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Old 31-03-2025, 01:05 PM
Harryjones (Harry)
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How to make a Dobsonian Tracking

How can I make a skwatcher classic 250p a tracking scope so I can keep tracking planets and dso.
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Old 31-03-2025, 01:11 PM
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bojan
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You can do it by motorizing it.. I did it like this: https://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/...ghlight=Dobson
Another way is Equatorial platform:.
You can find details on electronics and FW here: https://onstep.groups.io/g/main
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Old 31-03-2025, 05:41 PM
Startrek (Martin)
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Not a cheap option but it’s a quick straightforward option to get you up and running asap.

Synscan is a proven performer over many years

https://www.ozscopes.com.au/skywatch...-for-goto.html

You might find other suppliers a bit cheaper than Oz Scopes ??

Martin
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Old 02-04-2025, 03:07 AM
sfarndell (Scott)
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It’s relatively easy and cheap to make an onstep controller and add stepper motors. Do a google search to find the onstep wiki.
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Old 10-04-2025, 06:44 PM
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ChrisV (Chris)
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Onstep is cheap and easy to make, the hardest bit (for me) is getting the mechanical aspects together. It's been around a long time now and is a reliable, proven performer.

If you aren't electrically minded, you can even buy onstep modules with motors on AliExpress.
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Old 26-06-2025, 06:45 PM
hamishbarker
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As Scott wrote, Onstep is a great way to go for full computerization. A fair bit of integration of mechanical design required to get the stepper motors to actually be driving the dob - I'll leave it to Scott or others to comment as he has a lot of experience with this. I believe some people use 2mm toothed belts stuck to wooden discs to make large diameter "gears". I have a setup which I bought from scott more than a year ago which I am (shamefully) yet to install!

Equatorial platform is quite cheap, easy if you are somewhat handy. there are many ways to build them. I have one which uses "vertical south segments" (see Rainer Vogel's website.


http://www.reinervogel.net/index_e.h...attform_e.html


Mine is motorized with an aliexpress-purchased celestron simple analog adjustable motor, (google celestron single axis motor drive aliexpress). not all that cheap at $50 but convenient if you don't fancy making a simple stepper motor drive).


I also built a much bigger one of a different design which carries my 22" dob. I call it an Abele-Fangrow platform, as it incorporates elements of the equatorial table from the AFU-75 soviet satellite tracking telescope designed by Latvian Maris Abele, and the inner-tube air escapement "hiss drive" devised by american Tom Fangrow. Power is by periodically pumping up the tube, no electrical drive or batteries to go flat out in the field! I have used it several times at star parties, provides excellent smooth tracking but only for about 15 minutes between resets. But that is good enough for star parties as it means I can set an object and a bunch of people can go up and down the ladder to observe at the eyepiece before the dob needs re-aiming.
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