EQ3/2 Autoguiding start

[JKB]

Well after a lot of research and my £3 guidescope I made a start on modifying my Hand controller.

Now I am sorry as I read a thread on here how to do it but cannot find who it was by so please let me know so I can thank you!

I have hard wired the controller as per HERE and am just awaiting delivery of the USB breakout box.

So hopefully in the next day or two I will have a guided EQ3/2

Cant wait for next clear sky to try it out!

[samtheeagle]

Was it me? I've posted up some stuff on DIY autoguiding...

http://stargazerslounge.com/diy-astronomer/105214-arduinoastrocontrol-homebrew-autoguider-mkii.html

Or the earlier incarnation perhaps?

http://stargazerslounge.com/diy-astronomer/81238-simplegpusb-home-brew-auto-guider.html

Hope you get everything up and running You'll never look back. Autoguiding opens up so many more imaging opportunities. And personally, I don't think it's quite as bad as the reputation it has earned makes it sound. There is so much good software and community support now, it's nothing like the black art it once was.

[JKB]

Samtheeagle

Yes! It was your SimpleGpUSB. Thankyou so much. I certainly didn't want to take any credit for it so thanks for reminding me it was you.

Cant wait to get it all working

[samtheeagle]

Well feel free to shout if you have any questions

[glowjet]

I shall probably be teaching Mothers to suck eggs on this one, a short while ago I took delivery of a Scopeteknix filter wheel, one look at the ep holder was enough with its single screw locking device, I was not going to damage my expensive ep`s in that !, the ep holder was fitted using a T2 screw( M42 screw ) male to female converter, after a long search Baader came up trumps with a 1/14" focusing eyepiece holder part No #8A 2458125 for reference, terminating in a T2 42mm female screw, cost about £30 but excellent,with 3 locking screws and bass compression ring and of course focus ability through a range of 5mm, my thought turned to a finder scope as I have some old, but hardly used Hoya prime tele photographic lenses up to 300mm fl, with the old Pentax screw fit, years ago these were cheap about £30-40, fitting the new ep holder on the end and slipping in a 14mm 5000 series Meade ep the view was of outstanding clarity, which makes it into a first class 60mm scope with an approptiate + hair ep, or a guide scope, as it will be just as simple to plug in a web cam, the only extra being a mount, once in the mount rough focusing will done and locked, then fine focusing achieved by way of the focusing holder.

[JKB]

Heres a couple of pics of completed breakout box, and set up.

Just need clear sky to test fully.

[samtheeagle]

Wow! Very tidy Much neater than my hack job... Is the ASCOM driver working ok for you? As far as you can tell? All connecting up through PHD?

[JKB]

Yes all working well, using PHD. Just modded another SPC to act as guide. Hopefully tonight looks clear so will give it a whirl.

[samtheeagle]

Sweeeet! I look forward to see some results