DSC for GSO dob.

[Darkplague]

Hi,

I was wondering wether anybody has put Digital Setting Circles on their GSO dobs and if so, what brand did they use?

Can anyone suggest a retailer that sells them or should I look on Astromart and such? There doesnt seem to be much onfo on this topic anywhere.

Regards,

Mark

[togo54]

Mark
If you haven't already done so, check this url:
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/index.php?id=16,181,0,0,1,0&hashID=1fb83e12c7836c86bfc794340c53 78cf

[Starkler]

A few of us also have the ArgoNavis dsc. It costs about 1k to set up.

http://www.wildcard-innovations.com.au/

[Darkplague]

Thks for the links fellas! $1000!!! omg, I didnt know it would cost so much, but that would be for the top of the line ANavis unit. If I bought a comuter from Astromart, then just sourced some encoders and cabling from somewhere.

If it ends up being too costly, then I will use my own personal Setting circles which end up costing nothing, just time. You would be amazed how much the brain can remeber if you study some charts long enough :)

[Starkler]

There are some cheaper options, but its going to cost 400-500 min whichever way you go.

If your big into dso viewing, its well worth the investment in terms what you can get out of your scope . Like many others have said , fitting dsc has been their best single investment made.

[iceman]

Like Geoff says, it can be cheaper.. my whole setup cost $300 second hand.. but it's sky commander, not argo.

I'm contemplating replacing my SC with an Argo unit, just because it's the best out there and it's tour functions are awesome.

DSCs are costly, yes, but as Geoff said, for DSO viewing it's the best money i've spent on my scope.

[Darkplague]

Could you tell me if this is a suitable unit for my 12" dob, and also if the price is good for what you get??

Im a dsc newb so any help would be appreciated.

http://www.astromart.com/classifieds/details.asp?classified_id=392615

[Darkplague]

Iceman check your PM!

[Starkler]

That ad said nothing about the encoder resolution. You will have to source mounting hardware or have access to a machine shop to turn something up.
At $375US its not real cheap considering the above.

[Darkplague]

I thought it was 2 high! He messaged me saying it was a 4000 tick res. This is about average I think.

I think Ill pass on this one.

[RAJAH235]

fwiw, as a comparison. My Meade 'Magellan 1', cost around $670.00AUS. :D L.

[Darkplague]

Whats the Magelaan like? As in features, accuracy...
Ive seen that one 4 sale on Astromart.

Mark

[gary]

Hi Mark,

> I was wondering wether anybody has put Digital Setting
> Circles on their GSO dobs and if so, what brand did they
> use?
>
> Can anyone suggest a retailer that sells them or should
> I look on Astromart and such? There doesnt seem to be
> much onfo on this topic anywhere.

You can find encoder installation information, including the installation instructions,
for the Guang Sheng Dobs on our web site here -
http://www.wildcard-innovations.com.au/kits/pn-gs-12-spec_describe.html

It might surprise you to learn that the world's most popular Digital
Setting Circle (though we prefer the more accurate description of
Digital Telescope Computer or 'DTC'), is actually designed and manufactured
right here in Australia by Australians. This product is exported all over the
world.

Now, if you come to the IceInSpace AstroCamp at Lostock north of Sydney
over the Australia Day long weekend, not only will you get the opportunity
to meet plenty of fellow IceInSpace members, but you can actually win
one of our Argo Navis DTC's.

So now might be a good time to think about buying a cheap Virgin Blue
or Jetstar ticket to Sydney or getting the car tuned-up for the drive up
from Adelaide.

See http://www.iceinspace.com.au/?iisac

Best Regards

Gary Kopff
Managing Director
Wildcard Innovations Pty. Ltd.
Proud Sponsors of IceInSpace Lostock AstroCamp 2006
20 Kilmory Place, Mount Kuring-Gai
NSW. 2080. Australia
Phone +61-2-9457-9049
Fax +61-2-9457-9593
sales@wildcard-innovations.com.au
http://www.wildcard-innovations.com.au

[ballaratdragons]

I like the way you just 'slipped' the ArgoNavis advertising in, Gary :lol: ;)

Why not! Good Aussie products need exposure!

DID YOU HEAR THAT ALL YOU AMERICANS, POMS, ETC!!

ARGO NAVIS
The best 'DTC' in the world!

http://www.wildcard-innovations.com...c_describe.html

[gary]

Hi Ken,

Good one!!! :)

Any chance we will see some of the Snake Valley Gang up in Lostock
over the Australia Day long weekend? It's probably freeway most of the way
up and Mike has found us all a great location.

If we could get some of the Qld mob down here as well, it would be
a real National Australia Day event. :gday:

Best Regards

Gary

[RAJAH235]

Mark, after taking a 'while' to mod my t'scope, (3 x adjustable feet, repositioning the alt. teflon pads, making sure the tube brgs. were @ the same distance from the end etc etc), I can get to within 1/2 degree of selected object.
The main prob. I found was the 'Instruction manual'. Talk about mixed up.:shrug: (C**p copy of photocopy).
Overall the Mag 1 performs well. Has 12,000 odd objects in it's database, 2 star align, tour feature, user object library, ability to change 'object find' parameters etc etc.
I'm happy with it's features & useability, when we get good weather.......
I did make a regulated internal/external power supply for it tho., bit hard on 9 volt battery.
HTH. :D L.

[Darkplague]

I would like to go Gary but its a little far from here :(

Anyone have a "spare" dsc unit they would be willing to sell me??

If not I may have to save up for the AN unit.
Question to gary: I am on a budget, so can't afford everything I need. I was thinking about ordering the AN unit, 2 encoders and cables. Because I work in a machine shop, with lathes and mills, the mounting gear would be fairly staright forward to make?????

You would need to throw in some plans to make the hardware for a gso 12" dob.
Would you be prepared to help a guy on a budget? :p

[gary]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the post.

> Because I work in a machine shop, with lathes and mills, the mounting gear
> would be fairly staright forward to make?????

You are set!!!

We have many customers who are Amateur Telescope Makers (ATM's).
Many of these customers have access to well-equipped machine shops.
Apart from fabricating the structural elements of their telescopes, many
of these ATM's also machine their own encoder mounting hardware.

We fully encourage & support ATM's and can offer advice in the fitting of optical
encoders. If you email me at sales@wildcard-innovations.com.au I can then
provide more specific details related to your mount.

Apart from lowering their budget, many ATM's derive immense satisfaction
out of fabricating things for themselves. As Professional Engineers, we can relate
to this wholeheartedly.

Best Regards

Gary Kopff
Managing Director
Wildcard Innovations Pty. Ltd.
20 Kilmory Place, Mount Kuring-Gai
NSW. 2080. Australia
Phone +61-2-9457-9049
Fax +61-2-9457-9593
sales@wildcard-innovations.com.au
http://www.wildcard-innovations.com.au

[dvb]

The only negative I have heard about Argo Navis on a GSO Dob is with the Azimuth kit -- that if you have "Magic Sliders" or Ebony Star or some other bearing system that increases the distance between the ground board and the rockerbox board, the connecting bolt may not be long enough.

I have had to lengthen the stock 2" bolt on my (Antares) GSO to 2 1/4" as I have tried to smooth the azimuth movement. I guess if I were to go AN, I'd have to take off the sliders and look for a thinner solution (unless AN has a longer bolt or some other fix for this)

[Starkler]

I have been down this road myself and the above statement is true. The az mount hardware doesnt allow for any extra thickness between base boards over stock dimensions.

[RAJAH235]

The Meade Mag 1 encoder shaft, was just long enough with Ebony Star fitted. :D L.

[dvb]

Maybe Gary will keep following this thread and devise an kit with a bolt that is 1/4" or 1/2" longer for those of us who like to customize our azimuth bearings.

I'd hate to lose out on the AN features for the sake of 1/4"!

[Starkler]

Theres nothing to stop you from using some other hardware kit from another vendor or make one yourself as the encoders are all the same.

[dvb]

Quite right. I could look elsewhere for an azimuth encoder -- although the AN design looks like a good one.

[togo54]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Meade-Magellan-I-for-Starfinder-Dobsonians-02010_W0QQitemZ7571129929QQcategory Z28181QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZ ViewItem

[gary]

> Maybe Gary will keep following this thread and devise an kit with a bolt
> that is 1/4" or 1/2" longer for those of us who like to customize our
> azimuth bearings.
>
> I'd hate to lose out on the AN features for the sake of 1/4"!

We can provide custom Az pivot bolts on demand. Users need
to supply us with the dimension of the gap between the base
of the rocker box and the top of the ground board. This
has a nominal value of 2mm, therefore if the dimension is
larger, then a custom pivot bolt will be required.

Best Regards

Gary Kopff
Managing Director
Wildcard Innovations Pty. Ltd.
20 Kilmory Place, Mount Kuring-Gai
NSW. 2080. Australia
Phone +61-2-9457-9049
Fax +61-2-9457-9593
sales@wildcard-innovations.com.au
http://www.wildcard-innovations.com.au

[gary]

> Theres nothing to stop you from using some other hardware kit
> from another vendor or make one yourself as the encoders are
> all the same.


Hi Geoff,

Please allow me to clarify that a little.

All encoder resolutions, however, are not the same.

For example, when fitted to both axes of the scope, the
10,000 step encoders we offer as standard can produce up to
nearly a 500% potential increase in pointing resolution compared
to a set of 4096 step encoders fitted to each axis.

The older DSC units do not have a high enough encoder
sampling rate to handle the 10,000 step encoders.

Best Regards

Gary Kopff
Managing Director
Wildcard Innovations Pty. Ltd.
20 Kilmory Place, Mount Kuring-Gai
NSW. 2080. Australia
Phone +61-2-9457-9049
Fax +61-2-9457-9593
sales@wildcard-innovations.com.au
http://www.wildcard-innovations.com.au

[Starkler]

Gary yes I was speaking in relation to the hardware required to fit encoders, ie the mechanical requirements for mounting are the same regardless of encoder resolution.

[dvb]

Thanks, Gary for your reply. It's great that you can be so responsive to the eccentricities of your customers.

For my part, I will re-think my azimuth bearings. The Magic Sliders that worked well in the summer are not working as well in the winter (near freezing here).

I'll probably take out the MagicSliders and put in some better Teflon squares, giving a lower profile. The stock Teflon bits that come with the scope weree stapled on and didn't seem to provide a very good surface or movement -- I think I'll try the counter-sunk, screwed-on set from Astrosystems. However, their pads are 3/16" thick, which is about 4.75mm

Ebony Star, I'm told, is less than 3/64" (0.042", about 1.07mm, thick)

So, with or without the Ebony Star or Sliders, I'll still be well over 2mm.

Just thought I share these ruminations "out loud", in case they are useful.


:cold:

[ausastronomer]

Hi dvb,

I have Argo Navis fitted to my 10"/f5 GS dob. I have also re done the base with ebony star laminate and virgin teflon pads (3mm). The standard pads are not teflon BTW, looks very similar but no cigar :). You also need the ebony star on the bottom of the rocker box combined with the teflon pads to get it all happening.

You can use the standard Argo Navis mounting hardware kit and specify a longer azimuth bolt when you order it from Gary. I ended up making my own azimuth bolt to suit with a grub screw rather than the supplied plastic push on sleeve but the rest of the mounting hardware worked fine. Regardless of how much clearance you have between the groundboard and the bottom of the rocker box, nothing changes with the mounting hardware or the encoders themselves other than "the length of the azimuth bolt". Buying another brand of encoder from another source won't help in any way at all.

It may be "a little" more expensive than the other DSC packages but its light years ahead in almost every respect. You certainly get your moneys worth with Argo Navis, notwithstanding it will cost you almost $1,000. My suggestion is if you can't afford it now, wait a little and "save up", you won't regret the decision. A superb product backed by superb service and support. Of the many many thousands of $$$$ I have poured into this hobby, its possibly the best investment I have made in astronomy.

CS-John B.

[dvb]

Thanks, John, for the tips. I'll start with the Azimuth upgrade, get some measurements, then wait for my Argo Navis, er. ship, to come in.

[Darkplague]

Well I couldnt wait to save for the AN unit, so I got a Lumicon NGC Skyvector(version 3.65), 2 4000 tic encoders and cables from astromart for only $250 US. It seemed like a good price.

The hardware I will make myself fairly easily being a machinist by trade.
Should be arriving in about a week in time for xmas!

Can anyone give me the encoder shaft size so I can start making up some mounting pieces for it?

Mark

[Starkler]

All the encoders are from the same place, usdigital.
All the info you want is here http://www.usdigital.com/products/s1s2/

[Darkplague]

Thanks for that :prey:
How much clearance do you guys have on your azimuth encoders? I Pointed my 12" at zenith, and there was maybe 35mm clearance tops, not much room for error :scared:

[jjjnettie]

If I start putting away $20 a week from now, I'll be able to buy myself an Argo Navis for Christmas next year!
I'm getting excited about it already.