SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

OK, not an advertisement, just a heads up.
We all struggle with the outdated and bloated fit files that are the standard of AP.
I've been fooling along with different "thumb" drives. So good, many not so good.
I finally outsmarted them with a 2 terabyte Scandisk Extreme portable SSD.
Not only does it grab the files and eat them like a monster, but it regurgitates them to be processed faster than I've ever seen before.
It uses a USB-C connection to my mount laptop (which I've never used before), and it came with a USB-3 adapter to use it with USB-3 ports.
This Astrophotography business sure keeps you on the cutting edge. Hard on my butt though.

joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

In August, I had my San Disk Extreme Pro 2TB SSD fail. I lost 1TB of data, I did have a backup. I was upset to learn that Western Digital knew the 2TB and 4TB SSD were failing but did not inform registered owners. When I contacted San Disk, they wanted to send me a replacement. I told them no thanks. There are many articles on the net regarding this; attached is the first one that popped up.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/08/sandisk-extreme-ssds-are-worthless-multiple-lawsuits-against-wd-say/

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Interesting. I've installed it on two computers now (both Windows). So far, so good. Going on 3 days...
I basically use mine as a transfer medium.
And a friend of mine used to work for SanDisc.

Personally, I've had good luck and performance with WD and SanDisc drives.
And I don't save much other than processed files. I'll keep this in mind if mine fails.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

SanDisk SSDs have known reliability issues - at the current time, I wouldn’t trust my data to them, and if you have, I’d have a complete backup handy. There are better choices such as Samsung.

https://petapixel.com/2023/08/08/sandisk-portable-ssds-are-failing-so-frequently-we-can-no-longer-recommend-them/
https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/67209172
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/05/sandisk-extreme-ssds-keep-abruptly-failing-firmware-fix-for-only-some-promised/
https://www.zdnet.com/article/check-your-ssds-what-to-know-about-the-sandiskwestern-digital-data-loss-disaster/

Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California

Yep USB 3 is fast, the cable length is limited to around 10ft to maintain full speed. Always remember to keep backup copies of your data. I'm a bit paranoid on this so I have one drive dedicated to astronomy, a large 18 terabyte for backup and then another set of copies on a NAS server running RAID 6 (with RAID 6 the NAS could lose any 2 drives and still recover all its data). As you say this hobby can drain your budget.

Marc G Loc: East Grinstead, West Sussex, England

Hi mate

I use the Samsung 2TB T7 ssd drive, it has never let me down hence why i have two of them.
However, I found that they perform better on USB2 opposed to USB3.
I also use a USB stick loaded with a 1TB micro SD card of which works very well too
Marc

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Unless you have the USB ports confused (USB3 are blue, USB2 are black or white), something is wrong (possibly the cable) if performance of USB2 is faster than 3.

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Much of our equipment uses USB2 connections anyway.
The only exception on mine is the ASI 1600MM camera.
So I have USB3 from that to my hub and on down via USB3 cable to computer USB3 port. Which also handles all the other USB2 data.
Typically nothing requires the added speed of USB3 for my AP.
When I'm taking my exposures, having 2 to 5 minutes between them gives a lot of time for downloading.

Okay, next time I'll do more research, I Promise.

I see they are the same price for me here. I basically use my ssd's for ease of transfer from one box-of-rocks to the other. And typically store in month to month folders.
Normally, I don't revisit data. Just the results.
My subjects have been coming around for much longer than I have.

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Hi Ballard!
Typically, I don't save a lot of my data. Looking back on a lot of it is just too depressing. But I have learned all along.
I think when "Rank Amateur" was coined, they had me in mind.
I typically store my finished images, but not the whole file. Especially .fit files. Because they tend to be so gigantic.
I've learned over the decades that CD's scratched, Tape drives break, hard drives quit, and thumb drives go in the trash.
My main use is to easily transfer last nights files from one computer to another for processing. Or to build month to month session files which get saved to other storage.
But I am an amateur and try to keep my hobby light.
In fact, I'm more overjoyed in how things run, than forcing image results. So you could liken me to a BB in a box car for my seriousness of results. I just roll along with the rhythm of the rails.
I've finally gotten to a place I dreamed of 10 years ago.
But I love learning from my friends who are doing the same struggles as me. Well, similar I guess. Because each of us have the similar goals, but use entirely different equipment as we learn how to achieve the goal of our images.

I had an Uncle who always encouraged people learn something new each day. In this sport I can about learn something new every attempt.

Wow! An 18 TB SSD. That is huge!
I've always found that bigger drives ran faster for me. They typically have more space so the computer can find data faster. Or so it has been in my experiences.
When a drive gets full, it slows down the process.
And as big a RAM as possible. Though nowadays the RAM is so big and fast the processor can get a whole large file spread out and not have to go back to storage for bits and pieces.

HA! Got me looking for some of my very first Astro Photo's. And I got out my old HP Simple Save back up drive. (Basically a Hard Drive in a case.) The Power supply died a long time ago. But I found one with similar spec's and it works. There is still photos on it that come up. Just not the ones I wanted. But my spotting scope, and cell phone with an app. I saw Orion, and fell into a black hole.
I am amazed the HP drive still works. I think mine is ~10 years old.
Found this yukkie in my old Youtube files:
https://youtu.be/QUiktKNeEUE?si=0Xud7-V7byeTxnl-&t=138

y Cyg Nebula 2023-09-18

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In the beginning... A spotting scope and a jury rigged phone app.

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Minor difference... (I have two CB weights now.) (130mm Triplet, with a few trimmings.)

(Download)

Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California

Hi Sonny
That is a great looking setup. Looks like you have the extension on the Losmandy mount to get more time for the meridian flip. I still have more 30 year old g11 mount that I upgraded to the gemini 2 controller and motor and use it for my portable mount with my refactor and camera lenses.

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Thank You, Ballard.
I love that mount, it's a G811GM HD. Scott Losmandy put together a G11 RA axis married to a GM8 dec axis. It appealed to me because I didn't see a need for a G11 dec axis for my Teany Weinie 80 mm refractor I had at the time.(18 pounds total)
But with a 50 pound photographic payload rating is, (G11G 60 pound), I figured it could handle as big as I would foreseeably go.
Now, it has that Triplet 130mm (5") refractor on it. All together I think the equipment from the clamp up is 33 pounds. Which isn't a strain on the mount at all.
My thinking was to have the HD tripod for strength and rigidity, the G11RA which is so good of the Losmandy line, And the lighter GM8 DEC axis.
Yep, I added the 12" extension to space out the tripod and head. No clunk in the night. Basically, a portable pier configuration.
As I picked brains over at the Losmandy Forum, I confirmed what I wanted almost to a tee. I added the RAEXT. After I brought it home and put it together the way I planned.
In part, so I could break it down easily to bring it in (3 main assemblies, Clamp up; DEC/counter weights; and extension. But the RAEXT also allows to not do a meridian flip if aiming South. (North is another can of worms. But I finally licked that in NINA.) As you probably know, as good as Losmandy Mounts are, the Software Industry tends to revolve around others. So they aren't always easy to dial in.
I finally "borrowed" Meridian flip settings from a post I found on the Gemini II forum. Now it flips like a fish on a deck.

I've had some nice conversations with Scott. He could see I had my goal in mind with the specifics I had when I went to Burbank to pick it up at the factory (20 miles away).
I bought a clamp for camera mounting to the dovetail bar. He specifically ask me how I was planning to use it, "Underhung?". Yes I told him, that was what I was thinking.
I don't use it so much for hanging my DSLR under much, it's easier to have my big lens mounted to a dovetail bar and to just mount it right on the clamp. Then do my Comet hunting and guiding.
I removed the bracket for the camera, and use the clamp underhung on my dovetail bar as a stop for the dovetail against the clamp itself. That way the telescope always was perfectly landed in balance everytime I mounted it.
(I use to remove my telescope after every session and bring it indoors, then cover my mount with a round BBQ cover, and a 32 gallon Dome. (A black plastic trash can)
Now though, the 33+ payload is quite awkward for me, and I have a inguinal hernia. (Groin) So I'm not suppose to lift it. It stays mounted and gets covered, plus a patio umbrella to help with the Sun burning down on things. It works.
One last bit of advice Scott gave me was, "Don't mess with it, just use it." And I have always followed that advice.
Except I did lube the gears for the motors.
So it stays outside, with 1" thick old growth Redwood adjustable boards under it's toes (Home made). Everybody sez you don't need to level your mount. I'm not everybody. I like to start off with my tripod as plumb with the earth as possible.
Love my GM811G HD and how it is mildly customized. Thing I like the most is it's American Made. (Singapore electronics, German Programming.) Damn near bulletproof.

Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California

Yep the Losmandy mounts work well and I use it as my portable mount. I also use the umbrella method myself and leave the telescope and astrophysics mount outside covered with a barbeque cover and only take it down when a big storm is coming. Since the main telescope is heavy (70 lbs), I use my special cart to mount and dismount it and recently changed the cart to use nematic wheel to make it easier to push around since it gets loaded with more than 100 lbs of weights and 70 lbs of telescope along with other misc parts. I also like to make sure the mount stays level when setting up. I use to dual mount method with a camera lens and refactor as the guide scope since I cannot put an off-axis guider on the camera lens (not enough back focus).

Setup for a star Party

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SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

That looks like the area on Mount Pinos above Frasier Park.
They have a bunch of star parties there.

Found this oldie but a goodie:
https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/331400-classic-star-party-at-mount-pinos-calif-cspamp4/

My tripod has never been extended. The 12" extension is more than plenty.

Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California

Hi SonnyE
Actually, this was up at Plumas Eureka just above Johnsville at the ski lift parking lot (~6000ft). I got there the day before the star party to setup both my telescopes last August.

stepping beyond Loc: usa eastcoast

I don't know where you heard that "you level the mount and balance the ota ". A level mount is a happy mount , Less strain on the drive train. Smooth motion in RA & DEC. I've been 4 nights getting things back in harmony after shooting on the Omega from the drive. Everytime, I move "THE RIG" it has to be fine tuned for that awesome guiding.