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This is my first post and I have been doing a lot of reading and some research on the Titan as a most likely purchase at some time near future.? I have about 3 years of experience with another Equatorial Mount. But I have sold all my equipment due to various personal reasons about 2 years ago.?
I wish to attach a Polemaster to the Titan.? I went to this link ? but there is no mention of what adapter to use. Can anyone help?? I am preparing a 'list' of what I need before I order anything.
If there is a certain part no., please list it here or it could be that Losmandy already knows what I need. Ut Oh -- never mind --on Losmandy main site, they do have a POLEMASTER-T listed for $320.? That probably has everything I need.
Kindly
Donald
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I have to ask, why? ?Are you using the Titan as a portable mount? ?If so, I am impressed. ;)
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On 10 Aug 2020, at 18:34, Donnie < zerodb@...> wrote:
This is my first post and I have been doing a lot of reading and some research on the Titan as a most likely purchase at some time near future.? I have about 3 years of experience with another Equatorial Mount. But I have sold all my equipment due to various personal reasons about 2 years ago.?
I wish to attach a Polemaster to the Titan.? I went to this link ? but there is no mention of what adapter to use. Can anyone help?? I am preparing a 'list' of what I need before I order anything.
If there is a certain part no., please list it here or it could be that Losmandy already knows what I need. Ut Oh -- never mind --on Losmandy main site, they do have a POLEMASTER-T listed for $320.? That probably has everything I need.
Kindly
Donald
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Donald,
You might want to check out ADM accessories, too. I bought a mount that fits on the dovetail of my OTA. The Polemaster is smart-enough to figure things out even if not attached to the RA axis. I've used the ADM and the dedicated G11G attachment, and they work equally very well.
Matt
On Mon, Aug 10, 2020, 8:36 PM Donnie < zerodb@...> wrote: This is my first post and I have been doing a lot of reading and some research on the Titan as a most likely purchase at some time near future.? I have about 3 years of experience with another Equatorial Mount. But I have sold all my equipment due to various personal reasons about 2 years ago.?
I wish to attach a Polemaster to the Titan.? I went to this link ? but there is no mention of what adapter to use. Can anyone help?? I am preparing a 'list' of what I need before I order anything.
If there is a certain part no., please list it here or it could be that Losmandy already knows what I need. Ut Oh -- never mind --on Losmandy main site, they do have a POLEMASTER-T listed for $320.? That probably has everything I need.
Kindly
Donald
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My observing will only allow me to set up and takedown for like one evening of observing or AP. Then it might be another week or 2 weeks before I can bring all the equipment out again to set up. During the winter months, I would not be doing any observing or AP.? I am not sure what the gentleman meant by "portable" as I assume that you are referring to the mount being permanently mounted to a pier?
Not knowing if I am communicating correctly, let me add this additional info:
I plan to purchase:
1. G11T Equatorial Head (Gemini 2 GOTO, Weight Shaft, Heavy Duty Folding Tripod)
2. Maybe Skywatcher Esprit 120 or similar APO
My main concern (and not the OTA) is polar alignment and perhaps I do not need the Polemaster. I think it would be a good add-on to help with polar alignment.? I am completely unfamiliar with Losmandy products, the mounts, the Gemini Controller, etc. That is why I landed here in this group to learn more before I buy.
?
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Hi Donnie
I have the Skywatcher 120ED Esprit, in fact it's imaging in my driveway right now as i write this :)
Is there any reason you wouldn't just go with a G11G? it's more than enough mount for the 120, even up to a 150
also imo the polemaster is a great way to get quick and accurate polar alignment, so I do recommend it. There are other ways, but if you are getting started here, it's the fastest and easiest, i think
Brian?
On Mon, Aug 10, 2020 at 8:32 PM Donnie < zerodb@...> wrote: [Edited Message Follows]
My observing will only allow me to set up and takedown for like one evening of observing or AP. Then it might be another week or 2 weeks before I can bring all the equipment out again to set up. During the winter months, I would not be doing any observing or AP.? I am not sure what the gentleman meant by "portable" as I assume that you are referring to the mount being permanently mounted to a pier?
Not knowing if I am communicating correctly, let me add this additional info:
I plan to purchase:
1. G11T Equatorial Head (Gemini 2 GOTO, Weight Shaft, Heavy Duty Folding Tripod)
2. Maybe Skywatcher Esprit 120 or similar APO
My main concern (and not the OTA) is polar alignment and perhaps I do not need the Polemaster. I think it would be a good add-on to help with polar alignment.? I am completely unfamiliar with Losmandy products, the mounts, the Gemini Controller, etc. That is why I landed here in this group to learn more before I buy.
?
-- Brian?
Brian Valente portfolio
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Thank you, Brian, and others for your input. I used to do polar align manually using the Kochab method and looking through a polar scope (ha - please don't laugh) actually, I had it down to a science and got very good results. My first goto alignment star was always surprisingly close to just 'tap' into the center on my illuminated crosshair EP.? So, I understand the principles behind PA's , I am just lazy now and want technology to do it for me now. :-)
Why the T and not the G11G? It was just a recommendation from a friend from another forum.
Donald
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Don't let these guys talk you out of the polemaster. it's really great and perfect for lazy people like me :) .... er maybe I should say perfect for people that want to spend more time imaging :)
i do think the G11G is a better choice for you, and will save you some $$
it has spring-loaded worm in RA,? more than enough weight capacity probably easier to find in stock (G11Ts are really backordered)
On Mon, Aug 10, 2020 at 8:57 PM Donnie < zerodb@...> wrote: Thank you, Brian, and others for your input. I used to do polar align manually using the Kochab method and looking through a polar scope (ha - please don't laugh) actually, I had it down to a science and got very good results. My first goto alignment star was always surprisingly close to just 'tap' into the center on my illuminated crosshair EP.? So, I understand the principles behind PA's , I am just lazy now and want technology to do it for me now. :-)
Why the T and not the G11G? It was just a recommendation from a friend from another forum.
Donald
-- Brian?
Brian Valente portfolio
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Brian I've used polemaster for a couple of years but a recent comment that it wasn't accurate enough for astrophotography got me to compare it to phd2 drift method. Polemaster was darned close but phd2 revealed it was off by a slight amount. Using phd2 I got between .6 to .85 rms with a heavy load on my g11 where phd2 was at .85. A small difference and it was a quick check before I shut down for the night. So by my experiment phd2 drift gives you a little more accuracy
Chuck
-----Original Message----- From: Brian Valente <bvalente@...> To: Losmandy_users < [email protected]> Sent: Mon, Aug 10, 2020 09:10 PM Subject: Re: [Losmandy_users_io] Polemaster Adapter for Titan Mounts Don't let these guys talk you out of the polemaster. it's really great and perfect for lazy people like me :) .... er maybe I should say perfect for people that want to spend more time imaging :)
i do think the G11G is a better choice for you, and will save you some $$
it has spring-loaded worm in RA,? more than enough weight capacity probably easier to find in stock (G11Ts are really backordered)
On Mon, Aug 10, 2020 at 8:57 PM Donnie < zerodb@...> wrote: Thank you, Brian, and others for your input. I used to do polar align manually using the Kochab method and looking through a polar scope (ha - please don't laugh) actually, I had it down to a science and got very good results. My first goto alignment star was always surprisingly close to just 'tap' into the center on my illuminated crosshair EP.? So, I understand the principles behind PA's , I am just lazy now and want technology to do it for me now. :-)
Why the T and not the G11G? It was just a recommendation from a friend from another forum.
Donald
-- Brian?
Brian Valente portfolio
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I use Sharpcap for PA ¨C it¡¯s great, so good I sold my PolarScope. ?
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From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Brian Valente
Sent: 11 August 2020 04:43
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Losmandy_users_io] Polemaster Adapter for Titan Mounts ? Hi Donnie I have the Skywatcher 120ED Esprit, in fact it's imaging in my driveway right now as i write this :) Is there any reason you wouldn't just go with a G11G? it's more than enough mount for the 120, even up to a 150 also imo the polemaster is a great way to get quick and accurate polar alignment, so I do recommend it. There are other ways, but if you are getting started here, it's the fastest and easiest, i think ? On Mon, Aug 10, 2020 at 8:32 PM Donnie <zerodb@...> wrote: [Edited Message Follows] My observing will only allow me to set up and takedown for like one evening of observing or AP. Then it might be another week or 2 weeks before I can bring all the equipment out again to set up. During the winter months, I would not be doing any observing or AP.? I am not sure what the gentleman meant by "portable" as I assume that you are referring to the mount being permanently mounted to a pier?
Not knowing if I am communicating correctly, let me add this additional info:I plan to purchase:1. G11T Equatorial Head (Gemini 2 GOTO, Weight Shaft, Heavy Duty Folding Tripod)
2. Maybe Skywatcher Esprit 120 or similar APO
My main concern (and not the OTA) is polar alignment and perhaps I do not need the Polemaster. I think it would be a good add-on to help with polar alignment.? I am completely unfamiliar with Losmandy products, the mounts, the Gemini Controller, etc. That is why I landed here in this group to learn more before I buy.?
--
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Hi Donnie, Welcome to the Group!
I'm using my GM811G HD for imaging, and almost every night. (Until yesterday, our contractors were using my Observing area as a junk pile area. :^(? ?)
I know nothing about the Titan, except it would be far too huge for my peashooter telescope. Shucks, I couldn't even justify a G11G to myself. But the 811, Ah, perfect! My imaging rig only weighs 15.7 pounds.
I joined this Group back when I was in my planning stage. Great bunch of folks from all around the World! I got all the answers I needed to make my purchase perfect.
So You are definitely in the right place.
Although I don't know much, I can say that if you order from Losmandy, you will get the exact mounting you need. And they are great folks to chat with, really know their stuff!
And these guys are all hands-on owners/operators and repairmen. Brian is the Tech Adviser for Losmandy, but he won't blow his own horn.
Scott Losmandy does his own final adjustments and Quality Assurance before your gear is packed and shipped.
I do tote my rig out, and back in, every night. So another consideration for me was not breaking my back worse than it already is. LOL! Losmandy is the only mount I know of that allowed me to customize mine into a Portable Pier configuration, and to make "chunks" (4) for easy transport out, and back in every night.
?
?
--
SonnyE
(I suggest viewed in full screen)
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I will look into the G11G and GM811G. And thank you all for the great replies. I really appreciate it.
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Donnie,
If you are so inclined, you can build a cart for the G11G (or any mount and tripod, for that matter). This makes for a portable observatory setup. Plug it in to a power source and computer, polar align, and do your star alignments. Literally, when I use this instead of my Obs, setup and teardown take less than 10 min with no strain.? Forgive the bad pic, but you get the idea.
Matt
On Tue, Aug 11, 2020, 10:45 AM Donnie < zerodb@...> wrote: I will look into the G11G and GM811G. And thank you all for the great replies. I really appreciate it.
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Matt that's a cool pic
can you describe the setups you have there?
Donnie,
If you are so inclined, you can build a cart for the G11G (or any mount and tripod, for that matter). This makes for a portable observatory setup. Plug it in to a power source and computer, polar align, and do your star alignments. Literally, when I use this instead of my Obs, setup and teardown take less than 10 min with no strain.? Forgive the bad pic, but you get the idea.
Matt
On Tue, Aug 11, 2020, 10:45 AM Donnie < zerodb@...> wrote: I will look into the G11G and GM811G. And thank you all for the great replies. I really appreciate it.
-- Brian?
Brian Valente portfolio
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If you go this route - one thing to keep in mind. Make sure you don't leave it resting on tires when you're imaging but rather on those metal screws/wood blocks as Matt has done. Because as the temperature changes through the night, your tires will deflate a bit and mess up your PA! Probably does matter significantly for a long focal length reflector such as what you see mounted there. I imagine less of a consideration for visual.
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Donald,
The G11G has all of the latest and greatest design features included in the current production. I have a G11 mount that predates any of these updates, over time I updated my G11 first with the then standard HighPrecision worms and modified 2-piece bearing blocks with Bellevue discs, then updated by Scott to the tucked in servomotors and gen II OPWs, followed by adding the spring loaded feature to the gen II OPWs. IME the spring loaded one piece worm blocks are what pushed the G11G and now the GM8G into much more consistently performing like the high priced spread mounts they really are. Trust Brian when he tells you that you do not need the T, he is an experienced imager. I'll add my own comment that in fact you may not get as good tracking performance from it.?
As far as the PoleMaster goes I have been a PoleMaster fan since day one and as Brian has said don't let the boneheads talk you out of buying and using one especially as a fellow portable imager. The PoleMaster app was great many years ago when it was the first PA camera to market with a dedicated app. In the meantime the PoleMaster app has been surpassed by later, more powerful programs but IME the flexibility of the smaller pixels and wider FOV of the PoleMaster camera give it an edge over any other solution when combined with the SharpCap polar alignment routine. My guess is that if you use the PoleMaster camera with SharpCaps PA routine you can match the accuracy of a minimum 40 drift alignment in less than 10 minutes AND you can do it sooner in the night than otherwise.?
Call Anthony at ADM up and order one of these spiffy brackets to hang under (or over) your scope off the dovetail. This one is a prototype on a Losmandy "D" adapter clamp, newer ones are dual D/V clamps.??
?
--
Chip Louie - Chief Daydreamer Imagination Hardware
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? Brian,
Thanks for the kind words. The setups in my image are:
1) Riverside Space Port (SkyShed POD), which houses a MallinCam VRC10-CF on a Celestron CGEPro. 2) 16" custom dob, push-to, built around a refigured/finished Meade Starfinder mirror. 3) 8" f/4 MallinCam Newt on?Losmandy G11G.?
The Losmandy rests atop a dolley that I built for use before the POD and its pad were in place. Living in rural Iowa, gravel and uneven ground is the norm. Thus, I used 10" pneumatic tires from Harbor Freight affixed to a triangular key-shaped base with a single deck and secondary reinforcing?layer of 3/4" baltic birch (leftover from the dob build). The deck is affixed via ratchet strap to the bottom of the tripod to make a single unit.? The wheels and 3/4" threaded levelers are mounted to blocks each composed of 4 layers of ply. All adjoining layers were glued and then screwed for mechanical and adhesive bonding.? As Arun indicated, the mig-welded T-levelers are key components, as are their push-pull lock nuts (which have a handle welded to them as well...no tools!!!). There's some play with such coarse threads.? You might note the chunky look to the tripod legs. I added 50lbs of velcro leg weights to each leg to drop the center of gravity for safe passage over the rough gravel. I had the 10" and a piggyback 80mm for awhile, so lowered COG was critical.
Thanks, Matt
On Tue, Aug 11, 2020 at 11:08 AM Brian Valente < bvalente@...> wrote: Matt that's a cool pic
can you describe the setups you have there?
Donnie,
If you are so inclined, you can build a cart for the G11G (or any mount and tripod, for that matter). This makes for a portable observatory setup. Plug it in to a power source and computer, polar align, and do your star alignments. Literally, when I use this instead of my Obs, setup and teardown take less than 10 min with no strain.? Forgive the bad pic, but you get the idea.
Matt
On Tue, Aug 11, 2020, 10:45 AM Donnie < zerodb@...> wrote: I will look into the G11G and GM811G. And thank you all for the great replies. I really appreciate it.
--
Brian?
Brian Valente portfolio
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Matt:
I was looking at your article in Astronomy Tech Today magazine and was interested in finding? some answeres
John Hobbs
hobbs_john@...
-----Original Message-----
From: matt harmston <matt.harmston@...>
To: [email protected] Group Moderators < [email protected]>
Sent: Tue, Aug 11, 2020 8:36 pm
Subject: Re: [Losmandy_users_io] Polemaster Adapter for Titan Mounts
? Brian,
Thanks for the kind words. The setups in my image are:
1) Riverside Space Port (SkyShed POD), which houses a MallinCam VRC10-CF on a Celestron CGEPro.
2) 16" custom dob, push-to, built around a refigured/finished Meade Starfinder mirror.
3) 8" f/4 MallinCam Newt on?Losmandy G11G.?
The Losmandy rests atop a dolley that I built for use before the POD and its pad were in place. Living in rural Iowa, gravel and uneven ground is the norm. Thus, I used 10" pneumatic tires from Harbor Freight affixed to a triangular key-shaped base with a single deck and secondary reinforcing?layer of 3/4" baltic birch (leftover from the dob build). The deck is affixed via ratchet strap to the bottom of the tripod to make a single unit.? The wheels and 3/4" threaded levelers are mounted to blocks each composed of 4 layers of ply. All adjoining layers were glued and then screwed for mechanical and adhesive bonding.? As Arun indicated, the mig-welded T-levelers are key components, as are their push-pull lock nuts (which have a handle welded to them as well...no tools!!!). There's some play with such coarse threads.? You might note the chunky look to the tripod legs. I added 50lbs of velcro leg weights to each leg to drop the center of gravity for safe passage over the rough gravel. I had the 10" and a piggyback 80mm for awhile, so lowered COG was critical.
Thanks,
Matt
On Tue, Aug 11, 2020 at 11:08 AM Brian Valente < bvalente@...> wrote:
Matt that's a cool pic
can you describe the setups you have there?
Donnie,
If you are so inclined, you can build a cart for the G11G (or any mount and tripod, for that matter). This makes for a portable observatory setup. Plug it in to a power source and computer, polar align, and do your star alignments. Literally, when I use this instead of my Obs, setup and teardown take less than 10 min with no strain.? Forgive the bad pic, but you get the idea.
Matt
On Tue, Aug 11, 2020, 10:45 AM Donnie < zerodb@...> wrote: I will look into the G11G and GM811G. And thank you all for the great replies. I really appreciate it.
--
Brian?
Brian Valente
portfolio
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John,
I just responded. Thanks for the questions!
Matt
Matt:
I was looking at your article in Astronomy Tech Today magazine and was interested in finding? some answeres
-----Original Message-----
From: matt harmston < matt.harmston@...>
To: [email protected] Group Moderators < [email protected]>
Sent: Tue, Aug 11, 2020 8:36 pm
Subject: Re: [Losmandy_users_io] Polemaster Adapter for Titan Mounts
? Brian,
Thanks for the kind words. The setups in my image are:
1) Riverside Space Port (SkyShed POD), which houses a MallinCam VRC10-CF on a Celestron CGEPro.
2) 16" custom dob, push-to, built around a refigured/finished Meade Starfinder mirror.
3) 8" f/4 MallinCam Newt on?Losmandy G11G.?
The Losmandy rests atop a dolley that I built for use before the POD and its pad were in place. Living in rural Iowa, gravel and uneven ground is the norm. Thus, I used 10" pneumatic tires from Harbor Freight affixed to a triangular key-shaped base with a single deck and secondary reinforcing?layer of 3/4" baltic birch (leftover from the dob build). The deck is affixed via ratchet strap to the bottom of the tripod to make a single unit.? The wheels and 3/4" threaded levelers are mounted to blocks each composed of 4 layers of ply. All adjoining layers were glued and then screwed for mechanical and adhesive bonding.? As Arun indicated, the mig-welded T-levelers are key components, as are their push-pull lock nuts (which have a handle welded to them as well...no tools!!!). There's some play with such coarse threads.? You might note the chunky look to the tripod legs. I added 50lbs of velcro leg weights to each leg to drop the center of gravity for safe passage over the rough gravel. I had the 10" and a piggyback 80mm for awhile, so lowered COG was critical.
Thanks,
Matt
On Tue, Aug 11, 2020 at 11:08 AM Brian Valente < bvalente@...> wrote:
Matt that's a cool pic
can you describe the setups you have there?
Donnie,
If you are so inclined, you can build a cart for the G11G (or any mount and tripod, for that matter). This makes for a portable observatory setup. Plug it in to a power source and computer, polar align, and do your star alignments. Literally, when I use this instead of my Obs, setup and teardown take less than 10 min with no strain.? Forgive the bad pic, but you get the idea.
Matt
On Tue, Aug 11, 2020, 10:45 AM Donnie < zerodb@...> wrote: I will look into the G11G and GM811G. And thank you all for the great replies. I really appreciate it.
--
Brian?
Brian Valente
portfolio
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Donnie, I may be chiming in late here and my mount is not the Titan, but my adapter Pole Master adapter from my iOptron IEQ45 Pro fit perfectly with my older model G11. For that matter, the Tri Peer also worked like magic for the G11, as well.?
Anyway, you won`t go wrong with whatever mount you choose.
James
Speaking of the Polemaster with SharpCap... it is the best thing I've done, and I have Chip and Brian to thank for it. I generally polar align to within 1 arc minute. This is what I am running now on a GM811G. I don't think I'm limited by guiding any longer at least with this scope!? I don't know who says the Polemaster isn't good enough for astrophotography but my results seem to disprove it.
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Thank you all again for the superb replies.? I am probably going to go with the G11G and Polemaster w/ sharpcap.? I do like the idea of the tripod on the dolly. If I do that, then it will be a huge temptation to roll the rig back into my garage, which, I really do not feel comfortable with (as far as temps go).? If I go with a Teleview NP101is or an NP127is, that is (to me) a very much considerable amount of $$$ sitting out in a hot garage or cold garage (seasonal).
But then again, the guys that have sheds, PODs, and piers don't worry about such things (and I probably should not either). In Mississippi, only in August does it get what I call very hot usually up into the upper 95-98. I have a temp gauge in my garage that I have on occasions noticed it about 105¡ã -108¡ã.
I also like the ADM mount for the camera, I have to keep that in mind as well !!!
Donald
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David C. Partridge
Chip Louie
James B