real estate?...the big appeal is I can sit down even if it takes longer.
But this new roll off is just so good..the other little one was designed to be real small so no where to sit..I can fit all three mounts and scopes in the roll off so all that work on the box will be wasted..no it can't be moved or sold..maybe I will put some chooks in it.
Alex

[xelasnave]

Martin if you are still there .... I found a cable that appears to be the one I need to plug in the mount and link to the lap top...I have everything on the lap top but what I wondered was as the hand controller does not need to be removed it seems ask will it still work..I know I won't need it but it could be handy say if I am one the other side to the lap top and want to slew probably park or something.
Hopefully I just add the cable and it all works...I will go out to it later when I feel better.
Alex

[Startrek]

Alex
If want to control the mount with EQMOD and Stellarium via the USB2A to USB2B cable ( max 5m length ) then you do not need the handcontroller at all , it is removed and packed away
I can send you a step by step procedure which I sent to another member blue silver which he said worked perfectly on his AZEQ6 mount. I’ve used my EQ6-R mount over 4 nights I the past 2 weeks using my latest procedure for EQMOD and Stellarium and the accuracy of Goto is tremendous
Do you want the procedure ?

Cheers
Martin

[xelasnave]

Hi Martin
Thank you.
I have a cable that is 3m max I hope that will be ok...I can't recall why I have it here at all or if it's ok..I know I have about 6 laying around somewhere in Sydney. I still have not tried anything as I have had to stay down so far today but I would love to have your notes but let me see if what I have works before I put you to any trouble.
The reason I want to leave the hand box in place if it would not interfere is there will be times where I may use a scope with only the DSLR attached ( if battery banks are low for example) so leaving it in place would be handy if it does not cause problems...anyways when I can get around I will find out where I stand,
Alex

[Startrek]

Alex,


Attached is the procedure for telescope control using the latest Ascom supported Stellarium and EQMOD using a USB2A to USB2B cable



You can still use your hand controller with your DSLR but I would not plug it in whilst using EQMOD and Stellarium as the mount might be confused which system it takes commands from ?? So best if you use and connect one system or the other but not together


Any issues let me know but it is fairly detailed and I spent hours and hours testing it and it has worked perfectly. As long as the drivers are all ok and working and the cable is ok then it should be straight forward

Fingers crossed



Cheers
Martin

[xelasnave]

Thank you Martin those four pages are gold.
I hope I can try something tomorrow.
Alex

[Startrek]

Alex
Glad to help
Not to put the mocker on success but one tiny issue I had was to do with my Trend Micro virus protection on my laptop
Even though my Astro laptop is never connected to the internet , I still had an active virus protection which sometimes scheduled random scans. When it popped up I usually just click no or postpone or skip this scan thinking everything is ok but on 2 occasions when using EQMOD and Stellarium the scope would start slewing in the wrong direction or wouldn’t slew at all. So the long and short of it , I completely uninstalled the Trend Virus protection from my laptop and it cleared the problem immediately. Virus protection can cause havoc with multiple Astro programs
If you do have an issue with EQMOD and Stellarium, just close the programs , restart the computer and connect again , it usually clears most issues

Good luck and hope you get it up and running soon

Martin

[xelasnave]

Hi Martin
I was able to venture out to the scope and mount and plugged in my old cable..set the baud rate and I could control the mount via Ramos but not the little box in Sharpcap and I had no success in connecting to Stellarium as I was without your notes...anyways a small step forward as the cable works and my previous installations seem ok...I will have another go later or tomorrow. You would not believe it..the scope has only been set up for a week or so and already a wasp made a nest on the clamps..sadly I removed it an destroyed the potential life of a few creatures...
Alex

[Startrek]

One deceased wasp won’t destroy the species , luck you didn’t get stung they are nasty , worse than bees
Glad the cable works , that’s a start
Yes you need your procedure notes as there’s specific details you need to follow
I had some trouble last night with Stellarium and EQMOD, I had them installed as normal but PHD2 was caused EQMOD to launch a second time and then disconnected the mount. So I shut down everything , set Stellarium, EQMOD APT and PHD2 to “Run as Administrator “ in properties and it fixed the issue as I run each program up manually and sequentially. I don’t let programs launch other programs like most folk do. Hope you get it all up and running when your out next
Good luck
Martin

[xelasnave]

Well it may be a while before I go to Stella for two reasons..first the hand paddle, although had one with me for maybe 20 years ..but not used, is new and novel to me and frankly I am really enjoying using it..I can sit and it maybe be slow but I can manage that in other areas of my life so why not when moving the scope..second..my mouse has gone crazy and I have yet to find out what is the problem ...just selecting things in Sharpcap is a pain ..it will get some new batteries after shopping ..that's all I can think...anyways the thought of selecting objects on a planetarium at the moment with that mouse makes me shudder...however...last night I would get one or two decent subs then trails..so I would move the counter weight...but then the thing went the other way (in RA)..I could not get the weights correct it seemed ...so after a while I thought I will just watch and see what it is doing...well two good subs move to the East thru four bad subs, having got there two good subs then trails, four or three whilst moving to the West where it gave me two good subs then went back East...damn I have been sold a pup this is bad..oh I forgot to train this one..it seemed so good I had not bothered..big mistake young players..so trained it up and now it is doing fine...what I can't figer is why this had not shown up earlier, maybe it had cause back then I was t not checking via blow ups being preoccupied with other things I guess and probably too crook to be out there.

After about 15 minutes training , using Sharpcap blow up 50% and after a while anticipating movement as they arrived I got it pretty darn good ..seeing was the only thing that made the star wiggle...it would do two minutes unguided on M42 to produce passable subs..but not perfect..but I want better so did a few at 60 seconds and near perfect and consistent. Very happy with my pup.
Will run if for a while unguided to make sure the mount is as good as it can be..and resist all urges to pull it down for a blue print grease and inspection..maybe..then auto guide for sure...when I get my new decent USB cable.

So in bed by 4 am with maybe 40 decent but hard won subs of M74 ..this was three hours later than I wanted to go to bed cause planned fixing foam to some walls this morning..which I have done as it was just so easy...still a lot to be done but at least half complete and the West side is complete..it will be very nice in there ..better than the van...anyways buying two cheap fans on the shopping day and will look for a camp bed.
One problem moving the roof makes such a racket and I am sure the neighbours will hear it..and the cable jumps from high to low and bangs like a gun..so I have decided to cover the scope and leave it open until morning..give it an airing and morning Sun then close it..so next project is sorting cable flow and building sound proof boxes for each motor.
Going to sleep now.
Alex

[Startrek]

Alex
Hand paddle ? what mount is this ?? I thought you are using your new EQ6-R mount ?
Also I had issues with my mouse for years, works perfectly sometimes , other times I give up and use the laptop touch pad ( and it’s a cabled mouse ) I think it something to do with the Astro capture programs we use , when I open just a program like DSS or Startools the mouse never ever plays up.
Are you using your EQ6-R mount ??
Martin

[xelasnave]

Yes I am using my eq6 and it has a hand controller.
When I get a few more things sorted I will put it away.
Alex

[Startrek]

My sincere apologies I thought your reference to a “hand paddle” was an old manual controlled mount with AZ and Alt arms (when actually you mean the Synscan Hand controller)
Stupid me !

[xelasnave]

I must insist you do not use negative self talk particularly where I can see that I have been the cause. I would prefer to hear... I was under a misunderstanding which in an effort to avoid any mis communication I took the time to address and whereupon I successfully arrived at the correct conclusion thereby adopting a sensible position confirming that I am a good person.

OK I joke a little but I believe even the slightest negative self talk must be identified and driven out...I once would say ... when not finding something or even when I found it.."your memory is getting worse" and indeed my subconscious would see to it that I was right...then one day I realised that telling oneself you are bad or incompetent can't help any desired improvement...and so from that time on I would always say " your memory is certainly improving"...and I would say this after finding something missing..and of course when I found something I would remember when I left it there...so I remembered ..finally..that is a good memory I tells myself...now this sort of thing works...certainly my memory is rather fantastic these days..I find saying "you can do anything" very helpful...or " just because you are older it does not mean you can't move it"...or " heck if a factory worker put it together you certainly can fix it"...

Now this approach has been invaluable with astro photography...I find so much extremely challenging and the response is often to throw up my hands and say, for example,..."I can't understand differential geometry and general relativity and molecular biology..these being things I look at when taking a break from trying to understand goto or guiding for example..and finally with this positive attitude you keep at it and you learn a little more..like with differential geometry.."so those three pages of equations simply was how to draw a curve..got it."

Now for any one who is still with me just be careful on what you say to yourself..never be nasty or critical or defeatist.

Now my legs really don't hurt that much and they will hurt whether I lay here feeling sorry for myself or get out and do something...so get up and do something..if you can't lift it use a ramp...

Alex

[Startrek]

Alex
“Stupid me” is only a figure of speech which I sometimes use jokingly to myself
when a situation arises where I should have known better. I also use the old fashion term from my late dad “ you silly old billygoat “ when for instance Im trying to put a right hand threaded nut on a left hand threaded bolt.
But I take your point totally, we should not be negative only positive. Positive thoughts not only help ourselves it also helps others around us
Thanks for your learn’d reply
Always enjoy your comments oh and your Astrophotography
Hope you can get the laptop up and running with Stellarium and EQMOD soon , it will definitely increase your imaging capture time during precious clear nights
Cheers
Martin

[xelasnave]

Well the current plan is to rebuild a slightly old desk top by the guy who originally built it..I figure both he and me will do better financially and I feel we can build a decent unit from what I have..well it's yet another gift so I am way ahead.
Today I set up a $13 Woolworths fan on a little inverter, with its very own battery and regulated solar panel...and have been out there testing it..great..it is cooler out the than the van plus I have an air con unit to bring up..but I have been out there tidy tidy tidy doing small jobs and stacking some poor subs for fun...the good thing the inverter will switch off when the batteries go down and restart when they are charged ..so it's auto..one less thing to switch on and off..but I have lots of foam off cuts..and am thinking to build a glider, say 2 my wing span, source a rc car or something for simple controls ..I realised the tar road would give great thermals...but I could lay out some builders sheet ( black plastic here to get it up and to the road) I really want to have a go at the first person view thing...and I give you the drum..these microscopes are excellent they keep me occupied for over 45 minutes each time...learning the photography cause I can but I am not that taken with it...but I strangely care for these little creatures..I always put them back in their jar so they can live out their little lives ... and I now have four spiders all up..sadly I kill the mice only because they are so very destructive plus if you have mice you will have snakes...
The reason I am outspoken about making the best of things is that I see so many folk around me just Sortta wither up and die and the one thing they all have in common is poor attitude...always complaing and grizling about small things..how things are going downhill etc...well things are better than they ever were but they don't see it and loose the desire to live I guess...the happier you are the more good luck you have ( and gifts).
Hope you bought CBA at $60 as they are now over $80
Alex

[Wilsil]

Hi Martin, you don't even need this anymore. :-)
I am using Sharpcap 2.9 with my Canon EOS-M6 and polar align.
The hand controller has been sitting in it's box for the last 2 imaging sessions.

[Startrek]

Thanks Wil
Yeh there’s a ton of programs out there that can polar align but all of them no matter how sophisticated require a good alignment star and good atmospheric conditions to improve or tighten your error
I’m already running 8 programs on my laptop so I don’t really want another one added, in fact I quite enjoy using the ol’ hand controller for 10 minutes or so, takes me back when I first started 4 years ago and I’m consistently getting good polar alignment at my image scale
Thanks for your suggestion
Martin