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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Hello,
I was just wondering if anyone uses GPS on there ETX. I was looking through some sites reading about its benefits. The only benefit I read about when using GPS is that your location is precisely defined. Are there any other usages for using GPS on a ETX? DOes it help locate objects better? 
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JGlover
sage
Reged: 08/19/04
Posts: 364
Loc: Naperville, IL
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All GPS does on the ETX is set your time and location. Accurate time and location is needed only to allow the scope to find the alignment stars correctly, it does nothing to help the scope locate objects. Once the alignment is comleted, the Autostar controller locates the objects.
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John Glover
Napervile, IL
Orion 120ST, WO 102ED/SV, Vixen A70Lf, WO ZS66SD
Celestron ASGT and SLT, Vixen Porta
PST
ETX105
DSH6
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Ah..thank you for your reply. If thats the case then spending another $160.00 for GPS seems foolish. I've read that the GPS is suppose to help with satellite tracking or something like that but I think I rather use the money for something more useful.. Thanks for your help JGlover.
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MarkHilt
super member
Reged: 01/26/05
Posts: 152
Loc: West Amboy, New York, United S...
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Friend of mine put it on his and sometimes depending on
location or who knows what god of sat location finder thingy
it wont get accurate signals . Im not even gonna try it on mine for free. I go to one of the terraserver.com sites and
find where i'm gonna be within a few meters and get elevation and sat pictures of surrouding area..you can be
real surprised if ya go somewhere ya havent been for awhile
and sombody parked a 40 story building south of it. LOL
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ETX-90RA UHTC
80mm Widefield Refractor/Finder
5 inch Meade on Alt/Az mount
IBM T23/LPI (imaging)
10" Dob [my winter project]
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JGlover
sage
Reged: 08/19/04
Posts: 364
Loc: Naperville, IL
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Quote:
Ah..thank you for your reply. If thats the case then spending another $160.00 for GPS seems foolish. I've read that the GPS is suppose to help with satellite tracking or something like that but I think I rather use the money for something more useful.. Thanks for your help JGlover.
You're welcome.
GPS tracks satellites to determie its position, maybe that is what you are thinking about. Outside of that, I can't see any way GPS can help to track a satellite. The GPS unit does not interface with the Autostar in any way outside of providing time and location. You're wise to spend your money on something else as it costs nothing to enter your location and date/time into the HC.
And, we like to hlep you spend your money here.......think Nagler perhaps
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John Glover
Napervile, IL
Orion 120ST, WO 102ED/SV, Vixen A70Lf, WO ZS66SD
Celestron ASGT and SLT, Vixen Porta
PST
ETX105
DSH6
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silversurfer
super member
Reged: 05/31/04
Posts: 114
Loc: Austin, TX
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Hello John,
It will help track satellites in that the position and time information will be more accurately supplied to Autostar by the GPS unit than you could enter manually. Giving Autostar more accurate location and especially time information should allow for more accurate finding and tracking of objetcs that move as "erratically" along the sky as satellites, and to a lesser degree other solar system ojbetcs.
Edited by silversurfer (02/07/05 12:36 AM)
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JGlover
sage
Reged: 08/19/04
Posts: 364
Loc: Naperville, IL
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I suppose, but unless a satellite is moving pretty much right at you, I can't see it staying in the FOV for any real length of time. I guess that's just not something that would interest me as any type of observing project. Though I do realize and appreciate that tracking satellites does have quite a large number of people who take areal interest in it.
Still you're right here, accurate time is really important fro tracking down something like a satellite, and what better place to get it than from a GPS. Only thing better would be a good, solid SW receiver tuned into WWV.
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John Glover
Napervile, IL
Orion 120ST, WO 102ED/SV, Vixen A70Lf, WO ZS66SD
Celestron ASGT and SLT, Vixen Porta
PST
ETX105
DSH6
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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I move my ETX to different locations for public demo's, so I use the GPS to shorten the time spent on setting up. I'm happy with it.
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