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Re: [APML] Re: [Astrophotography] Auto Guiders
Len,
Yes, Marty made relay boxes to autoguide our G-11's with the quickcams and
his software. As far as what an LX200 needs, I dont know. Ive never used
one, or even been around one that much either let alone seen a quick cam
guide one.
Im pretty sure his software can send LX200 commands, but Im not 100%
posative. Reason Im pretty sure is he runs his G-11 with Mel Bartels scope
control which I know speaks LX200, so I would assume he desighned guider exe
to do the same. You might want to email Marty directly to be sure.
Nice M13....apature sure is nice for resolving globulars
Mike
----- Original Message -----
From: ice <ice@neosoft.com>
To: <astro-photo@seds.org>
Sent: Thursday, September 12, 2002 10:53 PM
Subject: RE: [APML] Re: [Astrophotography] Auto Guiders
> Mike, don't you have to build a relay box to guide a mount that only
> accepts autoguiders such a an st4, in order to use a quickcam and
> guider.exe? I know that it can send LX200 commands thru the serial
> port, but not the st4. Right?
>
> I used my greyscale quickcam and Marty's software to autoguide at TSP.
> I shot images piggybacked on an 10" LX200. Big guidescope :)
>
> Here is one of the images:
> http://groups.msn.com/LenCasady/astrophotos.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoI
> D=13
>
> Len
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-astro-photo@seds.org [mailto:owner-astro-photo@seds.org] On
> Behalf Of Mike & Dianna
> Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2002 5:51 AM
> To: astro-photo@seds.org
> Subject: Re: [APML] Re: [Astrophotography] Auto Guiders
>
>
> Hi Emmanuele,
>
> I cant answer your SCT question, but I think I may be able to help with
> the webcam idea. For the last 3 years I have autoguided with an original
> greyscale Connectix B&W quick cam running Marty Niemi's guider software.
> Marty is a personal friend and fellow club member, so I got to work with
> him on the intial development and functionality on his software. If you
> can find a good working quickcam, his software is freeware, but good
> working ones are becoming difficult to find. I have since given up the
> quick cam for an STV due to recent problems with the quick cam camera
> heads. I have gone through 4 in the last 9 months that dont work right
> anymore. Marty has said that others are starting to go bad as well, but
> his still works fine. I also know he's got a pile of spare parts for
> them, I know, I gave him all mine.<BG>! When the system works, they are
> absolutly a breeze to use and guided my G-11 excellant. It was not
> uncommon once a guide star was found to be autoguiding within 5 minutes
> after learning the software. A good working cam with a 4" refractor
> guidescope can guide on a mag 9 star. Heres a link to Martys quick cam
> page, how to modify it, and download guider.zip
> http://www.ameritech.net/users/mniemi000/auto.html
>
> Hope this helps and good luck
> Mike Leitch
> galaxy@ncweb.com
> Astrophotography website www.ncweb.com/~galaxy/home/astropho.htm
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Emmanuele Sordini <vega@ulisse.it>
> To: <astro-photo@seds.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2002 7:01 PM
> Subject: Re: [APML] Re: [Astrophotography] Auto Guiders
>
>
> > Hello everybody,
> > I too missed the original post, but since this subject has come out, I
> take
> > a chance to pose some questions:
> >
> > 1) I was looking into a webcam autoguiding system (partly
> > do-it-yourself-made) with a guidescope: I would need a laptop, of
> > course, but it would be a very cheap way of getting started witha
> > autoguiding. I only have doubts as to how the faintest usable stars.
> > Anybody have any experience/pointers/opinions on this?
> >
> > 2) As a matter of fact, I have an SCT OTA, which I read is a pain the
> > neck to guide with a separate guidescope. Do I have to give up my
> > hopes and stick with an off-axis guider?
> >
> > Thanks
> > Emmanuele
> >
> > At 10.11 11/09/2002 -0700, you wrote:
> > >Hi Nelson,
> > >
> > >I missed the original post, so I'm sorry this is late.
> > >The 201s chip is not cooled, this is why it's not as sensitive as the
>
> > >ST-4. I have used both of these and I liked the 201 better. Here's
> > >why:
> > >
> > >1. The 201 is completely self contained. The ST unit
> > >has a separate control box that I found to be a pain
> > >to deal with in the dark.
> > >
> > >2. The 201 retains its settings from night to night.
> > >The ST-4s settings need to be re-entered after every
> > >power up.
> > >
> > >3. The 201 is operated by a single button on the back
> > >of the unit. I found this much more convenient than
> > >having to locate buttons on a separate control box.
> > >
> > >4. The 201 is extremely light, and requires little if
> > >any counter balancing.
> > >
> > >Having said that, you need to understand that focus
> > >issues are critical when dealing with the 201. You
> > >will need to be able to easily repeat your focus from
> > >night to night, and shot to shot. I use the Taurus
> > >Tracker III which does make it easy. I do guide
> > >off-axis with a LX200. It's easy once you have the
> > >proper tools and experience.
> > >
> > >Read what Herm says below and keep in mind that there
> > >may be some equipment issues depending on what you
> > >use. I would not recommend the 201 to you unless you
> > >will use a quality off axis guiding system. Through
> > >the TTIII, I do NOT see out of focus blobs. I can
> > >easily get in-focus stars. This is a BIG reason why I
> > >can use the 201 with my equipment.
> > >
> > >I do think part of the 201's bad reputation has to do
> > >with the fact that many tend to try it as their first autoguider. I
> > >could not use my 201 for the first 18 months I had it because I did
> > >not know how critical the focus issue really is. Once that is dealt
> > >with it's a piece of cake.
> > >
> > >Good luck,
> > >Alan
> > >
> > >
> > >--- Herm <hermperez@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
> > > > Sensitivity can be dealt by using longer exposures, probably
> > > > safely up to 10 seconds or so.. while an ST4 will easily guide
> > > > with 1 second exposures.
> > > > Longer exposures will allow your mount to drift too
> > > > much. Since sensitivity
> > > > is low, sharp focus is extremely critical.
> > > >
> > > > Simultaneous corrections can be a problem with
> > > > certain mounts.. usually not
> > > > an insurmountable problem if you do a careful polar alignment. 99%
>
> > > > of your corrections will be in the RA axis anyways. Losmandy
> > > > mounts WILL work with
> > > > a 201XT as long as the x axis of the 201XT
> > > > corresponds to RA.. the losmandy
> > > > will just ignore DEC corrections until no correction
> > > > is issued on RA.
> > > > Obviously this is not a problem with Meade mounts.
> > > >
> > > > The st4 will compute the centroid position of a blob
> > > > of light.. thus it can
> > > > guide extremely accurately on a distorted star or out-of-focus
> > > > blob (even guide on the head of a comet). This feature is what
> > > > really makes the ST4 so
> > > > well loved. To compensate for this, make sure the
> > > > 201xt is precisely
> > > > focused to make the star as small as possible on the
> > > > ccd chip.. avoid using
> > > > a 201XT with an off-axis guider and an sct..
> > > >
> > > > SCT off-axis stars are distorted blobs (usually
> > > > crescent moon shaped), the
> > > > 201xt has difficulty locking on these.
> > > >
> > > > I would recommend you use the 201xt with a refractor guidescope,
> > > > preferably 80mm and up so it delivers sharp bright stars.. if
> > > > you carefully make a
> > > > mark on the focuser you may never have to refocus it
> > > > again for a 201xt. You
> > > > cant use a guidescope on an sct due to mirror flop
> > > > issues, so avoid an
> > > > 201xt for an sct.
> > > >
> > > > Also note that the command flowchart tree that meade includes with
>
> > > > the 201xt is wrong, there are correct ones avaialble in
> > > > the web.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > biggsnj@cs.com wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Does anyone use an autoguider for their long
> > > > exposure photograhy? SBIG has discontinued their
> > > > >ST-4 Autoguider, the only other stand alone unit I
> > > > have found is Meade's Pictor 201XT. Has anyone >used
> > > > the Meade unit? Would you recommend it? I'm on a
> > > > budget.
> > > > >
> > > > >Nelson Biggs
> > > >
> > > > Herm
> > > > Astropics http://home.att.net/~hermperez
> > > >
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> > >
> > >
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