Argo Navis DSC's

Dave47tuc (David) · #1 30-07-2005, 07:00 PM

Hi All

Today i installed the Argo Navis DSC's on my scope

After a few small problems all turned out very well

A few photo's of the set up. But its cloudy and I can't use the scope

Mind you one has to be very keen as the AN DSC'c cost more than the scope

iceman (Mike) · #2 30-07-2005, 07:05 PM

Excellent Dave! The AN is one fine piece of kit.. one day i'll upgrade my SkyCommander to a ArgoNavis. It doesn't need anything else upgraded (on my scope), works with existing encoders so just plug it in!

asimov (John) · #3 30-07-2005, 07:26 PM

..

ausastronomer (John Bambury) · #4 30-07-2005, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave47tuc

Hi All

Today i installed the Argo Navis DSC's on my scope

Mind you one has to be very keen as the AN DSC'c cost more than the scope

Dave,

Give it a month and you will think AN is the best 1,000 bucks you ever spent.

CS John B

elusiver · #5 30-07-2005, 10:44 PM

it's not fair..

top purchase dave.. the AN is on the wish list on i think almost every dob owner here.. we're all green with envy..

el

Starkler (Geoff) · #6 30-07-2005, 11:27 PM

Does the altitude encoder release easily for transport?
On my Kendrick supplied kit the alt encoder is held by a thumb/grubscrew and the bracket is held to the base by a magnetic strip

Starkler (Geoff) · #7 30-07-2005, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave47tuc

Hi All

Mind you one has to be very keen as the AN DSC'c cost more than the scope

The price of an argo + dob is still very cheap compared to goto alternatives in this aperture class.

Dave47tuc (David) · #8 31-07-2005, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starkler

Does the altitude encoder release easily for transport?
On my Kendrick supplied kit the alt encoder is held by a thumb/grubscrew and the bracket is held to the base by a magnetic strip

Hi Geoff,
Yes it does. A small wing nut and bolt used here. Easy to undo for easy transport.

As for cost yes its a push to scope for around 2k, Meade LX200 10" over 5k

p medcraft · #9 31-07-2005, 12:12 PM

I was one of the first purchasers of the AN a few years ago (and recently sold it to Wavelandscott along with 12" of glass). They are remarkably easy to use once you learn the basics and I found mine to be stunningly accurate. Several other ASV members bought the Argo on the strength of seeing mine perform in the field. Hats off to Gary and his wife at Wildcard.
Read the instructions carefully so that you can take full advantage of the ability to adjust for mount errors, the accuracy climbs even further when you do. Most Dobs including those proffessionally made have minor errors simply because you need to leave some clearance on the bearings, this allows the tube to move laterally during use etc etc.

Paul Medcraft

Daemon · #10 31-07-2005, 08:49 PM

THis is going to seem a stupid question guys, but I thought the Argo Navis was a goto computer for hooking up to stepper driven, but non-goto mounts (ie making a tracking mount into a goto mount). What use is it on a Dob? Obviously I'm missing something here

Daemon

Starkler (Geoff) · #11 31-07-2005, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daemon

What use is it on a Dob? Obviously I'm missing something here

Daemon

It turns a dob into a push-to, rather than a goto . The screen tells you which direction and how far to push the dob to find the object one seeks. Almost as good as a goto except you do the pushing

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #12 31-07-2005, 10:11 PM

Just like a GPS in a car Daemon. It tells you where to go and when you are there, but you do the driving!

(Unless they have invented the GoTo car and I wasn't looking lol)

Daemon · #13 01-08-2005, 09:03 PM

THanks for that, makes sense to me now. Good idea.

My wife has a goto car, it has a Daemon installed in the driver's seat. Even comes with an added wallet driven auto fuel filler and repair system.

Daemon

gary · #14 01-08-2005, 09:57 PM

Hi Daemon,

Gary here from Wildcard Innovations.

This background might be helpful.

Argo Navis can be used both as a "PUSH-TO" system (using what John
Dobson would refer to as 'yoghurt power') or combined with a servo
motor controller such as the ServoCAT.
See http://www.servocat.biz
The two interface together via one of Argo Navis's dual serial ports.

In a PUSH-TO configuration, you simply need to add a pair of optical
encoders to each axes of the scope.

There are Argo Navis installations on everything from small Alt/Az
mounts such as those from Tele Vue and small equatorial mounts
such as EQ-3's, 4's and 5's right up to being installed on some of the
largest Dobs on the planet.

For the GOTO controllers, Argo Navis performs all the object offset
and tracking rate calculations. For an Alt/Az mount like a Dob, which
is tracking in both axes simultaneously, it needs to update the tracking
rate multiple times every second. The nice thing about servo controllers
such as the ServoCAT is that you can still push the scope around manually
if you wish and the Argo Navis will keep tracking of its position via the
encoders.

By the way, servo motors have a lot of advantages over steppers in many telescope
control applications, but that's another topic.

What is impressive is seeing a big Dob, like a 20 or 25" Obsession, being
driven in GOTO mode! A lot of people do a double-take when they see for
the first time a scope that big start moving on its own!

Best Regards

Gary Kopff
Wildcard Innovations

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daemon

THis is going to seem a stupid question guys, but I thought the Argo Navis was a goto computer for hooking up to stepper driven, but non-goto mounts (ie making a tracking mount into a goto mount). What use is it on a Dob? Obviously I'm missing something here

Daemon

Dave47tuc (David) · #15 02-08-2005, 03:44 PM

Hi

This is the scope ready for a run.

My first run last night was a non event as I had some settings wrong

So if the weather is clear tonight I hope to get it right.

iceman (Mike) · #16 02-08-2005, 03:47 PM

Very nice Dave, you're lucky to be able to put your scope on a levelled concrete paver like that, will definitely help your pointing accuracy with the DSC's.

Unfortunately in my backyard, I need to move to different spots to access different parts of the sky.

ausastronomer (John Bambury) · #17 02-08-2005, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iceman

Very nice Dave, you're lucky to be able to put your scope on a levelled concrete paver like that, will definitely help your pointing accuracy with the DSC's.

Mike,

Argo doesn't need the scope level to work properly. You can have the scope at any angle you like and pointing accuracy is unaffected. One of its many advantages over cheaper systems.

CS-John B

Starkler (Geoff) · #18 02-08-2005, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iceman

Very nice Dave, you're lucky to be able to put your scope on a levelled concrete paver like that, will definitely help your pointing accuracy with the DSC's.

What John says is right. The alignment process calculates the position of the base in relation to the sky. It doesnt matter what tilt your base is at, the alignment process calculates it and it will remain accurate as long as the base doesnt move. This is where the paver comes in handy.
Away from home in a grassy field, the base can move and rock if the footing isnt solid and give pointing errors.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ausastronomer

You can have the scope at any angle you like and pointing accuracy is unaffected. One of its many advantages over cheaper systems.

John, which cheaper systems are affected by this? PalmDSC isnt and I cant imagine any taki algorithm based DSC having a problem here.

Dave47tuc (David) · #19 03-08-2005, 09:14 AM

Well after a non event the first night, last night was fantastic. The Argo Navis (AN) DSC’s worked perfectly.

I spent around 4 hours observing from home. Once I did my initial alignment I had what’s called a warp of 0.1. This is supposed to be very good.

My first object I went to was Jupiter, and there it was in my 12 mm Nagler. Also the same with Venus. One more check to be satisfied, onto M4 spot on!

The biggest reason I purchased the AN system was because I liked the TOUR feature.
So for the next few hours I spent touring around the night sky.
I did a Globular Tour all objects fell in the field of my 12 mm. I put my 31mm
Nagler in and did an Open Cluster tour. This was great. Someone just asked about Naglers. I have the 12 mm & 31 mm these EP’s are just unreal.
I find it to hard to explain to say seeing is believing.

So the AN system was a complete success. I don’t miss my LX200 as much anymore.

ausastronomer (John Bambury) · #20 03-08-2005, 11:33 AM

Dave,

Now that you have it working properly there is a feature called "Auto Adjust On". Check your user manual and see how to enable this feature, it will further refine your pointing accuracy. You can't enable this feature until you have the "Alt Ref Angle" correct but obviously that is now fine as your pointing accuracy is good, so you should now enable it.

Any problems post back here or email Gary Kopff, but I know Gary is going to be away for a few days at Astrofest.

CS-John B