Hello,
I received my new EQ4/CG5 with the Autostar goto installed today. Setting up the GEM was a snap. Setting up the Autostar, well, it was too! Thanks to all the info that is on the roboscope group, it was straightforward. Just followed the directions in the retrofit document and had everything up and running without a hitch.
I've figured out a few things that have proven very helpful to me.
1. GEMs are different, but not difficult. As a dob user, it takes a little getting used to, but becomes intuitive very quickly. I carried the mount out with the ST80 on it and plopped it down facing generally towards Polaris. Didn't bother leveling it. No looking through the incredibly crappy polar scope. Just turned on the
Autostar, entered the date and time and was on my way. I just used the clutches and slewed with them engaged, then let the Autostar track in RA (no high mag work with the ST80). I was having a lot of fun. I am going to build some wheely bars for it this weekend so I can roll it around the street.
2. Goto is not going to be a player in my driveway. While I did try an alignment and it pointed in the right general direction, I couldn't see the alignment stars through the trees. Then when I did a two star alignment and picked my own, the clouds picked the same stars. I didn't waste a lot of time on it because the clouds were
getting thicker and the trees were hiding too many stars with the scope stationery. If I line the scope up to see Polaris, I see very little of the rest of the sky. I told myself going into this goto thing that I will not ever let it get in the way of looking at stuff. As soon as I'm spending more time setting up than viewing, I'll throw my batteris in the river and use it manually.
That being said, I am very excited to get to know the Autostar goto this weekend. I have a park that is wide open in all directions about 1500' down the road. I'll take the roboscope down there after Isabelle passes on and give it a try. It looks like it could be fun.
The tripod is too wobbly. Every time you touch the mount, it departs from level. The plastic connectors to the tubular steel legs are at fault. That makes adjusting the lat/az on the mount impossible without knocking it off level.
So there you have it, my first GEM. Overall, I couldn't be more pleased. Just slewing around and not worrying about the Autostar was as simple as I had hoped. That was a big unknown for me: Could you use an Autostar equipped GEM without getting bogged down with all the goto stuff. You sure can.
Now I am really looking forward to my custom uber GEM on the portable pier . Much apprehension has been lifted by spending an hour with this GEM.
Clear skies (and no hurricanes),
Tom
I received my new EQ4/CG5 with the Autostar goto installed today. Setting up the GEM was a snap. Setting up the Autostar, well, it was too! Thanks to all the info that is on the roboscope group, it was straightforward. Just followed the directions in the retrofit document and had everything up and running without a hitch.
I've figured out a few things that have proven very helpful to me.
1. GEMs are different, but not difficult. As a dob user, it takes a little getting used to, but becomes intuitive very quickly. I carried the mount out with the ST80 on it and plopped it down facing generally towards Polaris. Didn't bother leveling it. No looking through the incredibly crappy polar scope. Just turned on the
Autostar, entered the date and time and was on my way. I just used the clutches and slewed with them engaged, then let the Autostar track in RA (no high mag work with the ST80). I was having a lot of fun. I am going to build some wheely bars for it this weekend so I can roll it around the street.
2. Goto is not going to be a player in my driveway. While I did try an alignment and it pointed in the right general direction, I couldn't see the alignment stars through the trees. Then when I did a two star alignment and picked my own, the clouds picked the same stars. I didn't waste a lot of time on it because the clouds were
getting thicker and the trees were hiding too many stars with the scope stationery. If I line the scope up to see Polaris, I see very little of the rest of the sky. I told myself going into this goto thing that I will not ever let it get in the way of looking at stuff. As soon as I'm spending more time setting up than viewing, I'll throw my batteris in the river and use it manually.
That being said, I am very excited to get to know the Autostar goto this weekend. I have a park that is wide open in all directions about 1500' down the road. I'll take the roboscope down there after Isabelle passes on and give it a try. It looks like it could be fun.
The tripod is too wobbly. Every time you touch the mount, it departs from level. The plastic connectors to the tubular steel legs are at fault. That makes adjusting the lat/az on the mount impossible without knocking it off level.
So there you have it, my first GEM. Overall, I couldn't be more pleased. Just slewing around and not worrying about the Autostar was as simple as I had hoped. That was a big unknown for me: Could you use an Autostar equipped GEM without getting bogged down with all the goto stuff. You sure can.
Now I am really looking forward to my custom uber GEM on the portable pier . Much apprehension has been lifted by spending an hour with this GEM.
Clear skies (and no hurricanes),
Tom
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