im back up and running!!!! :D

[tingting44]

well after a long month i have taken delivery of my lovely bits and am now fully image capable again boy it feels good

my new bits and bobs include my HEQ5 pro, QHY5L-ii, Altair 60mm mini guider, Altair 2" - 1.25" self centering adapter, and of course my EQDIR cable

im now up and running the mount with EQMOD (thanks to the help of Jake top chap) i have to admit its another world of trying to faff about with the EQ5 and GPUSB like i was before, i am in love with my current setup, there is gaps in cloud tonight so im hoping to get out for a bit to get the guide scope aligned and the QHY5L-ii focused on the moon so im not wasting dark sky time doing the jobs, might even try a bit of planetary imaging tonight and if things go well might even try guiding 

my new imaging setup by tingting44, on Flickr

my new imaging setup by tingting44, on Flickr

Televue x2 barlow & Altair self centering adapter by tingting44, on Flickr

QHY5L-ii mono by tingting44, on Flickr

my new imaging setup by tingting44, on Flickr

my new imaging setup by tingting44, on Flickr

my new imaging setup by tingting44, on Flickr

my new imaging setup by tingting44, on Flickr

just need to get me and 80ED refractor now and an Atik 314L+ lol

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Looks very nice. Looking forward to seeing the results

[Daniel-K]

very nice! id upgrade the saddle next to take the losmandy plates

[tingting44]

thanks guys i did not have much luck tho...

 I couldn't even gain focus with the qhy5L-ii in the Altair guide scope   no matter what I tried, I was trying on the moon to no avail, if anyone using the altair mini 60mm guide scope could shed any light on how to space it i'd be most grateful, not sure if it needs to go in more or use an extension of some sort but it was not working for me

 i tried with the QHY5L-ii all the way in, all the way out and focussed all the way in and out several times but could not gain focus with the guiding focus adapter, i then tried to use it as a finder with a 12.5mm illuminated recticle and a 25mm eye piece which both i could not gain focus either, with the 25mm it was like i just could not get enough inwards to gain focus, i was also using the diagonal for the finder with the eye pieces, any light anyone can shed on this will be mostly greatful, I gave up in the end last night lol

edit, i also found the polar scope led painfully bright and polal alignment was impossible where it was so bright cant find a way to turn it down or off with the syntrek model

[tingting44]

got there in the end with gaining focus lol

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/216652-qhy5l-ii-altair-60mm-mini-guider-users-help-please-lol/#entry2323866

[swag72]

I'm sure you're going to have a lot of fun with that Martin Looks good!

[tingting44]

thanks sara, cant wait to jump into some "proper" deep space imaging lool, just need to figure out how to get the EQMOD EQdimmer to dim my polar scope and ill be all set

[dtokez]

wow, epic bro

[tingting44]

wow, epic bro

haha cheers bro, cant wait to get out to a dark site tho

[Daniel-K]

Im pretty sure ypu can dim the polar scope from the synscan handset have you got the latest version

[tingting44]

Im pretty sure ypu can dim the polar scope from the synscan handset have you got the latest version

ive got the syntrek not the synscan, but i have now dimmed it using EQMOD, which is excellent got it on 25 now which is perfect

also centered the polar scope today, it was WAYYY out from the factory, spot on now tho just need some clear skies this friday/saturday to check night time focus on the Altair mini guider and hopefully have a crack at guiding for the 1st time

[Daniel-K]

Good luck and have fun

[tingting44]

Good luck and have fun

thanks buddy it will only be a test run from my garden to see if everything is talking with each other and working as it should for when i get out to my dark site, i cant really go above 1.5min subs from my garden without them getting washed out with LP, the real fun will be when i get out to my dark site will keep you posted tho

[tingting44]

what an EPIC night , have not had one problem with anything tonight, from leveling/PA/balancing/altair focussing/QHY/EQMOD/PHD/Guiding...............im not blooming use to this but could get use to it!!! LOOOL

GUIDING!!!!!!!!!!! by tingting44, on Flickr

got my first test pics of my first ever cluster m31, its just doing its thing outside now so will see how it comes out tomorrow but test pics were amazing to see my first ever cluster, im hyped to say the least god i love this hobby

[tingting44]

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/216910-m13-heq5sw-130-pdsdslrqhy5l-iialtair-mini/