Since 2013 I use a 10Micron GM1000 HPS mount with a 4,5″ Newton and a 8″ Vixen VC200L. My telescopes and mount have to be installed each session on my balcony. The 10Micron GM1000 HPS has never been guided for imaging and has produced very good results so far.
It has never failed to provide unguided imaging, this is a great advantage. The main body of the mount has a weight of 19.5 kg, the counterweight shaft weighs additional 1,7 kg. So, the GM1000 HPS is easily transportable. Movements of the mount are driven by two AC servo motors with timing belt reduction and zero-backlash. Both axes feature a worm to wormwheel pairing. The axes are made of 30 mm diameter alloy steel, a double dovetail mounting plate offers the maximum compatibility with many telescopes.
The mount is mechanically very stable, the instrument payload capacity is 25 kg. The electronics is placed in an removable, independend control box. The GM1000 HPS can be controlled by using the hand pad without any connecting to an external PC. Nevertheless the mount also can be contolled by using common software by connecting it to a PC via RS-232 serial port, Ethernet or WiFi. The object data base contains a lot of different star catalogues and deep-sky-objects up to the 16th magnitude. It is possible to load orbital elements of comets, asteroids and artificial satellites. HPS stands for High Precision and Speed. With the help of ultra-high resolution absolute-encoders, directly mounted at the right ascension and declination axis, the 10micron GM1000 HPS allows a very accurate tracking. Pointing and tracking models are implemented in the mount itself without need a special external software. Standard polar alignment is reached ba aligning the mount to the north aligning on three stars. By adding more alignment stars the model is refined. An estimate of the expected pointing accuracy is shown on the hand controller after each additional calibration star is inserted.
The usage of a pointing model up to 100 stars allows the correction of the classical polar alignment and conic errors, also the most important flexure terms of the telescope. With the help of a good pointing model it is possible to obtain a pointing accuracy of 20 arcseconds RMS. For my telescopes a pointing model of 20 stars brings good results. The absolute encoders on both axes allow tracking error below 1 arcsecond. After the alignment, the mount will know the polar axis misalignment.The polar axis must be aligned with the Polar Align function. A star from the object list is selected, after confirming the scope will slew to this star and miss it. At the end of the Alignment this star must be accurately centered in the field of view by moving the polar axis of the mount with the altitude and azimuth adjustment knobs. After an observing session, the entire electronics box (motor electronics with Linux computer) and HC can be easily detached and protected from premature aging and moisture damage. A virtual key-pad on PC is available for remote control.
Drive mechanics
– Internal wiring, no external wiring cables
– Self-locking, high precision worm-wheel-drives with classic friction clutches
– High torque Servo DC motors eliminate imbalance motor stall
– Proprietary motor-electronics for easy servicing
Drive electronics
– Absolute on-axis encoders in RA & Dec,featuring more than 10 million increments (interpolated),
fully encapsulated and calibrated
– Up to 0.6″ RMS tracking accuracy (for long duration unguided imaging)
– Closed loop (encoder controlled) satellite tracking
Technical data
Type: German Equatorial Mount
Weight: 19.5 kg (without accessories)
Instrument payload capacity: 5 kg
Latitude range: 0° – 82° (90° optional)
Azimuth fine adjustment range: +/- 7.5°
Axes: 30 mm diameter, alloy steel
Counterweight shaft: 30 mm diameter, stainless steel, weight 1.7 kg
Bearings: Pre-loaded tapered roller bearings
Worms: 20 mm diameter, alloy steel
Worm wheels: 250 teeth, 125 mm diameter, B14 bronze
Transmission system: Backless-free system with timing belt and automatic backlash recovery
Motors: 2 axes servo brushless
Power supply: 24 V DC
Power consumption: – 0.5 A while tracking
– 3 A at maximum speed
– 4 A peak
Go-to speed: Adjustable from 2°/s to 15°/s
Pointing accuracy: < 20″ with internal multiple-stars software mapping
Average tracking accuracy: < +/- 1″ typical for 15 minutes (< 0.7″ RMS)
with multiple-stars software mapping and compensation of flexure and polar alignment errors
– 0.6″ RMS with internal 25-stars software mapping and compensation of system flexures and polar alignment errors
Security stop: +/− 30° past meridian in r.a. (software), +/− 45° past meridian in r.a. (mechanical)
Communication ports: RS–232 port; GPS port; autoguide ST-4 protocol port; Ethernet port
Database
Stars: by name, Bayer designation, Flamsteed designation, Bright Star Catalogue, SAO, HIP, HD, PPM, ADS, GCVS. Deep-sky: M, NGC, IC, PGC , UGC limited up to mV = 16
Solar system: Sun, Moon, planets, asteroids, comets, artificial satellites
Equatorial and altazimuth coordinates. User defined objects, fast slewing positions
Firmware features
User defined mount parking position, 2‑stars and 3‑stars alignment function, up to 100 alignment stars for modeling, correction of polar alignment and orthogonality errors, estimate of average pointing error, storage of multiple pointing models, sidereal, solar and lunar tracking speed adjustable on both axes, declination-based autoguide speed correction, adjustable horizon height limit, pointing and tracking past meridian, assisted balance adjustment, manual or GPS based time and coordinates setting, dome control via RS-232, configurable atmospheric refraction, network settings, comets and asteroids filter, multi-language interface, remote assist via Internet connection
PC control
Remote contol via RS232 or Ethernet, proprietary ASCOM driver or Meade compatible protocol, update of firmware and orbital elements of comets, asteroids and artificial satellites via RS-232 or Ethernet, virtual control panel via RS-232 or Ethernet, integrated Wi-Fi module for connection with tablets, smartphones etc