Getting closer to finalizing the SpaceCat build!
Made a few minor changes to the layout, and wired everything up to the Pegasus Astro Pocket PowerBox Adavence for the first time. The wiring is a mess, but I want to make sure everything works first before I put too much time into cable management. Ready to start bench testing.
Offset Mounting
When deciding how to mount the new Deep Sky Dad gear, I opted to mount the AF3 Autofocuser using the side mounting bracket.
With the AF3 mounted on one side, the FP1 Flap Panel is rotated 90-degrees so that it opens toward the opposite side. This helps with balancing the payload somewhat while also avoiding the light path of the guide scope. The body of the FR1 Field Rotator is also rotated to the side to help balance the payload and maintain a lower center of gravity, while leaving room up top for the guide scope and camera to be installed on the handle.
Notice the position of the Vixen dovetail. The OTA is mounted off center on the Losmandy plate to help balance the payload better, while also leaving more room at the rear to mount the PowerBox stack.
L-Bracket Mounting
Ended up mounting the PPBAdvance off the rear of the Losmandy plate using an L-bracket, similar to how it was mounted previously. This time using a Vixen dovetail bar with the BuckeyeStargazer PPBAdvance mounting bracket and Vixen saddle.
BuckeyeStargazer offers an Arca-Swiss saddle option as well, but it doesn't fit the Arca-Swiss dovetail of the L-bracket I'm using due to it having a wider flange, necessitating use of the Vixen dovetail bar and saddle.
The L-bracket is mounted directly to the Losmandy dovetail plate using two 1/4-20 inch socket head cap screws, and is oriented with the Vixen dovetail positioned off to the side of the main camera. With the offset mounting of the OTA on the Losmandy dovetail plate, I'm less concerned about restricted airflow now that there's more spacing between the L-bracket and the main camera.
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