10Micron GM 1000 HPS GOTO-Mount

10Micron GM 1000 HPS GoTo-Mount

Deze montering heeft een fotografische draagkracht van 25kg en volgt uitermate precies door ingebouwd encoders waardoor een actief volgsysyteem eigenlijk niet meer nodig is.

The GM1000HPS mount is built for the demanding observer using photographic instruments up to a weight of 25kg – 55 lbs (counterweights not included). Movements are driven by two servo brushless motors, with timing belt reduction having zero backlash. Both axes feature a classic worm – wormwheel pairing. The wormwheels are made of bronze (B14), with a diameter of 125mm and 250 teeth, while the worms are built of alloy steel with a diameter of 20mm. The axes themselves are made of 30mm diameter alloy steel, for the maximum rigidity. The double dovetail mounting plate guarantees the maximum compatibility with many telescope manufacturers.

The electronics is housed in an independent control box, easily removable. The connections of motors, encoders and hand pad feature security lock screws. The mount can be controlled using the included hand pad, without connecting an external PC. The keypad is built in order to maintain the maximum readability in all lighting conditions. Both the display and the ergonomic keys, allowing for the use of gloves, feature a red backlight. An heater keeps the display warm for usage below freezing temperatures.

The mount can be controlled using the most common software packages by connecting it to a PC with the RS-232 serial port or the Ethernet connection, via the proprietary 10Micron ASCOM driver or the Meade compatible command protocol. Furthermore, a dedicated software (also included with the mount) can be used to create a "virtual hand pad" replicating exactly the functions of the physical hand pad. The RS-232 port can also be used to control an external dome. This flexibility makes the GM1000HPS an ideal mount for observatories and remotized observing sites. The object database contains many star catalogs and deep-sky objects up to the 16th magnitude. Solar system objects can be tracked so that their motion is compensated with respect to the stars. You may load orbital elements of comets, asteroids and artificial satellites into the mount, so that these objects can be tracked directly using the hand pad (without any external PC).

Pointing is made accurate through the usage of a model containing up to 100 stars, which allows for the correction of the classical polar alignment and conic errors, and also of the most important flexure terms of the optical tube. In this way it is possible to obtain pointing accuracies of the order of 20 arcseconds RMS. The same model can be used in order to obtain the maximum tracking accuracy, compensating also for the atmospheric refraction (depending on the local atmospheric pressure and temperature). A series of auxiliary functions is provided to help the user for quick aligning the mount to the celestial pole. You may save and recover the alignment data of different observing sessions. This function is very useful if you have many instruments in different setups, each one requiring different flexure corrections.

Tracking through the meridian, a typical problem with german mounts, is solved allowing for tracking for up to 30° past the meridian (configurable), in both directions. In this way any object can be tracked for at least four hours.
The tracking accuracy makes autoguiding not necessary for many uses. The absolute encoders on both axes allows to obtain a typical tracking error below 1 arcsecond. It is possible to autoguide anyway, using the ST4-compatible port or through the serial/Ethernet connection, with a guide rate configurable from 0.1x to 1x. The guide rate can be automatically corrected for the declination of the target, so that there is no need of recalibrating the autoguide when observing at different declinations.

Designed for field use, the GM1000HPS is easily transportable. The main body of the mount, without the counterweight shaft, has a weight of only 19.5 kg – 43 lbs.

Other functions of the mount are designed in order to obtain the maximum flexibility in the most usage conditions. The mount can be switched on and off using the dedicated connector on the control box panel. You can use the electronic balance functions in order to balance your instrument without unlocking the clutches. The mount can be parked in different user-defined positions. An external dome can be controlled directly using the RS-232 serial port, avoiding the need of using a dedicated external PC. Once configured with your instrument parameters, the firmware is able to make all the calculations required for positioning the dome slit in front of your optical tube, for almost all instrument configurations.

Tracking through the meridian, a typical problem with german mounts, is solved allowing for tracking for up to 30 past the meridian (configurable), in both directions. In this way any object can be tracked for at least four hours.

The tracking accuracy makes autoguiding not necessary for many uses. The absolute encoders on both axes allows to obtain a typical tracking error below 1 arcsecond.

It is possible to autoguide anyway, using the ST4-compatible port or through the serial/Ethernet connection, with a guide rate configurable from 0.Ix to Ix. The guide rate can be automatically corrected for the declination of the target, so that there is no need of recalibrating the autoguide when observing at different declinations. Designed for field use, the GMIOOOHPS is easily transportable. The main body of the mount, without the counterweight shaft, has a weight of only 19.5 kg – 43 Ibs. Other functions of the mount are designed in order to obtain the maximum flexibility In the most usage conditions.

The mount can be switched on and off using the dedicated connector on the control box panel. You can use the electronic balance functions in order to balance your instrument without unlocking the clutches.

The mount can be parked in different user-defined positions. An external dome can be controlled directly using the RS-232 serial port, avoiding the need of using a dedicated external PC. Once configured with your instrument parameters, the firmware is able to make all  the calculations required for positioning the dome slit in front of your optical tube, for almost all instrument configurations.

The GM1000HPS Mount delivers the same phenomenal accuracy, performance, and features as it's larger siblings, in a compact highly portable package. The HPS (High Precision and Speed) absolute encoders and QCI control system deliver a level of accuracy and performance unlike any other mounting in its class. Perfect as an un-guided imaging platform for fully instrumented refractors up to 6" and Cassegrains up to 12". There is nothing like it anywhere - the accuracy, size and capacity, build quality and performance of the GM1000HPS is amazing. When we got our first chance to use this gem of a mounting we were blown away.

With a conservative usable instrument capacity of 55 lbs, the GM1000HPS delivers rigidity, accuracy, and performance that belie its size, matching or exceeding mounts that are physically larger and heavier. The state of the art bronze worm gear drive system delivers near-zero backlash, high rigidity, and long term reliability, along with the phenomenal HPS tracking and pointing precision demanded by the most discriminating imagers.

What is HPS? Through the integration of precision absolute shaft encoders permanently mounted and calibrated to each axis, and the powerful QCI control system, the GM1000HPS is able to deliver <1 arcsec (peak-peak) tracking and 20arcsec pointing accuracy. The accuracy of the HPS system gives the imager a powerful tool that enables un-guided long exposure images. Never before has this level of accuracy been available to the amateur, at such affordable prices.

The quick alignment routines and highly reliable standalone operation enable rapid setup for a truly portable and efficient system (NO PC required for mount control!) . With a mount head weight of only 43 lbs and its compact design, the GM1000HPS takes little effort to transport and set up. When outfitted as a complete package with its rock solid Geoptik tripod and included accessories and fitted transport cases, the GM1000HPS becomes the ultimate turnkey highly-portable mounting sytem. The GM1000HPS includes an integral dual dovetail mount (Losmandy 3" and Vixen/EQ), and its single all-in-one cable avoids the tangle of RA and DEC motor/power cables that most other mounts require.

The sophisticated QCI control system and belt driven brushless F.I.S. AC servomotors deliver whisper-quiet fast slews with high pointing precision and tracking. The slew speed of up to 15 degrees/second is 3x the speed of most other GoTo mounts, enabling lightning fast slews and precision tracking of satellites (the satellite tracking function is already embedded into the control system) . Multiple hardware interfaces (including integrated LAN) and multiple standard driver protocols are compatible with all of the leading software packages, enabling fully automated operation.

The QCI control system also includes stand-alone operation through use of its ergonomic handpad, freeing the user from the requirement of having to always use an auxiliary PC to control the instrument. Through the handpad, the stand-alone user can access all of the many integrated functions including; full Object Database, High-Precision Polar Alignment, Orthogonality Correction, Periodic Error Correction, as well as a Multi-Star Alignment which models and compensates for telescope pointing errors. A GPS module is optionally available.

Each mount is thoroughly tested as a system to ensure that its performance, accuracy, and quality meet the 10Micron standards. The engineering, design, and build quality of the GM1000HPS are unlike any other mounting in the world. The precision of the machining, quality of the components, and the level of fit and finish are breathtaking.

Standard configuration of all HPS Mounts

• 4-Lines Stand-Alone Keypad with metal housing and heated screen (#1452059)
• embedded Computer-Controller with Linux Managment System for complete remote use of the mount incl. all functions such as satellite tracking, moon feature and more
• Interface: RS232, Ethernet, Wi-Fi
• Connectors for: GPS, Autoguider, Keypad, Mount, Aux and Remote Switch
• Latest QCI software (Version 2.x)
• Connection cables, counterweight bar
• PC Software: Virtual Keypad, Clock Sync Tool, Multi Mount, ASCOM Driver
• Instruction manual

Scope of supply

• Mount GM 1000 with precision on-axis Absolute-Encoders
• Motor control box with onboard-intelligence (Linux-processor)
• Up-to-date QCI Software (Version 2.x)
• Cables
• Counter weight shaft
• #1452061 |  Stand-Alone hand control unit
• #1451090 | Tripod / Pillar - Adapter
• #1451092 | Standard base adapter flange for GM 1000
• #1451066 | Special foam fitted transport cardboard box

Technical Data