Setting Up GEM28 Mount

[@mesample1705]

I was hoping for a complete setup tutorial. I received my CEM26 this week, and I need to get it running, it was waisted time watching your contribution. Your video was fun. I could hear well and video was done well. Your comments about the clutch switches addressed the reactions of many users. You reminded me of Sarah Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon, I high society woman who brought her Minnie Pearl character to the Grand Old Opry. Your wit is a treasure.

[@tsulasbigadventures]

Michael: That is hilarious that I reminded you of Minnie Pearl. I looked Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon up on Wikipedia and I was surprised to see that her first performance as Minnie Pearl was in Aiken, South Carolina which is where I was born! I'm glad you liked my video and that it helped you. Thank you.

[@davehyper7835]

Thanks for sharing your experiences with the gem28. i read a lot about issues with this mount. there are quite a few forum chats on CN and a few videos on youtube with advice about tuning them. they look fairly easy to service and tune. i'm considering this mount despite it's mediocre reviews. I like the idea of an gps module and i'm with you when it come to optical polar scopes. thanks again for sharing.

[@tsulasbigadventures]

Hi Dave: Thank you for letting me know about servicing and tuning this mount. I would definitely like to know more about that. I would like to add that since I made this video I tried to put my 115mm refractor that only weighs 12 pounds completely loaded and that mount just fell apart. It couldn't even handle 12 pounds. So I hope your set up is lightweight.

[@davehyper7835]

@@tsulasbigadventures Oh wow it should be able to handle more than double that, that's disappointing. my current set up is no more than 12lbs but i haven't pulled the trigger on the gem28 yet. i have been researching the mount, in particular how easy it would be to tune should i actually buy one. the following links are worth a look: First link is easy clutch adjustment ( i think i remember you sayin that the lock lever can go too far past the padlock symbot printed on the mount. that would indicate the clutch needs adjustment) kzbin.info/www/bejne/mqKqi3iqn8qCgpI This link goes into a little more detail for RA adjustments: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fWjbmH6ld914mNU

[@tsulasbigadventures]

@@davehyper7835 Hey. Thank you so much for those links. I am going to look at those and see if I can improve the performance on my mount with them. If you do get the GEM28, you will need an extra counterweight for anything over 10 pounds. I had to borrow two counterweights from my SkyGuider Pro in order to get my 115mm balanced and then the mount was very unstable.

[@davehyper7835]

@@tsulasbigadventures You are welcome! Now that i come to think about it more, when you added more weight to your mount more problems occurred, i'm sure the clutches need tightening on your gem. I think the spring loaded clutch is not pushing the worm drive gear into the main ring gear enough and thus not meshing well at all. When the worm gear (which is driven by a belt and pulley) is driven it's perhaps jumping a tooth or more on the main ring gear. this would explain some of your problems. Anyway, well worth a try and you look like you know your way around a tool kit so a couple of allen bolts shouldn't be a problem. Thanks for the heads up about the counterweight. I have the skyguider pro so if the weight fits the gem28 its a bonus. good luck, dave

[@Dimsa87]

Subscribed. Ordered Gem28, because of it's lightweight and ability to travel easy with this mount. Your video inspired me to book a tour to Ergaki with the astronomical set. Will be more accurate with the RA axis lock. Thank you for tips and honest description of this mount. Greetings from Russia.

[@tsulasbigadventures]

How was it on your trip?

[@Dimsa87]

@@tsulasbigadventures I'll be honest. Tried imaging DSO 3 times with setup: gem28, skywatcher 130pds + Canon 4000d + coma corrector, zwo asi 462 for guiding and guiding scope 40mm by svbony, and I experienced issues with guiding. The final Images looks good(in respect of imaging conditions) but because of pixel scale, the real guiding error is about 1.5 arcsecs for Ra and Dec, so I'm not satisfied, but working on improvement, trying to figure out the reason. My colleague using another one gem28 and better guiding scope has ~0.68 arcsec for Ra and Dec guiding error, as I try to reach. I have much less experience in taking DSO, hope this my mistake, but it's possible that issue is in Gem28

[@tsulasbigadventures]

@@Dimsa87 Sorry to hear that. I had to return my GEM28 because the gears failed. They said they fixed it and mailed it back to me but now the top section collides with the RA lever when slewing in one direction. I will have to send it back again. So, I wonder if the issue with yours is perhaps the GEM28 and not the autoguider.

[@Dimsa87]

@@tsulasbigadventures Thank you. I read your comments about sending mount back. Sorry to read that too. Could you please clarify some details about the issue with RA lever and colliding in one direction. Were the default levers changed in service? My levers can be pulled up and then its' caps can be turned to any direction. Could this be the solution?

[@abbasjafri5948]

Surprisingly attractive detail review. Very nice site.

[@tsulasbigadventures]

Thank you!

[@OlliesSpace]

I've heard the knobs on those mounts can be a bit tricky. Nice video and images. 👍

[@tsulasbigadventures]

Thank you.

[@mvdeehan]

I was looking for some advice on that subject with my new GEM28. Don’t seem to tighten and others loosen! Very frustrating. I pull up the “latch” and twist right to tighten and left to loosen but nothing happens!!

[@mvdeehan]

Got it sorted ok!

[@DannerPlace]

Very enjoyable video :-)

[@tsulasbigadventures]

Thanks, Dan.

[@caviestcaveman8691]

Just got my Cem26 gonna have some fun

[@tsulasbigadventures]

I hope it operates flawlessly for you.

[@caviestcaveman8691]

@@tsulasbigadventures thank you me too! Of course the clouds came lol

[@lavers_1]

thx for the vid! Can you put an 8" Newtonian on this mount?

[@tsulasbigadventures]

how much does it weigh? I would not put anything over 12 pounds on that mount. It claims it can hold 28 pounds but that is a vast overstatement by iOptron.

[@lavers_1]

@@tsulasbigadventures thx . It weights 20 pounds so I guess it's too much

[@tsulasbigadventures]

@@lavers_1 No, that's too much for that mount. I tried to put a 115mm refractor on it and I couldn't even balance it even with an extra weight.

[@lavers_1]

@@tsulasbigadventures thx for the info!

[@lavers_1]

bought the big one... 44 pounds

[@olly7248]

Should unlock the RA axis before putting on counterweights to prevent potential damage to worm gear 👍🏻

[@tsulasbigadventures]

Thank you for the tip. Unfortunately the mount stopped working last week and I had to mail it back to iOptron for warranty repair. When I get it back I will be sure to unock the RA axis when putting the counterweights on.

[@skye7690]

Do you recommend the GEM28 or the CEM26?

[@tsulasbigadventures]

I would only recommend the GEM28 mount if you have a small or lightweight telescope. iOptron claims it can handle up to 28 pounds but I would not try to put anything heavier than 12 pounds. It works fine with my little 80mm refractor but it struggles with my 8" SCT and annoyingly the lever slams into the side of the scope when I am tightening the saddle. I have never used the CEM26 but iOptron also claims it can handle up to 28 pounds and I would not trust that at all. So I would only recommend either for a small telescope and it will work great.

[@lornaz1975]

How does the Orion 80mm ED perform visually? I have been thinking about this scope but I am strictly a visual observer. It is between your triplet and the Tele Vue 85mm dublet. Also, did you have to add the vixen bar on the foot of the scope or did it come with it?

[@tsulasbigadventures]

Lornaz: The Orion ED 80 has fantastic optics and performs well for visual use. I was amazed at how clear everything looked in it especially being so small. But if I were you I would go with the Triplet because you will be able to see so much more detail in the bigger telescope. The ED80 comes with a small foot on it. I should have never added that small dovetail which Orion no longer carries anyway. The added dovetail is what caused the cone error! And I only added it because if you add photography equipment to your telescope it is going to weigh more than just a star diagonal and an eyepiece and I needed more room in order to balance it properly. So if you get the Orion ED80T just mount it on the little foot that it comes with and that will be plenty adequate for visual use. It comes with one tube ring and the little foot and that's all you really need.

[@lornaz1975]

@@tsulasbigadventures When you say go with the triplet do you mean yours (that is the Orion? The TV 85 is a doublet. Sorry just a little confused.

[@tsulasbigadventures]

@@lornaz1975 OK. I thought you meant the Orion 115mm Triplet. Is that what you meant? If so, I would recommend the 115mm because you will see so much more with the bigger aperture and of course the triplet has two elements of ED glass. Yes, I recommend the Orion 115mm Triplet. It's a great telescope.

[@lornaz1975]

@@tsulasbigadventures I understand what you mean but currently I have a 120mm triplet so I have that part covered. I was looking for a small grab and go scope. The 80mm Orion is $1000 and is a triplet. The Tele Vue is 85mm and is a doublet costing just over $2000. The Tele Vue is highly rated but I have been told that a triplet can make up for that not only in color correction but sharpness. That is my dilemma .

[@tsulasbigadventures]

@@lornaz1975 OH! I see. I'm sorry. I misunderstood you. In that case, I would go with the Orion ED80T. The optics more than make up for the smaller aperture in my opinion. I took it out to a Bortle 4 and I was amazed at how clearly I could see faint objects there. I think that telescope is fantastic. It only weighs 5.5 pounds but packs a punch being a triplet with no false colors and sharp views. I highly recommend the ED80. You won't be disappointed.

[@andreguimaraes96]

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@cigarnationwarriors]

I stepped away from this mount due to the reviews. I bought the SkyWatcher HEQ5 Pro instead. Clear Skies🔭

[@tsulasbigadventures]

ICongratulations on your new mount. t turned out that my GEM28 had defective worm gears and I had to return it to iOptron three times for repairs but currently it is working properly and I could recommend it. But the HEQ5 Pro is a good choice too. My Sirius EQ-G which is identical, is a real work horse.

[@stevengaber7977]

I like your video, but have mixed feeling about this mount. Those clutch release levers are too small for my old arthriitic fingers. Also, they only lock in one place, so you can't move the mount manually and stop it where you want it. The only way to move the mount is with the hand controller, which, in my case, doesn't always work. Finally, I don't like having the way the mount aattaches to the tripod with those tiny bolts. I can see me dropping those bolts on the grass in the dark and not being ableto find them. Why couldn't they attach the mount in the traditional way, with the spreader bolt threading into the bottom of the mount? I am definiitely gonna have to invesstigate why the hand controller doesn't always allow me to slew the mount. Sometimes it just doesn't work. I will contact Optcorp to discuss this issue.

[@tsulasbigadventures]

Steven: I had to send this mount back to iOptron after I made this video because the gears stopped working. They claimed they had fixed it and mailed it back to me but when it came back and I tried to slew it now hits those terrible clutch releases. I am so disappointed in this mount. Now I have to mail it back again to iOptron for a second round of repairs. I completely agree about the releases; they are hard to turn and I hate that they lock into only one place. I don't like this mount at all. Once I have it fixed by iOptron I hope to sell it.

[@tomjones2121]

I've got the mount pointed at where I think Polaris is ....... !?

[@tsulasbigadventures]

Yes. It is best to point the mount where you think Polaris is because it needs to at least be in the field of view before you even start because once you start your mount can only be moved with the alt az knobs so much before they won't move at all.

[@tomjones2121]

@@tsulasbigadventures I was kidding , nice mount by the way .