OK, I did it,  so I found a 12" Orion SkyQuest XXg Go To TRUSS  Dob that the owner said he couldn't get it to work. All else works fine as a push to.

I paid 600 figured as a stand alone is worth that. So I plugged it in and Hand Controller comes on and says "no link to mount, in stand alone mode". 

I am knowledgeable in Meade hand controllers, I have several but not Orions. SOOOOO, I am in need for someone that is knowledgeable in Orion stuff,

particularly, this dob. Don't know if anything else is wrong, I can't get it to slew, so if anyone has some time they could give me come over to my place 

(near Rosemont and Holland) and help me nail down what is wrong, it would be greatly appreciated. If I need to pack it up and bring someplace I think I can manage.

Hope I can get this fixed, 2800 new, and no longer in stock

Dale Carey  

 

OK, I did it,  so I found a 12" Orion SkyQuest XXg Go To TRUSS  Dob that the owner said he couldn't get it to work. All else works fine as a push to.

I paid 600 figured as a stand alone is worth that. So I plugged it in and Hand Controller comes on and says "no link to mount, in stand alone mode". 

I am knowledgeable in Meade hand controllers, I have several but not Orions. SOOOOO, I am in need for someone that is knowledgeable in Orion stuff,

particularly, this dob. Don't know if anything else is wrong, I can't get it to slew, so if anyone has some time they could give me come over to my place 

(near Rosemont and Holland) and help me nail down what is wrong, it would be greatly appreciated. If I need to pack it up and bring someplace I think I can manage.

Hope I can get this fixed, 2800 new, and no longer in stock

Dale Carey  

 

v/r

v/r

Chuck Jagow

Member – Dark Skies of The Wet Mountain Valley

Member - Back Bay Amateur Astronomers

Member – San Diego Astronomy Association

Member – Colorado Springs Astronomy Association

Future         Verde Mont Observatory

Gone...        Rott'n Paws Observatory

On Jul 30, 2022, at 13:35, Dale Carey via groups.io <vbstargazer@...> wrote:



mine is a truss type with bags, mirror box and shroud, what was all this stuff?

how the hell do I know if one goes to another end?  end of what . anybody know what he is talking about?

thx Chuck I'll look.

DC

-----Original Message-----
From: charles jagow <chuck@...>
To: BackBayAstro@groups.io
Sent: Sat, Jul 30, 2022 2:38 pm
Subject: Re: [BackBayAstro] 12" go to dob

Dale,

 

The cable that goes between the electronics assembly and the AZ motor is an 8 pin standard RJ45 and is cabled straight through:

 

pin 1 on one end goes to pin 1 on the other end

pin 2 on one end goes to pin 2 on the other end

pin 3 on one end goes to pin 3 on the other end

pin 4 on one end goes to pin 4 on the other end

pin 5 on one end goes to pin 5 on the other end

pin 6 on one end goes to pin 6 on the other end

pin 7 on one end goes to pin 7 on the other end

pin 8 on one end goes to pin 8 on the other end

 

Most CAT 5/6 cables are pinned the same way EXCEPT network crossover cables.  They are not straight through.

 

On mine if this cable is disconnected at either end, the hand pad reports the message:

 

          RA

          AZ No Response

 

The message on the hand pad could be different than yours for the same cable issue as I have the latest firmware rev, yours may be older (yes I forgot to look for the rev level when I turned it on).  If you can’t figure out which cable is the problem,  I will go back down and set it up and read the rev level.

 

 

Since you are getting messages on the hand pad, I can assume the hand pad cable is OK.  However, the pin outs for the hand pad cable are:

 

pin 1 on the 6 pin is not connected

pin 2 on the 6 end goes to pin 5 on the 8 pin end

pin 3 on the 6 end goes to pin 7 on the 8 pin end

pin 4 on the 6 end goes to pin 6 on the 8 pin end

pin 5 on the 6 end goes to pin 4 on the 8 pin end

pin 6 on the 6 end goes to pin 2 on the 8 pin end, pins 1, 3, and 8 on the 8 pin side are not connected.

 

There is another cable INTERNAL to the electronics assembly that connects down to the ALT motor and the electronics.  You must unscrew the altitude clutch and remove the parts to that (remember the order of the items removed).

 

Then unscrew all of the Phillips head screws around the plastic cover on the left upright that covers the altitude motor and the electronics assembly.

 

Carefully look if there are any cables unplugged or loose.

 

If you can’t find anything, when I get back from retrieving Karen’s ATV from the shop (65 miles away) I’ll open mine up and look and see what I have.  I have not been inside this case in several years.  So my gnat like memory does not remember exactly what you should see in there.  But be aware that Orion likes to minimize cable lengths inside their electronics so there won’t be much slack on anything.

 

I do believe I encountered your error when I had the 14” Orion GoTo and the cable from the altitude motor assembly was loose.

 

A LOCAL RESOURCE is Jim Tallman, while not in Norfolk anymore, I think he is in Chesapeake down around the Cornland park area.  He has a 14” Orion GoTo that will have the same electronic cabling as yours.  His 14” mirror is the BEST 14” I have ever looked through.  Pinpoint stars from edge to edge WITHOUT a Paracorr.  My 14” was not so good, I HAD to have a Paracorr.

 

I have a 12” Orion Goto that has the BEST 12” mirror I or anyone who has looked through it, will attest to. 

 

I had bought a 12” aluminum Star Structure scope from Dr. Bruce that had a Zambuto mirror (signed by Carl himself) and I began comparing planetary views of Saturn and Jupiter through it in 2018 and the Orion mirror BEAT the Zambuto mirror hands down.  I brought that scope to many Boardwalk Astronomy sessions, and Green Bank parties and I was offered $5K for the scope up at Green Bank once.  It is my current main scope for outreach out here.  Until I get my rebuilt Obsession 18 UC back from Astro Systems next week.  Astro System took my 18” optics, focuser, DSC, ServoCat motors and electronics and are putting them in a custom made Baltic Birch “classic” dob structure.  I can’t wait, the 18” optics are better than my 20” classic Obsession.  I can’t wait to compare the 18” and the 12” Orion out here on the planets.  Saturn is up high enough after 0100 in the morning right now.

 

Let me know if you get anywhere on the 12”.  That tube is a monster (as you know).  My original 12” was a solid tube, and after a period of time I converted it over to the Orion truss tube frame.  That is another LONG story…

 

v/r

Chuck Jagow

Interim President – Dark Skies of The Wet Mountain Valley

Member - Back Bay Amateur Astronomers

Member – Colorado Springs Astronomy Association

Member – San Diego Astronomy Association

Member – Wet Mountain Valley Rotary Club

Future         Verde Mont Observatory

Gone...        Rott'n Paws Observatory

 

 

 

From: <BackBayAstro@groups.io> on behalf of "Dale Carey via groups.io" <vbstargazer@...>
Reply-To: <BackBayAstro@groups.io>
Date: Saturday, July 30, 2022 at 11:51 AM
To: "BackBayAstro@groups.io" <BackBayAstro@groups.io>
Subject: Re: [BackBayAstro] 12" go to dob

 

Thanks Chuck,  I'll be right there.

DC

-----Original Message-----
From: charles jagow <chuck@...>
To: BackBayAstro@groups.io
Sent: Sat, Jul 30, 2022 1:23 pm
Subject: Re: [BackBayAstro] 12" go to dob

You can bring it over if you want, it’s about a three day drive now...

 

HAHAHAHAHA, chuck made a funny!

Sent from Chuck's iPhone

On Jul 30, 2022, at 10:15 AM, Dale Carey via groups.io <vbstargazer@...> wrote:

OK, I did it,  so I found a 12" Orion SkyQuest XXg Go To TRUSS  Dob that the owner said he couldn't get it to work. All else works fine as a push to.

I paid 600 figured as a stand alone is worth that. So I plugged it in and Hand Controller comes on and says "no link to mount, in stand alone mode". 

I am knowledgeable in Meade hand controllers, I have several but not Orions. SOOOOO, I am in need for someone that is knowledgeable in Orion stuff,

particularly, this dob. Don't know if anything else is wrong, I can't get it to slew, so if anyone has some time they could give me come over to my place 

(near Rosemont and Holland) and help me nail down what is wrong, it would be greatly appreciated. If I need to pack it up and bring someplace I think I can manage.

Hope I can get this fixed, 2800 new, and no longer in stock

Dale Carey  

 

--

v/r

v/r

Chuck Jagow

Member – Dark Skies of The Wet Mountain Valley

Member - Back Bay Amateur Astronomers

Member – San Diego Astronomy Association

Member – Colorado Springs Astronomy Association

Future         Verde Mont Observatory

Gone...        Rott'n Paws Observatory

 

 

--

v/r

v/r

Chuck Jagow

Member – Dark Skies of The Wet Mountain Valley

Member - Back Bay Amateur Astronomers

Member – San Diego Astronomy Association

Member – Colorado Springs Astronomy Association

Future         Verde Mont Observatory

Gone...        Rott'n Paws Observatory

 

 

On Jul 30, 2022, at 16:54, Jim Tallman <jctallman@...> wrote:



Dale I have everything you need to update, cables and all

 here at the hoyse

Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
Get Outlook for Android

On Jul 30, 2022, at 16:03, Dale Carey via groups.io <vbstargazer@...> wrote:



Chuck, you got no bags? like the man said I got 3 , one hold truss tubes ,one upper round unit with focuser, finder ,ect.  and one to hold bottom unit with mirror if I leave it in.

na nana nana

DC  

-----Original Message-----
From: Thomas Gore <hububer@...>
To: BackBayAstro@groups.io <BackBayAstro@groups.io>
Sent: Sat, Jul 30, 2022 5:13 pm
Subject: Re: [BackBayAstro] 12" go to dob

Chuck,

When I sold you the xx12g, you got three bags with it.  A bag for the truss tubes, a bag for the lower mirror box, and a bag for the top mirror box.  

Tom

---

From: BackBayAstro@groups.io <BackBayAstro@groups.io> on behalf of charles jagow <chuck@...>
Sent: Saturday, July 30, 2022 4:49 PM
To: BackBayAstro@groups.io <BackBayAstro@groups.io>
Subject: Re: [BackBayAstro] 12" go to dob

 

Bags?  Bags for what?  Mine is a truss tube as well.  The base unit has four pieces,  a round bottom which has the azimuth motor, a back section, a right upright, and a left hand upright with altitude motor and the electronics that the azimuth motor cable, hand pad cable, and power cord plugs into.

If you don’t have that you probably don’t have an Orion XT12G truss.

Take Jim up on his offer, his is identical to yours, just 2” diameter bigger.

Sent from Chuck's iPhone

On Jul 30, 2022, at 13:35, Dale Carey via groups.io <vbstargazer@...> wrote:



mine is a truss type with bags, mirror box and shroud, what was all this stuff?

how the hell do I know if one goes to another end?  end of what . anybody know what he is talking about?

thx Chuck I'll look.

DC

-----Original Message-----
From: charles jagow <chuck@...>
To: BackBayAstro@groups.io
Sent: Sat, Jul 30, 2022 2:38 pm
Subject: Re: [BackBayAstro] 12" go to dob

Dale,

 

The cable that goes between the electronics assembly and the AZ motor is an 8 pin standard RJ45 and is cabled straight through:

 

pin 1 on one end goes to pin 1 on the other end

pin 2 on one end goes to pin 2 on the other end

pin 3 on one end goes to pin 3 on the other end

pin 4 on one end goes to pin 4 on the other end

pin 5 on one end goes to pin 5 on the other end

pin 6 on one end goes to pin 6 on the other end

pin 7 on one end goes to pin 7 on the other end

pin 8 on one end goes to pin 8 on the other end

 

Most CAT 5/6 cables are pinned the same way EXCEPT network crossover cables.  They are not straight through.

 

On mine if this cable is disconnected at either end, the hand pad reports the message:

 

          RA

          AZ No Response

 

The message on the hand pad could be different than yours for the same cable issue as I have the latest firmware rev, yours may be older (yes I forgot to look for the rev level when I turned it on).  If you can’t figure out which cable is the problem,  I will go back down and set it up and read the rev level.

 

 

Since you are getting messages on the hand pad, I can assume the hand pad cable is OK.  However, the pin outs for the hand pad cable are:

 

pin 1 on the 6 pin is not connected

pin 2 on the 6 end goes to pin 5 on the 8 pin end

pin 3 on the 6 end goes to pin 7 on the 8 pin end

pin 4 on the 6 end goes to pin 6 on the 8 pin end

pin 5 on the 6 end goes to pin 4 on the 8 pin end

pin 6 on the 6 end goes to pin 2 on the 8 pin end, pins 1, 3, and 8 on the 8 pin side are not connected.

 

There is another cable INTERNAL to the electronics assembly that connects down to the ALT motor and the electronics.  You must unscrew the altitude clutch and remove the parts to that (remember the order of the items removed).

 

Then unscrew all of the Phillips head screws around the plastic cover on the left upright that covers the altitude motor and the electronics assembly.

 

Carefully look if there are any cables unplugged or loose.

 

If you can’t find anything, when I get back from retrieving Karen’s ATV from the shop (65 miles away) I’ll open mine up and look and see what I have.  I have not been inside this case in several years.  So my gnat like memory does not remember exactly what you should see in there.  But be aware that Orion likes to minimize cable lengths inside their electronics so there won’t be much slack on anything.

 

I do believe I encountered your error when I had the 14” Orion GoTo and the cable from the altitude motor assembly was loose.

 

A LOCAL RESOURCE is Jim Tallman, while not in Norfolk anymore, I think he is in Chesapeake down around the Cornland park area.  He has a 14” Orion GoTo that will have the same electronic cabling as yours.  His 14” mirror is the BEST 14” I have ever looked through.  Pinpoint stars from edge to edge WITHOUT a Paracorr.  My 14” was not so good, I HAD to have a Paracorr.

 

I have a 12” Orion Goto that has the BEST 12” mirror I or anyone who has looked through it, will attest to. 

 

I had bought a 12” aluminum Star Structure scope from Dr. Bruce that had a Zambuto mirror (signed by Carl himself) and I began comparing planetary views of Saturn and Jupiter through it in 2018 and the Orion mirror BEAT the Zambuto mirror hands down.  I brought that scope to many Boardwalk Astronomy sessions, and Green Bank parties and I was offered $5K for the scope up at Green Bank once.  It is my current main scope for outreach out here.  Until I get my rebuilt Obsession 18 UC back from Astro Systems next week.  Astro System took my 18” optics, focuser, DSC, ServoCat motors and electronics and are putting them in a custom made Baltic Birch “classic” dob structure.  I can’t wait, the 18” optics are better than my 20” classic Obsession.  I can’t wait to compare the 18” and the 12” Orion out here on the planets.  Saturn is up high enough after 0100 in the morning right now.

 

Let me know if you get anywhere on the 12”.  That tube is a monster (as you know).  My original 12” was a solid tube, and after a period of time I converted it over to the Orion truss tube frame.  That is another LONG story…

 

v/r

Chuck Jagow

Interim President – Dark Skies of The Wet Mountain Valley

Member - Back Bay Amateur Astronomers

Member – Colorado Springs Astronomy Association

Member – San Diego Astronomy Association

Member – Wet Mountain Valley Rotary Club

Future         Verde Mont Observatory

Gone...        Rott'n Paws Observatory

 

 

 

From: <BackBayAstro@groups.io> on behalf of "Dale Carey via groups.io" <vbstargazer@...>
Reply-To: <BackBayAstro@groups.io>
Date: Saturday, July 30, 2022 at 11:51 AM
To: "BackBayAstro@groups.io" <BackBayAstro@groups.io>
Subject: Re: [BackBayAstro] 12" go to dob

 

Thanks Chuck,  I'll be right there.

DC

-----Original Message-----
From: charles jagow <chuck@...>
To: BackBayAstro@groups.io
Sent: Sat, Jul 30, 2022 1:23 pm
Subject: Re: [BackBayAstro] 12" go to dob

You can bring it over if you want, it’s about a three day drive now...

 

HAHAHAHAHA, chuck made a funny!

Sent from Chuck's iPhone

On Jul 30, 2022, at 10:15 AM, Dale Carey via groups.io <vbstargazer@...> wrote:

OK, I did it,  so I found a 12" Orion SkyQuest XXg Go To TRUSS  Dob that the owner said he couldn't get it to work. All else works fine as a push to.

I paid 600 figured as a stand alone is worth that. So I plugged it in and Hand Controller comes on and says "no link to mount, in stand alone mode". 

I am knowledgeable in Meade hand controllers, I have several but not Orions. SOOOOO, I am in need for someone that is knowledgeable in Orion stuff,

particularly, this dob. Don't know if anything else is wrong, I can't get it to slew, so if anyone has some time they could give me come over to my place 

(near Rosemont and Holland) and help me nail down what is wrong, it would be greatly appreciated. If I need to pack it up and bring someplace I think I can manage.

Hope I can get this fixed, 2800 new, and no longer in stock

Dale Carey  

 

--

v/r

v/r

Chuck Jagow

Member – Dark Skies of The Wet Mountain Valley

Member - Back Bay Amateur Astronomers

Member – San Diego Astronomy Association

Member – Colorado Springs Astronomy Association

Future         Verde Mont Observatory

Gone...        Rott'n Paws Observatory

 

 

--

v/r

v/r

Chuck Jagow

Member – Dark Skies of The Wet Mountain Valley

Member - Back Bay Amateur Astronomers

Member – San Diego Astronomy Association

Member – Colorado Springs Astronomy Association

Future         Verde Mont Observatory

Gone...        Rott'n Paws Observatory

 

 

--

v/r

v/r

Chuck Jagow

Member – Dark Skies of The Wet Mountain Valley

Member - Back Bay Amateur Astronomers

Member – San Diego Astronomy Association

Member – Colorado Springs Astronomy Association

Future         Verde Mont Observatory

Gone...        Rott'n Paws Observatory