Lord Beowulf
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/13/08
Loc: Cedar Park, TX
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Re: CGEMs are shipping!!
[Re: OpalescentNebula]
#3008838 - 03/27/09 09:30 PM
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Well, I'm still waiting to see mine shipped. I looked back at the e-mail I'd received and it was actually a quote of an e-mail from Celestron to Telescopes.com's purchasing stating that Celestron "should start shipping a few" this week. Not that they were shipping any to Telescopes.com, etc. So still I wait!
Beo
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Dr Benway
professor emeritus
Reged: 03/27/08
Loc: Abilene, TX
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Re: CGEMs are shipping!!
[Re: Lord Beowulf]
#3009115 - 03/28/09 12:25 AM
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Beo,
My order status is still "pending", but my credit limit on my VISA card has been reduced by the amount of the CGEM. This is like reading tea leaves!
John
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waassaabee
Post Laureate
Reged: 11/26/07
Loc: Central California Coast
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Re: CGEMs are shipping!!
[Re: OpalescentNebula]
#3009661 - 03/28/09 11:30 AM
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Wooo Hooo !!!!  I love this mount!!!
I took the opportunity last night to give the CGEM a test run. I'm still working with William to get my QGuider operational, so I was going to blast a bunch of unguided subs while exercising the mount.
AllStar alignment is pretty groovy, but having never done it I stepped slowly. I had selected Procyon to do the 'Polar Alignment' on, and didn't have much adjustment to put it in the crosshairs, then the mount will slew to where it thinks it should be.... Wacky mount did a meridian flip and BAM, there was Procyon! The mount alt/az adjusters are a dream in comparison to the CG5. Recalibrated the alignment and calibration stars to complete the alignment, then just started cruising the sky. Every target was in the center of the chip! No matter where in the sky.. Once I was doing the high speed slew across the sky and a CHP pulled up and told me to slow it down... Go figure..
I'm sorting through some subs I got while racing around the sky last night, if there's anything worthwhile you'll see it!
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LLEEGE
True Blue
Reged: 03/03/05
Loc: Cloud-chester,NY
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Re: CGEMs are shipping!!
[Re: waassaabee]
#3009688 - 03/28/09 11:43 AM
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Quote:
Wooo Hooo !!!! I love this mount!!!
I took the opportunity last night to give the CGEM a test run. I'm still working with William to get my QGuider operational, so I was going to blast a bunch of unguided subs while exercising the mount.
AllStar alignment is pretty groovy, but having never done it I stepped slowly. I had selected Procyon to do the 'Polar Alignment' on, and didn't have much adjustment to put it in the crosshairs, then the mount will slew to where it thinks it should be.... Wacky mount did a meridian flip and BAM, there was Procyon! The mount alt/az adjusters are a dream in comparison to the CG5. Recalibrated the alignment and calibration stars to complete the alignment, then just started cruising the sky. Every target was in the center of the chip! No matter where in the sky.. Once I was doing the high speed slew across the sky and a CHP pulled up and told me to slow it down... Go figure..
I'm sorting through some subs I got while racing around the sky last night, if there's anything worthwhile you'll see it!
I see you got the "Cordless" model! 
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waassaabee
Post Laureate
Reged: 11/26/07
Loc: Central California Coast
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Re: CGEMs are shipping!!
[Re: LLEEGE]
#3009732 - 03/28/09 11:59 AM
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Cordless and Solar Powered!!
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J_D_Metzger
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/13/04
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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Re: CGEMs are shipping!!
[Re: waassaabee]
#3009796 - 03/28/09 12:30 PM
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If you don't mind, would someone with one of the just-shipped CGEMs check to see if the altitude lock bolt (the "T" knob on the front) actually locks the mount at low altitudes? The intitial CGEM's "T" bolt was too short. At a setting of about 32°, you could screw it all the way in and it still didn't touch anything...
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tboss70
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 11/25/05
Loc: Missouri
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Re: CGEMs are shipping!!
[Re: J_D_Metzger]
#3009821 - 03/28/09 12:44 PM
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post those pics! post those pics! post those pics!
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waassaabee
Post Laureate
Reged: 11/26/07
Loc: Central California Coast
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Re: CGEMs are shipping!!
[Re: tboss70]
#3009845 - 03/28/09 12:53 PM
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J.D. - It's the same short bolt. I'm at 34.6 and it has no effect. But it appears to me that the weight of the mount (especially loaded) at that low of an angle keeps it pretty darn solid on the adjuster. 
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PhilCo126
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/14/05
Loc: coastline of Belgium
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Re: CGEMs are shipping!!
[Re: waassaabee]
#3009867 - 03/28/09 01:06 PM
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Thanks for sharing the photos...
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J_D_Metzger
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/13/04
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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Re: CGEMs are shipping!!
[Re: waassaabee]
#3009918 - 03/28/09 01:41 PM
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J.D. - It's the same short bolt. I'm at 34.6 and it has no effect. But it appears to me that the weight of the mount (especially loaded) at that low of an angle keeps it pretty darn solid on the adjuster.
Thanks. I agree that the weight does hold it, but when I'm taking the mount on and off the tripod, I don't like it moving...
I guess I'm just anal about these things, but an altitude lock should actually lock something, dang it... 
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waassaabee
Post Laureate
Reged: 11/26/07
Loc: Central California Coast
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Re: CGEMs are shipping!!
[Re: J_D_Metzger]
#3009959 - 03/28/09 02:08 PM
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As easy as the adjustments are, you can just spin it up and lock it when you are done. I moved mine on the tripod, it's a little tricky but saves a trip.
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J_D_Metzger
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/13/04
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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Re: CGEMs are shipping!!
[Re: waassaabee]
#3010095 - 03/28/09 03:18 PM
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As easy as the adjustments are, you can just spin it up and lock it when you are done. I moved mine on the tripod, it's a little tricky but saves a trip.
I don't have anywhere to store mine on the tripod. I keep the OTA and the mount in separate hard cases, and the tripod in a soft case. Leaving it set up is not an option, and I don't foresee ever having an observatory. So the fewer things I have to re-adjust every time I set it up, the better...
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t.r.
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/14/08
Loc: Upstate NY
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Re: CGEMs are shipping!!
[Re: J_D_Metzger]
#3010426 - 03/28/09 06:24 PM
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Waassaabee, are the motors louder or quieter than the CG-5GT?
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waassaabee
Post Laureate
Reged: 11/26/07
Loc: Central California Coast
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Re: CGEMs are shipping!!
[Re: t.r.]
#3011340 - 03/29/09 09:16 AM
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t.r. - Much, much quieter than my CG5. Slew speeds up to about 6 or 7 are quiet, then they start to take on a turbine whine. But the decibels are way lower than the CG5.
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Lord Beowulf
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/13/08
Loc: Cedar Park, TX
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Re: CGEMs are shipping!!
[Re: J_D_Metzger]
#3011531 - 03/29/09 11:04 AM
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I guess I'm just anal about these things, but an altitude lock should actually lock something, dang it...
Celestron posted this knowledgebase article last month in apparent response to this question. Of course to me this strikes me as the "It's not a bug, it's a feature!" response typical from software developers when the find a screw up they don't really want to take the time to fix.
Beo
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Lord Beowulf
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/13/08
Loc: Cedar Park, TX
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Re: CGEMs are shipping!!
[Re: Dr Benway]
#3011551 - 03/29/09 11:14 AM
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Beo,
My order status is still "pending", but my credit limit on my VISA card has been reduced by the amount of the CGEM. This is like reading tea leaves!
John
Forsooth! Thou may hast cracked the code! (Or) "I say Holmes, well done!" I checked my credit card statement online and didn't see any evidence that they charged me yet, which they shouldn't as long as it's at pending status. Did you actually see the charge listed or did they possibly just put a pre-hold on it to ensure they could ship next week? The latter's probably not a bad idea as it would let them contact you early if something had changed that would have put your card over the limit now.
Beo
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J_D_Metzger
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/13/04
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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Re: CGEMs are shipping!!
[Re: Lord Beowulf]
#3011645 - 03/29/09 11:59 AM
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Quote:
Quote:
I guess I'm just anal about these things, but an altitude lock should actually lock something, dang it...
Celestron posted this knowledgebase article last month in apparent response to this question. Of course to me this strikes me as the "It's not a bug, it's a feature!" response typical from software developers when the find a screw up they don't really want to take the time to fix.
Beo
I agree. I have already replaced mine with a DIY bolt, and will be getting a custom one from ADM soon. The stock ADM bolts will be the same length as the Celestron bolts, but Anthony will make you a longer one if you ask...
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hersey0308
super member
Reged: 12/04/08
Loc: Ontario Canada
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Re: CGEMs are shipping!!
[Re: waassaabee]
#3011743 - 03/29/09 12:38 PM
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hey gary - not only is this set up a beauty but it seems like you have plenty of sky to work with too. looking really good!
david
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waassaabee
Post Laureate
Reged: 11/26/07
Loc: Central California Coast
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Re: CGEMs are shipping!!
[Re: hersey0308]
#3011819 - 03/29/09 01:08 PM
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hey gary - not only is this set up a beauty but it seems like you have plenty of sky to work with too. looking really good!
david
Thanks David, I am very spoiled here in my backyard as I have 360 clear and only a couple of light domes from small towns 7-10 miles away. Being only 20 miles from the coast has drawbacks, as we deal with marine layer from time to time. But the good nights are GOOD!
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waassaabee
Post Laureate
Reged: 11/26/07
Loc: Central California Coast
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Re: CGEMs are shipping!!
[Re: tboss70]
#3011856 - 03/29/09 01:26 PM
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post those pics! post those pics! post those pics!
OK Todd... Here's the only one I really got. I was testing out how far past the meridian I could go. My QGuider is also giving me a headache (again) so these are just 90 second frames. [Click the image for a larger center crop]
BTW - according to Starry Nights the CGEM tracked to around 20 degrees past the meridian.
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