The RA gearbox on my G-11 from 2011 finally broke at one of the plastic tabs.? Can Brian or someone else with Losmandy confirm that the currently shipping replacements have the metal rivets?? The picture on the Losmandy web site looks like it is the old plastic design.
Thanks,
Russ
|
Polar alignment scope on the G11
Hi all,
When I look through the Alignment scope that is built into the G11(early model with Gemini 1 if that makes a difference) there is a picture of the stars around Polaris, the problem is that when it is dark I cannot see the picture, which would be a big help for a newb like me, is there a way of illuminating the picture? thanks
|
Re: Telescope slip in the clamp
Hi Henk
I don't recall seeing this report so maybe it precedes?me??
if you can drop a line to techsupport?at losmandy dot com with some pics that would be great
On Sat, Sep 12, 2020 at 10:25 PM Henk Aling < haling@...> wrote: What clamp is this, a dual Vixen / Losmandy clamp?? I have that, and have had my Mak-Newt flying through the air - I caught it before it hit the ground.? The Vixen dovetail of my Mak-Newt has a rather short base on the side where the screws are, therefore it is easy to clamp the dovetail?just below the saddle just pressing against its base.? When tightening it, it feels tight but really it is hanging by a thread.? Moving the scope is enough to make it pop out.? Since then I scrutinize how my scope is mounted, much more than I think I should have to.? I don't know if this is your issue but I have reported this to Losmandy.
-- Brian?
Brian Valente portfolio
|
Re: Telescope slip in the clamp
On Sun, Sep 13, 2020 at 10:23 AM, Sonny Edmonds wrote:
One of the accessories I bought with my mount was a
I tried it once as a camera mount, but found it most useful as a stop for my D-style bar. (It is underhung.)
Once balance is achieved on the Dec access, I tightened it where it is against the clamp (Single thumbscrew in my instance).
This serves two purposes, one the D-bar can never slip, and two the telescope/D-bar always lands precisely in balance. ;^)?
If you have no need or desire to mount a camera you can get to assure your D-bar can not slip.
A bolt in the nearest threaded hole will suffice. But the clamp can be precisely placed so the D-bar (and telescope) lands at balance every time.
--
SonnyE
(I suggest viewed in full screen)
?Update, not wanting to chance it again I have drilled the dove tail and added 2 bolts into the saddle plate, there is now no chance of the dovetail slipping through the clamp.
|
Re: Telescope slip in the clamp
One of the accessories I bought with my mount was a
I tried it once as a camera mount, but found it most useful as a stop for my D-style bar. (It is underhung.)
Once balance is achieved on the Dec access, I tightened it where it is against the clamp (Single thumbscrew in my instance).
This serves two purposes, one the D-bar can never slip, and two the telescope/D-bar always lands precisely in balance. ;^)?
If you have no need or desire to mount a camera you can get to assure your D-bar can not slip.
A bolt in the nearest threaded hole will suffice. But the clamp can be precisely placed so the D-bar (and telescope) lands at balance every time.
--
SonnyE
(I suggest viewed in full screen)
|
Re: Excellent seeing in Sydney
Marc?
They are incredibly clear images. I swear I have found a massive tower in a crater which is casting a shadow on the lunar surface in your image.
Great stuff!
Rupen
|
Re: Telescope slip in the clamp
Henk,
I don’t have the dual Losmandy/Vixen saddle plate but I assume you open the gap sufficient to lower the entire dovetail into the slot.
I suggest this is not the safest approach, I have always opened it just enough to slide it on and off.
With this approach you can always be sure the dovetail is properly in the saddle.
I only use a single safety knob but you would have to remove the lower one if you use both.
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On 13 Sep 2020, at 3:25:39 pm, Henk Aling < haling@...> wrote:
What clamp is this, a dual Vixen / Losmandy clamp?? I have that, and have had my Mak-Newt flying through the air - I caught it before it hit the ground.? The Vixen dovetail of my Mak-Newt has a rather short base on the side where the screws are, therefore it is easy to clamp the dovetail?just below the saddle just pressing against its base.? When tightening it, it feels tight but really it is hanging by a thread.? Moving the scope is enough to make it pop out.? Since then I scrutinize how my scope is mounted, much more than I think I should have to.? I don't know if this is your issue but I have reported this to Losmandy.
|
Re: Telescope slip in the clamp
What clamp is this, a dual Vixen / Losmandy clamp?? I have that, and have had my Mak-Newt flying through the air - I caught it before it hit the ground.? The Vixen dovetail of my Mak-Newt has a rather short base on the side where the screws are, therefore it is easy to clamp the dovetail?just below the saddle just pressing against its base.? When tightening it, it feels tight but really it is hanging by a thread.? Moving the scope is enough to make it pop out.? Since then I scrutinize how my scope is mounted, much more than I think I should have to.? I don't know if this is your issue but I have reported this to Losmandy.
|
Re: Telescope slip in the clamp
Hi Dave
wow that's scary, glad you avoided the worst
We don't have any reports of issues with the G11 saddle plate. there are two separate thumbscrews, so it is hard for me to imagine they would both fail.
you might inspect your setup after you screw them down and make sure the dovetail is completely seated. also you can jiggle it back and forth in the saddle plate (think DEC movement) to see if somehow you put it in at a small angle
Brian
Morning all,
I had my 10" (250mm) newt mounted on the G11 (Gemini 1) last night, after about 2 hours of use I pointed the telescope almost straight up and after a few seconds it slipped around an inch in the clamp, fortunately not enough for the telescope to part company from the mount, when I attached it earlier that evening I could not do the finger screws up on the clamp any tighter and was confident it was well clamped.
Is this purely user error or..
is there a known issue with the G11 clamp..
Could vibration from the motors loosen the clamp screws..
Quite worried as if the telescope had hit the floor it probably would have ruined that and the camera attached to the focuser..? thanks
-- Brian?
Brian Valente portfolio
|
Re: Telescope slip in the clamp
On Sat, Sep 12, 2020 at 08:37 PM, Dave_Kentsbeer wrote:
Is this purely user error or..
is there a known issue with the G11 clamp..
I'm not aware of any issues with the G11 saddle clamp. As Paul mentioned, use a screw to stop the slide before it gets too far. A few things to watch out for:
- Temperature changes can cause some changes in pressure, although in my experience things get harder to slip or even to remove when everything gets colder
- Initial position of the saddle plate could've been a little off (crooked, tilted, not seated completely in) and settled over time
- Any amount of grease or lubricant on the saddle or the plate could cause slippage. Make sure you clean them thoroughly
Regards, ? ? -Paul
|
Re: Telescope slip in the clamp
Dave?,
Although I have never had this happen, that is what the stop on the dovetail plate is supposed to prevent.
Any slippage will stop when it hits the screw,
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Morning all,
I had my 10" (250mm) newt mounted on the G11 (Gemini 1) last night, after about 2 hours of use I pointed the telescope almost straight up and after a few seconds it slipped around an inch in the clamp, fortunately not enough for the telescope to part company from the mount, when I attached it earlier that evening I could not do the finger screws up on the clamp any tighter and was confident it was well clamped.
Is this purely user error or..
is there a known issue with the G11 clamp..
Could vibration from the motors loosen the clamp screws..
Quite worried as if the telescope had hit the floor it probably would have ruined that and the camera attached to the focuser..? thanks
|
Telescope slip in the clamp
Morning all,
I had my 10" (250mm) newt mounted on the G11 (Gemini 1) last night, after about 2 hours of use I pointed the telescope almost straight up and after a few seconds it slipped around an inch in the clamp, fortunately not enough for the telescope to part company from the mount, when I attached it earlier that evening I could not do the finger screws up on the clamp any tighter and was confident it was well clamped.
Is this purely user error or..
is there a known issue with the G11 clamp..
Could vibration from the motors loosen the clamp screws..
Quite worried as if the telescope had hit the floor it probably would have ruined that and the camera attached to the focuser..? thanks
|
Thanks Brian!
I think I’m gonna order from amazon then. It’s taking a little longer to arrive but I can wait. Mount hasn’t been re greased in 10 years I guess it can wait a few more days
Guilherme ?
On Saturday, September 12, 2020, Brian Valente < bvalente@...> wrote: Hi?Guilherme,
We recommend against lithium
Any grease with Teflon is a good candidate
at the factory we use jet-lube MP-50 moly paste
there are a few others on the forum i'm sure will make some good suggestions as well
Brian
On Sat, Sep 12, 2020 at 11:49 AM "Guilherme Vênere < venere@...> wrote: Hello all
Are any of these two options OK for re greasing my GM8? Anything against them?
Thanks!
Guilherme
--
Brian?
Brian Valente portfolio
|
Hi?Guilherme,
We recommend against lithium
Any grease with Teflon is a good candidate
at the factory we use jet-lube MP-50 moly paste
there are a few others on the forum i'm sure will make some good suggestions as well
Brian
On Sat, Sep 12, 2020 at 11:49 AM "Guilherme Vênere < venere@...> wrote: Hello all
Are any of these two options OK for re greasing my GM8? Anything against them?
Thanks!
Guilherme
-- Brian?
Brian Valente portfolio
|
Hello all
Are any of these two options OK for re greasing my GM8? Anything against them?
Thanks!
Guilherme
|
Re: Problem with Gemini I
On Sat, Sep 12, 2020 at 12:03 PM, Bittor Zabalegi wrote:
We uninstalled from Talon6 to apart Gemini I but still no communication found.
We are really totally confuse with this erratic behavior.
Hi Bittor, The fact that the communications is intermittent seems to point to a poor connection, a cable that's being pulled or snagged on something, or maybe a broken wire/connector that's making an occasional contact. Sometimes insects getting inside the connectors can also cause similar behavior. Sounds like you will need to have someone visit the remote site and troubleshoot the various cables and connections, from PC to USB/Serial adapter to Gemini. Regards, ? ?-Paul
|
Hi,
We are Far Light Team, four astrophotographers that have install a telescope in remote.
We are using Talon 6 connect to Cloudwatcher and connect to Gemini I to park and close the roof.
Our surprise became when we have lost the Gemini, the system was not able to found the port (com4) and even the manual system didn’t respond.
After this magically we recover the communication, but two days ago we lost the communication with Gemini and also the manual system.
Today we wanted to check the weather, we open the roof and when it close the roof the mount began to move!!! The system said, Com4 connected!!!!
We have put again to home position and again we have lost the communication the system is not able to found the Com4.
We try to open and close again the roof to reproduce the event but it has been imposible, the communication has lost.
We uninstalled from Talon6 to apart Gemini I but still no communication found.
We are really totally confuse with this erratic behavior.
We have install rs232 adaptor to USB, I donnot know if this conversor has to be special ( we bought one in Amazon), or we have to check something else.
If someone through some light we will appreciate.
Thanks,
Bittor
Enviado desde mi iPhone
|
Re: Polemaster on Losmandy's
I bought the QHY Losmandy adapter for my GM-8 but found the view from there didn't quite clear a local obstruction. So bought the ADM dovetail adapter and clamped it on the dovetail on my GSO RC. Worked great -- most painless polar align ever. Help note -- if using in an observatory, check the FOV during the daytime. The wide angle view can be seen through Sharpcap -- which recognizes the driver.
greg latiak
avalon observatory
|
Re: Polemaster on Losmandy's
Chip,
I have version 1.0.17.
Matt
Thanks Matt. That is what I found when I tried it a while ago. I asked but got no reply re: Android PM app., BTWs, what version do you have???
--
Chip Louie Chief Daydreamer Imagination Hardware?
? ?Astropheric Weather Forecast - South Pasadena, CA?
|
Re: Polemaster on Losmandy's
Thanks Matt. That is what I found when I tried it a while ago. I asked but got no reply re: Android PM app., BTWs, what version do you have???
--
Chip Louie Chief Daydreamer Imagination Hardware?
? ?Astropheric Weather Forecast - South Pasadena, CA?
|
Dave_Kentsbeer
Paul Kanevsky
Chip Louie