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  #41  
Old 08-07-2022, 05:15 AM
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alan meehan (Alan)
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Late july it is then ,just got to wait ,i wanted to take it up to QLD for astrofest
maybe not
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  #42  
Old 14-07-2022, 03:54 PM
Hoges (John)
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First batch arrived at Testar: https://www.facebook.com/groups/229519518411077/?multi_permalinks=779532286743128%2 C778299236866433%2C776991156997241% 2C778258970203793%2C778114013551622 ¬if_id=1657362657836530¬if_t=group_ activity&ref=notif
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  #43  
Old 14-07-2022, 07:25 PM
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coool hopefully will get mine in a few days.
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  #44  
Old 15-07-2022, 05:46 AM
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alan meehan (Alan)
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Bintel says next couple days hopefully
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  #45  
Old 15-07-2022, 10:07 AM
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Just got a call from Bintel, mine is ready for collection. Won’t be able to until Monday but if you’ve ordered as part of the first batch you should be getting yours soon
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  #46  
Old 15-07-2022, 01:00 PM
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AstroViking (Steve)
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I am looking forward to hearing what you have to say about the GTi, Adam. Hopefully it's as good as the preview / beta-release reviewers said it is.
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  #47  
Old 15-07-2022, 01:18 PM
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Apparently mine has just arrived at Siderial Trading. Now to brave the traffic across town.

Best
JA
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  #48  
Old 15-07-2022, 06:06 PM
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Crater101 (Warren)
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Just got an e-mail from Testar to say mine is on the way. I'll keep you posted...


Quote:
Originally Posted by AstroViking View Post
I am looking forward to hearing what you have to say about the GTi, Adam. Hopefully it's as good as the preview / beta-release reviewers said it is.

So say all of us! Here's hoping it lives up to the promises.
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  #49  
Old 15-07-2022, 07:06 PM
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Originally Posted by JA View Post
Apparently mine has just arrived at Siderial Trading. Now to brave the traffic across town.

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JA
JA could be numero uno
We're all expecting a detailed unboxing video and breakdown posted to YouTube by morning
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  #50  
Old 15-07-2022, 07:07 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AstroViking View Post
I am looking forward to hearing what you have to say about the GTi, Adam. Hopefully it's as good as the preview / beta-release reviewers said it is.
Can't wait to use it, Steve! I also hope it's a good unit and fills the requirements and expectations I have from it.
I'll likely not have proper shooting time with it until the end of next week, weather permitting, but will give it a dry setup run in the house and see what it can do.
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  #51  
Old 16-07-2022, 09:04 AM
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Quote:
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JA could be numero uno
We're all expecting a detailed unboxing video and breakdown posted to YouTube by morning
Sorry Adam, I picked it up yesterday and opened the box in the car on the way home

It looks and feels like a great unit and happily now replaces my excellent, but now sold SW AZ-gti for the main reason of the integrated wedge and it's fine screw drive altitude adjustment (exactly what I wanted). It will make a good travel mount and also possibly, if it works out, a car mounted mount, but that's another story.

I plan to use it on a manfrotto tripod I have once I've made up an adaptor base.

Best
JA

Last edited by JA; 16-07-2022 at 11:48 AM.
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  #52  
Old 16-07-2022, 09:57 AM
Hoges (John)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JA View Post

I plan to use it on a manfrotto tripod I have once I've made up an adaptor base.

Best
JA

What sort of adapter does it need? I'm planning on putting mine on a Slik AMT tripod that has a 3/8 thread sticking up out of it. Does it need an upright 'post' for the azimuth adjustment?
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  #53  
Old 16-07-2022, 11:31 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hoges View Post
What sort of adapter does it need? I'm planning on putting mine on a Slik AMT tripod that has a 3/8 thread sticking up out of it.
Hi John,

It doesn't really need an adapter, as the tripod's centre vertical shaft has a 3/8inch thread male stud that would screw straight in to the base of the Star Adventurer GTi, but the male 3/8 thread on most tripods is typically only about 10mm long tops and also uses some grub screws. I'd prefer not to secure the mount in that way and instead have removed the tripod's centre column to reveal an approx 25mm diameter through hole about 50mm long, for which I will make a base/bushing with a 3/8 centre clearance hole and will use a 3/8 bolt to pull down the mount on to the tripod the same way as a typical NEQ6 or HEQ5 would do.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hoges View Post
Does it need an upright 'post' for the azimuth adjustment?
Good question - Fortunately it doesn't. It's part of the Star Adventurer GTi's base azimuth mechanism, but also the way I'm doing it, my bush/adapter base and tripod will also give me a VERY coarse lockable azimuth adjustment as well.

Best
JA

Last edited by JA; 16-07-2022 at 11:49 AM.
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  #54  
Old 18-07-2022, 11:55 AM
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Okay, very first impressions. I've yet to connect it all and see how it performs, but I've just put the following onto the mount:



Scope: Askar FRA400

Camera: 2600MC

Guide: WO Uniguide 32 + 290MM Mini

Focus: ZWO EAF

Compute: ASI Air Plus

Tripod: Gitzo GT5541LS



All up the scope setup weighs just about 5kg (slightly under) so we'll see how performance goes.



I gave my dad two "spare" PrimaLuceLab vixen bars the other day, not remembering I needed one of them. Luckily I have a few backups, so the setup is currently using the default ASKAR one, but I feel this one is too short. I'll pick up a longer PLL vixen bar soon.



Build quality: what you'd expect from a mount in this price range. The plastic cover at the back for the polar scope is really rather rubbish and is held in with two clips that wobble about a lot. I'm hoping some genius 3D printer comes up with a better solution for this. I like the chunkiness of the dials for the Altitude adjustment. The Azimuth bolts feel a little tight, but also a bit too small. The dials for locking the wedge in place are nice and clamp the altitude in well.

The RA lock as well seems great, but I don't like the entire Dec plate or the Dec lock, which you can see in an image below (RA lock at the bottom). I hope this top plate can be replaced with a more robust vixen clamp. The entire scope is held in with one screw and it doesn't even look nylon tipped so expect some scuffing to your vixen bar over time.

There's a lot of plastic about, but not where it counts which is the important thing.



Mounting it to a photographic tripod is easy as it uses the larger 3/8 photographic standard, but be sure the top plate is wide enough to accept the mount. I've got two tripods that could do it, but my third wouldn't be able to take it.



Here are some images.
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (Dec and RA.jpg)
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Click for full-size image (Ports.jpg)
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Click for full-size image (Mount.jpg)
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Click for full-size image (Mount 2.jpg)
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  #55  
Old 18-07-2022, 01:18 PM
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Connected it up, and having some troubles figuring out the home position via the ASI Air. This is more likely to do with me never having used the ASI Air before, so will take some learning. I'm guessing a plate solve will fix it easily. If we get some clear skies tonight, I'll try a couple of hours of imaging and see how it goes.
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  #56  
Old 18-07-2022, 01:27 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AdamJL View Post

Build quality: what you'd expect from a mount in this price range. The plastic cover at the back for the polar scope is really rather rubbish and is held in with two clips that wobble about a lot. I'm hoping some genius 3D printer comes up with a better solution for this. I like the chunkiness of the dials for the Altitude adjustment. The Azimuth bolts feel a little tight, but also a bit too small. The dials for locking the wedge in place are nice and clamp the altitude in well.

The RA lock as well seems great, but I don't like the entire Dec plate or the Dec lock, which you can see in an image below (RA lock at the bottom). I hope this top plate can be replaced with a more robust vixen clamp. The entire scope is held in with one screw and it doesn't even look nylon tipped so expect some scuffing to your vixen bar over time.

There's a lot of plastic about, but not where it counts which is the important thing.

Mounting it to a photographic tripod is easy as it uses the larger 3/8 photographic standard, but be sure the top plate is wide enough to accept the mount. I've got two tripods that could do it, but my third wouldn't be able to take it.

Have just collected mine and am leafing through the manual, with the unit on the table beside me, to make sure I know where everything is.


Agree with comments about the polar scope cover - I don't think those clips are going to last very long, and I'd happily take a 3D printed update. Also agree about the entire scope being held in with the one screw, although I guess that's one way to make sure the unit doesn't get overloaded.


And a good point on the top plate of the tripod too. I've got a solid old photographic Velbon that should do the job nicely, but most of the others may not make the grade, despite being more modern.


Looking forward to hearing what everyone thinks, mostly because this is my first foray into anything other than visual observing.
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  #57  
Old 18-07-2022, 02:26 PM
Hoges (John)
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re the top plate of the tripod, mine is around 50mm in diameter but I can adjust the length of the 3/8th bolt sticking out of it - is that likely to work? I also have the tripod from a Vixen Porta 2 if needed. Was expecting mine today but looks like tomorrow.
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  #58  
Old 18-07-2022, 04:56 PM
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hmm, not sure I'd recommend that, John (if I understand you correctly).
It would mean you're putting the entire mount weight on a single point.. that's point loading and you're going to not only put a lot of pressure on that point, but you're going to introduce a fair bit of resonance with any vibration.
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  #59  
Old 18-07-2022, 05:27 PM
Hoges (John)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AdamJL View Post
hmm, not sure I'd recommend that, John (if I understand you correctly).
It would mean you're putting the entire mount weight on a single point.. that's point loading and you're going to not only put a lot of pressure on that point, but you're going to introduce a fair bit of resonance with any vibration.

This is a pic of the tripod without the usual head on.....
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  #60  
Old 18-07-2022, 09:08 PM
AdamJL
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yeah that seems a little risky to point load on that.

Maybe you can have something made up to fit that, but if possible, try and use a tripod with a bigger base.

That said, I would advise to rather use that tripod without raising the 3/8 screw. Even if the mount doesn't cover the entire base, if it's sitting flush with part of it, that's a lot better than balancing on a screw.
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