Re: Tablet stalk recommendation for 18UC?
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Re: Tablet stalk recommendation for 18UC?
Check with Mike Zammit at Starstructure Telescopes.
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BC
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Tablet stalk recommendation for 18UC?
I wanted to get a tablet stalk like this one:
But, alas, Charles says he has closed his business.
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Anyone have recommendations for a comparable product for my 18UC?
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Thanks,
Rod
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Back to an old favorite nebula M1
The Crab Nebula taken right at the dew point with my UC18 and DS10cTEC.? Post processed with Pixinsight and GIMP.
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I had excellent tracking with the ServoCAT and Argo Navis.
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Richard
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All,
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My shroud was dripping wet, but I still managed to image the hidden galaxy IC342 with the camera cooled to zero degree C.
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ServoCAT and Argo Navis tracking was excellent.? The Mallincam DS10cTEC mounted on my UC18 was awesome.
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Post processed with Pixinsight and GIMP.
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Richard
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Re: Problem tracking with ArgoNavis and ServoCat on my 20" f/4
Hi Richard,
thanks and I will do that even though I have now had a reply from Wildcard Innovations.
Regards,
Mike
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Re: Problem tracking with ArgoNavis and ServoCat on my 20" f/4
Hi,
Unfortunately I'm not certain, but I think they were not zero on the Argo Navis display.? I should say also that when I power up I get the three beeps and the red DSC light flashing plus green light next to "slew" and yellow light next to "HC" are both on (on the ServoCat) as they should be, I think.? I have checked again and I was having to constantly press the CW button on the hand controller suggesting the mount was either moving slower than sidereal speed or maybe not at all in that direction.? The object was low in the SE and most of the motion was in azimuth.? I took some videos and reckon that the object was moving maybe close to sidereal seed.? I had to press the Alt up button, but less frequently, to keep the object in view, again consistent with the object rising towards it's culmination.? It is difficult working in the dark but unless I inadvertently pressed the GOTO button then after about 1 hour I heard a beep and the mount moved a couple of degrees in the CW direction and I completely lost the object. I pressed GOTO and it more or less came back into view.? Just to add to the puzzle at the end of the session I performed a GOTO on another object and the telescope was slewed to is successfully.? I suspect that I have left you as comfounded as I am!? I just wonder why if it performs GOTO successfully and the HC can control movements (guide or jog) as well why it can't follow the target.? I do wonder if I have a cable connection issue, which shows up intermittently.
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I should say finally that I have entered the correct date, time and location into the AN unit as well.
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If you have any further suggestions I would be very grateful, otherwise I'm stuck.
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Regards,
Mike
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Re: Problem tracking with ArgoNavis and ServoCat on my 20" f/4
Hi Mike,
On the Argo Navis display where it shows the target object name on the top line and the word GUIDE followed by the guide angles to the target in the lower line, did you happen to notice if you did not make manual corrections as to whether the magnitude of the guide angles increased appreciably over time or did they stay pretty close to 0.00 0.00?
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Re: Problem tracking with ArgoNavis and ServoCat on my 20" f/4
Mike,
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You should post on the Groupsio blog for ServoCAT since both founders of ServoCAT and Argo Navis monitor that blog site.
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Richard
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Problem tracking with ArgoNavis and ServoCat on my 20" f/4
Hi,
I was using my 20" f/4 Classic Obsession last night and encountered a problem.? I was able to perform a two star alignment followed by a successful GOTO from the catalogue, but then I had to keep tapping on the Azimuth (especially) and Altitude buttons in "guide slow" setting on the hand controller to keep the object centered.? I am not even sure that without these corrections the mount would have moved at all, but perhaps it was moving but just slower than it should to track the object.? I have had some cable snagging issues and wonder if the power cable has become damaged or connections affected over time by this.? Last night when I was setting up and moving the mount around while finding the alignment stars the set up bleeped and restarted without warning.? The jog buttons work ok in all directions.
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Does anyone have any suggestions as to what might be going wrong, please?
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Regards and thanks in advance,
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Mike
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Re: 12.5 inch secondary positioning
Carl, Glad you got it fixed.? Just in time for some great views of Saturn! Gene
Hello Gene, First, thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience with me.? Your situation, as you describe it, very much matches my own.? In fact, what you suggest as remedy is what I employed over the weekend.? The essential step was backing off the nuts on one side of the focuser, placing a nickel and washer as a shim under that side to tilt the focuser a bit, and retightened the holding bolts.? This allowed me to relax the tortured position of the secondary I had to use to get it collimated. Single red dot near center of secondary.? So, I used it the last couple nights and am pleased with the results. Kind Regards, Carl Ledyard, CT On Sun, Sep 8, 2024 at 9:09?PM Gene Fioretti via <gpfioretti1950= [email protected]> wrote: Hi Carl, I had what I think is a similar problem with my UC-22.? I was unable to line up the red dot coming from my?Howie Glatter Laser collimator with the mark in the middle of the secondary.? The?scope worked OK with?that malalignment, but I knew something was wrong, and maybe the telescope?images could improve if I fixed the problem.??
I decided to try and fix it after reading about your woes.? I put the secondary ring on the?counter and I tried loosening the?wing nut and adjusting the?three long tilt adjustment screws to tilt the?secondary.? I got it almost lined up, but the?secondary was obviously very crooked and one of the screws was backed out all the way leaving no room for further adjustment. That just wouldn't do.? ?I then consulted with an engineer friend who also?owns a UC22, who suggested equalizing the length of the tilt adjustment screws, tightening the wing nut back to the start and then loosening the left and right nuts on the base of the feather touch focuser, leaving?the center bolt and nut minimally loosened.? ?I was then able to easily 'aim' the?focuser with the laser dot collimator in place, and get the red dot?exactly?in the?middle of the?machined?dot in the center of the secondary.? The secondary was not crooked, and I was also left with plenty of threads to?adjust the?secondary tilt on each of the three adjustment screws.??
I assume that when I assemble the scope I will be able to center the red dot in the center marker(paper washer) of the primary using the three tilt adjustment screws of the secondary, and then change from the laser dot to the laser bar-shape fitting of the collomater. load it onto the collomater tube with the white tilted screen and? center hole, and adjust the primary's screws to attain perfect alignment and collimation. (using the primary's?screws to move the ring of the paper washer to fit around the hole in the center of the white screen).
Sorry for?all the details.? I hope this helps.
Gene
---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Carl <carljtj7@...>Date: Fri, Sep 6, 2024 at 10:07?AM Subject: 12.5 inch secondary positioning To: < [email protected]> Unable to situate secondary in relation to focused so as to able to center laser dot on both mirrors AND have all the primary show in my Farpoint. Have tried shimming the focuser and repositioning secondary via loosening central holding bolt. Dave Krieg suggests bending spider vanes. No stomach for that just yet. Page in my manual aftet the attached on secondary was not included, when scope shipped. Any suggestions?
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Re: 12.5 inch secondary positioning
Hello Gene, First, thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience with me.? Your situation, as you describe it, very much matches my own.? In fact, what you suggest as remedy is what I employed over the weekend.? The essential step was backing off the nuts on one side of the focuser, placing a nickel and washer as a shim under that side to tilt the focuser a bit, and retightened the holding bolts.? This allowed me to relax the tortured position of the secondary I had to use to get it collimated. Single red dot near center of secondary.? So, I used it the last couple nights and am pleased with the results. Kind Regards, Carl Ledyard, CT
On Sun, Sep 8, 2024 at 9:09?PM Gene Fioretti via <gpfioretti1950= [email protected]> wrote: Hi Carl, I had what I think is a similar problem with my UC-22.? I was unable to line up the red dot coming from my?Howie Glatter Laser collimator with the mark in the middle of the secondary.? The?scope worked OK with?that malalignment, but I knew something was wrong, and maybe the telescope?images could improve if I fixed the problem.??
I decided to try and fix it after reading about your woes.? I put the secondary ring on the?counter and I tried loosening the?wing nut and adjusting the?three long tilt adjustment screws to tilt the?secondary.? I got it almost lined up, but the?secondary was obviously very crooked and one of the screws was backed out all the way leaving no room for further adjustment. That just wouldn't do.? ?I then consulted with an engineer friend who also?owns a UC22, who suggested equalizing the length of the tilt adjustment screws, tightening the wing nut back to the start and then loosening the left and right nuts on the base of the feather touch focuser, leaving?the center bolt and nut minimally loosened.? ?I was then able to easily 'aim' the?focuser with the laser dot collimator in place, and get the red dot?exactly?in the?middle of the?machined?dot in the center of the secondary.? The secondary was not crooked, and I was also left with plenty of threads to?adjust the?secondary tilt on each of the three adjustment screws.??
I assume that when I assemble the scope I will be able to center the red dot in the center marker(paper washer) of the primary using the three tilt adjustment screws of the secondary, and then change from the laser dot to the laser bar-shape fitting of the collomater. load it onto the collomater tube with the white tilted screen and? center hole, and adjust the primary's screws to attain perfect alignment and collimation. (using the primary's?screws to move the ring of the paper washer to fit around the hole in the center of the white screen).
Sorry for?all the details.? I hope this helps.
Gene
---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Carl <carljtj7@...>Date: Fri, Sep 6, 2024 at 10:07?AM Subject: 12.5 inch secondary positioning To: < [email protected]> Unable to situate secondary in relation to focused so as to able to center laser dot on both mirrors AND have all the primary show in my Farpoint. Have tried shimming the focuser and repositioning secondary via loosening central holding bolt. Dave Krieg suggests bending spider vanes. No stomach for that just yet. Page in my manual aftet the attached on secondary was not included, when scope shipped. Any suggestions?
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Re: 12.5 inch secondary positioning
Hi Carl, I had what I think is a similar problem with my UC-22.? I was unable to line up the red dot coming from my?Howie Glatter Laser collimator with the mark in the middle of the secondary.? The?scope worked OK with?that malalignment, but I knew something was wrong, and maybe the telescope?images could improve if I fixed the problem.??
I decided to try and fix it after reading about your woes.? I put the secondary ring on the?counter and I tried loosening the?wing nut and adjusting the?three long tilt adjustment screws to tilt the?secondary.? I got it almost lined up, but the?secondary was obviously very crooked and one of the screws was backed out all the way leaving no room for further adjustment. That just wouldn't do.? ?I then consulted with an engineer friend who also?owns a UC22, who suggested equalizing the length of the tilt adjustment screws, tightening the wing nut back to the start and then loosening the left and right nuts on the base of the feather touch focuser, leaving?the center bolt and nut minimally loosened.? ?I was then able to easily 'aim' the?focuser with the laser dot collimator in place, and get the red dot?exactly?in the?middle of the?machined?dot in the center of the secondary.? The secondary was not crooked, and I was also left with plenty of threads to?adjust the?secondary tilt on each of the three adjustment screws.??
I assume that when I assemble the scope I will be able to center the red dot in the center marker(paper washer) of the primary using the three tilt adjustment screws of the secondary, and then change from the laser dot to the laser bar-shape fitting of the collomater. load it onto the collomater tube with the white tilted screen and? center hole, and adjust the primary's screws to attain perfect alignment and collimation. (using the primary's?screws to move the ring of the paper washer to fit around the hole in the center of the white screen).
Sorry for?all the details.? I hope this helps.
Gene
---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Carl <carljtj7@...>Date: Fri, Sep 6, 2024 at 10:07?AM Subject: 12.5 inch secondary positioning To: < [email protected]> Unable to situate secondary in relation to focused so as to able to center laser dot on both mirrors AND have all the primary show in my Farpoint. Have tried shimming the focuser and repositioning secondary via loosening central holding bolt. Dave Krieg suggests bending spider vanes. No stomach for that just yet. Page in my manual aftet the attached on secondary was not included, when scope shipped. Any suggestions?
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12.5 inch secondary positioning
---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Carl <carljtj7@...>Date: Fri, Sep 6, 2024 at 10:07?AM Subject: 12.5 inch secondary positioning To: < [email protected]> Unable to situate secondary in relation to focused so as to able to center laser dot on both mirrors AND have all the primary show in my Farpoint. Have tried shimming the focuser and repositioning secondary via loosening central holding bolt. Dave Krieg suggests bending spider vanes. No stomach for that just yet. Page in my manual aftet the attached on secondary was not included, when scope shipped. Any suggestions?
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Re: ServoCat no longer wants to ¡°Go To¡±
Thanks I¡¯ll check the contracts next time I use the scope?
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Re: ServoCat no longer wants to ¡°Go To¡±
Yes, AN n ServoCat was able to do a 2 star alignment. I am able to move the scope with SC¡¯s yellow buttons on the HC
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Re: M27 an old favorite from my UC18 on a mostly full moon
Hi Richard, you captured a lot of details in the nebulosity, well done. Fr¨¦d¨¦ric
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Re: ServoCat no longer wants to ¡°Go To¡±
Hi Leary, are you sure that AN is still connected to SC? You can unplug the serial link and replug it a few times to "clean" the connectors on each side of the cable just to check.
CS Fr¨¦d¨¦ric?
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Re: ServoCat no longer wants to ¡°Go To¡±
If you are trying to go just slightly past the zenith or below the horizon, I think it won¡¯t go. ? Pardon the basic question¡ªdid you do the 2-star alignment? ? Richard ?
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Leary Wong via groups.io
Sent: Tuesday, August 27, 2024 4:54 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [ObsessionUsers] ServoCat no longer wants to ¡°Go To¡±? I have had an 18¡± Obsession with AN n SC for 10 years. For some reason (aging brain?) SC will no longer go to an object. AN is working correctly, I can use SC hand controller to move the scope in Alt n Az direction, but Go To doesn¡¯t work. Its has a steady green light. Can anyone help me solve this problem ?
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ServoCat no longer wants to ¡°Go To¡±
I have had an 18¡± Obsession with AN n SC for 10 years. For some reason (aging brain?) SC will no longer go to an object. AN is working correctly, I can use SC hand controller to move the scope in Alt n Az direction, but Go To doesn¡¯t work. Its has a steady green light.
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Can anyone help me solve this problem ?
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Clear Skies?
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Leary
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Rod Brown
Gene Fioretti
Fr¨¦d¨¦ric Ruciak