ServoCat JR Tracking

[icytailmark]

hi i was thinking about putting a ServoCat JR on my 12" SW DOB sometime next year. Im getting really sick of looking at the moon or a planet at high power and it moves out of view so fast to enjoy the view.

Could someone please tell me where in Sydney or in Australia can i buy a ServoCat JR?

[gb_astro]

Hi Mark.

Peter Read of SDM in Victoria sells them.

http://www.sdmtelescopes.com.au/

The ServCat is just a drive and is pretty useless without DSCs like Argo Navis.
You are looking at spending a lot more money than your scope is worth.

gb.

[tnott]

I ordered mine direct. There was a 6 week waiting list, they need Argo as well and are expensive. But they work really well you get good service.

The system is designed primarily for premium plywood truss dobs but there is also a 16" lightbridge version. I would contact them and make sure there is one that suits your scope. Last I heard there wasn't.

I adapted a Junior unit for my 16" ultralight scope but it took time, careful thought, modification and custom components.

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/63-486-0-0-1-0.html

I now have the same unit on my new 22" scope and it works great. This install was much simpler since I accommodated it into the original design process.

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=41554

[netwolf]

An alternative to Servocat
http://www.siderealtechnology.com/
Also now has a ASCOM driver that can full provide goto from a laptop. You can also use it with the Argo Navis.

[tnott]

Looked into this too - it is sort of an extension of the Mel Bartels system.

It is more of an ATM "project" to get working, the system has very large gearboxes that would be difficult to fit on a smaller scope and there is no hardware to drive each axis. You would need to work out a method of "driving" each axis. Often timing belts and pulleys are used. It has been successfully fitted on many larger scopes though.
http://www.siderealtechnology.com/28inch/ (prototype)
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1124
http://www.equatorialplatforms.com/spica.eyes.slipstream.html
http://stellafane.org/convention/2009/2009-scopes.html (the 28" about 1/2 way down)

The Servocat is more of a complete "bolt on" kit.

[netwolf]

Yes the Servocat has a nice bolt on system that is a good benfiit of it. However you can get similar things for the Sitech if you go to http://gototelescopes.com/ they are a reseller and also sell bolt on kits for various scopes. For dobs they have the Evolution system
http://gototelescopes.com/evolservo.html


The new updated manuals that Chuck Shaw has put together have some pictures of more scopes this system has been used with.
http://www.sitechservo.info/controller-manual

You could save some money by DIYing and getting motors of ebay etc.

Another option maybe to see if you can get the Goto setup sold with newer dobs as an upgrade kit. I think there was a thread here discussing the goto Skywatcher( or could be GSO) dobs.'

also if you only want tracking without goto then the JMI slew and track maybe an option.