Polemaster

[ApophisAstros]

I didn't realise the adapters were so expensive just looked £32 is a bit steep considering you pay so much for the PM itself.
Roger

[The Thing]

On cloudynights consensus seems to be the polemaster is good but why pay for another guidecam and lens when you already have them😎. And there is free software to do the job.😍😀

[Carole]

Watching numbers sounds a bit too techie for me unless it tells you what numbers to look for.

I'll look into the PHD2 system. 

I didn't realise the adapters were so expensive just looked £32 is a bit steep considering you pay so much for the PM itself.

Yes £32 for a one off PA is a bit much.  But if you think that is expensive I was looking to see if they did an adapter for the Star Adventurer the other day and that was £68 !!!

Thanks

[ApophisAstros]

I have that adapter for the Star Adventurer , i was going to try it out at DSC.
Roger

[Carole]

I still have Alignmaster but the problem with that is you have to choose 2 pairs of stars, and since the trees have got taller where I live, I can't seem to find pairs where I can see both stars.

I have found the download on PHD2, and looking at a thread on SGL it does look quite similar to Polemaster. 

Just need to get my laptop out and see what version I already have installed as I did it not long ago when I changed from my Vista laptop to my W7 laptop.

Carole

[Carole]

I have that adapter for the Star Adventurer , i was going to try it out at DSC.

So did you have to pay £68 for it, or how did you acquire it?

Carole

[ApophisAstros]

When i got the SA from Modern Astronomy , the adapter was £39 ! Its still that price , where was it £68?
Roger

[Carole]

Can't remember now, could have been 365 astronomy, somewhere on the internet I found it.

Well I tried out PHD2 static PA tonight, but I could not use it because whatever star I chose went off the screen even before I had slewed sufficiently, so I checked with the right angled polarfinder, and PA was out in Azimuth, (not been moved or checked for several years lol), so I adjusted that and tried PHD2 again, but still the star went off the screen.  I need a bigger FOV I think, but this was with the finderguider!!!!

Also used EQMOD but all my GOTOs were out and could not find anything, so switched back to the handset and everything was easily find-able.   However thinking about it now, this was a fresh install.  I bet it's defaulted to somewhere in Europe (Switzerland?? or something), didn't think to check that having used EQmod before.  Will take a look later. 

Both my intended targets were out of the FOV one behind the houses and the other behind the dome, so not a good evening all in all.

Oh, one thing that did go well, I found a USB Hub that someone kindly gave me yonks ago and I forgot I had it, it's a super duper one and I attached all the USBs tonight plus Eqmod and everything worked, so that is a good step in the right direction, I just have to note which USBs I used for what. 

Carole

[Carole]

Hmmm, spoke too soon.  I went to check this morning the observatory location on EQmod and also why I could not connect my camera and EFW to APT as I want to try out plate solving, and the hub is only working in 2 out of the four channels.

CdC is definitely with my location I had already done it, date and time was fine too, so no idea why I could not get GOTOs to go to the right place last night, yet the handset worked just fine.

Carole

[ApophisAstros]

Its nice when things work , last time i was out i connected a 20 ft USB to my laptop with that Usb Hub you gave me , and so could image whilst sitting comfortably in garage, little heater ready for winter and also still get the Wifi from house for Plate Solving and Internet.
Roger

[ApophisAstros]

Have you set your site information in EQMOD including ELEVATION.
Silly question but EQMOD was on SIDEREAL tracking?
Roger

[Carole]

Not done elevation, where do I get that info?  smartphone?
Can't see why that would make any difference.

Yes it was sidereal tracking.

Carole

[MarkS]

Not done elevation, where do I get that info?  smartphone?
Can't see why that would make any difference.

Elevation cannot make any difference.  Just set it to zero.

Mark