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Skywatcher Synguider - A review in parts...


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Cheers RJ.. theres a load more to come once i get the EQ-3 working properly (use with Telguiders etc) and I might even bring myself to try it on the TS-OAG9 on the CPC...

Salisbury - Unfortunately at the moment no... need all my remaining leave for Wales Rally GB 2010 but that might change....

Peter...

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Nice review Peter, looks like the Synguider would be a good match for the new AstroTrac also.

I guess so but the Astrotrac was outside of my price leauge... based on the fact that it ignored the lack of dec guiding during calibration with the suspect EQ3 Pro - I guess it would work with the Astrotrac which only guides in RA...

I might try it on the Megrez72 guiding the 8" SCT (CPC800) tonight...

Peter...

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cheap alternative for astrotrac is iOptron Smartstar-A or Celestron NexStar SE1 (not the bigger SE2) mount - both with built in wedge, goto. SE has autoguider port, SmartStar can be guided via ASCOM/connection with the mount.

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Another chance to do some more quick testing with the Skywatcher Synguider..

This time the Synguider was on the Megrez72 working at f6 with the unmodded 500D on the CPC at f6.3 the sub length is 240s at ISO100

just a Resize from full frame - I still have spacing and alignment issues to sort out with the f6.3 reducer onthe SCT...

Guided

240s%20CPC800%20f6-3%20guided Megrez72%20small.jpg

Unguided

240s%20CPC800%20f6-3%20unguided%20small.jpg

Full size 1:1 crop from middle of the the guided frame...

240s%20CPC800%20f6-3%20fullsize%20crop%20from%20mid%20frame%20guided%20Megrez72.jpg

The parafocal ring supplied is a bit to thick for me to get the camera and the 12mm EP perfectly parafocal.

So Iwhile I am testing the guider with the 1.25" EP fitting I will add a parafocal ring to the guider which should allow me to adjust the one on the EP to be perfectly parafocal...

A parafocal EP is essential if you want to be able to see guide stars easily on the guidecams 1 bit display...

Hopefully I'll get a chance to test on the EQ3 Pro soon - As Steve at FLO has arranged for a new mount to be shipped to me tomorrow so I can find out whats causing my existing one not to respond to DEC + and DEC - guide inputs... Thanks agin for sorting this out Steve Great FLO service again - Im hoping its the drive electronics as i dont fancy having to set the polarscope up again in the new mount...

Peter...

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Had the replacment EQ3 Pro first thing this morning and tested it but same issues with guiding via the autoguider post... FLO are contacting OVL/Skywatcher.

Hopefully it is something that can be resolved otherwise the Synguider wont be any good for the portable guided setup I had planned...

It strange because both the mounts run very smoothly in RA and DEC at 0.5x and 1.0X speeds its just they dont guide smoothly in DEC instead making big jumps every few secs depending on the Autoguide rate... the Synscan handest also apperas to be disable whilst a guide input is active...

Hopefully a firmware fix will sort things out :)

I cant Fault FLO's service in helping me work through this issue its been superb... I think the test of a good supplier is how they handle customers problems...

Peter...

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Peter,

I wouldn't expect the handcontroller to be active if the auto guider has effectively "taken control" - or is there something else.

Re the Dec jumps... what about the backlash settings?

(If you use PHD can you manually move the axis??)

Ken

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Hi Ken,

Only in jumps it seems to build up a movement then Release it all in one go... I take your point about backlash but even continous correction in the same direction gives this jumping motion the period between the jumps being determined largely buy the autoguide rate setting in the handset...

When slewing at the "guide" rates under handset control it runs fine all day...

I have tried PHDGuide , GPUSBNudge and GPUSB Test.. the advantage of GPUSBtest is you can leave toggle the correctiosn and leave them for a long period of time...

I have videos that I will upload later today...

Peter...

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Hi Nick,

I would try it but I dont have an EQDir I have been using PCDirect mode when i wanted to connect the PC..

If I remove the HBX It defeats the object of my pc/laptop/netbbok free setup...Just using a DSLR and a timer remote...with the synguider - I should re-itterate this is not a sunguider issue its a mount one as it does the same with PHD Guide usign any of my cams and a GPUSB interface - I havent tried pulse guiding with EQmod yet...

Even skipping all the alignment in the handset and manually enabling Sidereal tracking I was getting decent 4 min subs at 180mm FL..polar alignign with just the polarscope...

Maybe taht's going to be the way I have to use the mount in the minimalist configuration

Peter...

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hmm...will be interesting to see what OVL come back with..

Glad you're enjoying the synguider though...it has quirks but for £229...nothing insurmountable

EQ3 pro I will try mine again tonight on GPUSB and pulse guide...try to see if I can work out what your issue may be...

I know mine was iffy with the first Maplin PSU I slapped on it...had to revert to a better one

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  • 2 weeks later...

Are there any more updates on the SynGuider or has everyone given up on it? Has anyone tried using the guider with the HEQ6 Pro?

At the moment im torn between getting one of these or going down the laptop route, but to be honest i'd love the Synguider to be the choice as it seems much less hassle to use (altho i must point out i have never done any guiding at all yet!:D)

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Bad weather stops play at the moment there are few other test I want to do with it before adding any more info... I suspect if your "fussy" on image framing then you may have to move the guidescope to center the guide star with the synguider... this is what I want to test next...

I have also had to stop testing with the EQ3 Pro(s) as there are issues with the guideports which FLO/OVL/Skywatcher are currently "investigating"... these arent Synguider related as they are there with any ST4 based guiding setup I have tried...

Peter...

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Synguider works, tested it extensively with my EQ6, my only gripe was the screen position (and the OS is a bit fussy/niggly)..

The NEQ3/Synguider combo issue Peter is seeing is something else, curious as to what it is. Had some limited tests with that exact combo, and didn't see this "ticking" that Peter saw..

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It's not the best time of the year to be reviewing/testing devices such as this. long duration clear skies are few and far between.

Be interesting to find the ST problem/solution though. That seems to be the big Bugbear does it not?.

Ron.

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