Aenima

Not sure if my lack of knowledge or experience makes some of the questions i'm asking seem stoopid or if by asking them i'm coming across as a tad irritating, but honestly I'm trying not to.

I know the set-up is capable of doing much better, but without knowing the right way to go about getting the most from it, i'm likely to waste time and money by making all kinds of mistakes, hopefully avoidable ones.

Sorry to keep highjacking the thread, it just seems the most relevant to my current issues.

Thanks

Aenima

Thank you Rik,

Very helpful cheers

I will check the links out asap. Though my knowledge-gaps might require a follow-up question or two

Am I slightly mistaken when I assume the 9x50 / spc900nc combination will work with the synscan port - possibly with a few extra bits and a bit of DIY?

This has been what I have envisioned when the term 'finderguider' is used, but also I assumed the DIY was mostly needed for the eqmod/type dual axis motor version of the EQ5, (to run it with laptop/planetarium etc) and the synscan kit-plus-software combo could be used more or less directly with a 'finderguider' - another assumption here, sorry - as the goto is already in place and the 'autoguider' socket allows a cam/finderscope(or ST80/cam) connection?

Maybe the term 'auto' in autoguider is giving me the dumb, as well as the simplicity of the finder-guider mod - i'm getting the feeling it isnt as easy as it sounds. - or as cheap! nearly 200 quid for a guidecam is a little harsh on the budget.

Apologies if the above is a bit convoluted, i'm sure my confusion kinda shows in the wording....

Thank you for the links and advice - much appreciated.

Regards

Aenima

I have a question regarding the difference between the EQ5 with dual axis motors and the EQ5 with synscan kit added.

As a 200p/EQ5 user weight is always an issue, i'm really hoping to improve my tracking by using a finderscope guider - as my synscan box has the 'autoguider' input i'm a little confused as to how my set-up will connect to a finder/guider.

Also what i'd need to do, and/or buy, in order to make a guidescope from the 9x50mm finder and a webcam, and whether I can use something like Ascom to increase things like tracking and polaralign accuracy?

Basically, I have the goto and want to try guiding with lightweight/inexpensive finderguider - can anyone help?

Regards

Aenima

Many thanks pixueto

Helpful stuff, nice1.

Yeah, I honestly have the worst Nrby LP ever....3 Lamposts in a triangle in front of me - so this has been a major problem.

Another is tracking errors, I only manage a rough Polaralignment each set-up, and luck is a good part of it. As startrails and stars at the edge looking like bullets are present it seems as though both refining my optics and working on guiding and correcting errors in tracking needs a look.

I am hoping of making a finderguider and learn a bit about the software - this is my worst subject (that and maths).

As it is I am just managing to get occasionally a 50sec with little or no obvious trails, and the rest are about 30sec - during lucky shots maybe 65-70sec and with an unmodded 300D thats not a lot of light reaching the images, especially ha or red emmision type, but I've seen enough to make me hopeful.

Thanks BTW

Regards

Aenima

Same one cropped with less aggressive processing.

Woah, thats a great Mars, well captured!

As you might have spotted in my signature you almost have the same set-up as I do though I didn't capture Mars anywhere near as good as the one above, but I'm hoping you wouldn't mind if I asked you about how you use your set-up, and maybe advice as to which step to take regarding the best use of my kit or a piece of equipment I may badly need. ? .

My tech skill is minimal, but with rough alignment and a bit of luck I have occasionally surprised myself with a reasonable image here and there. Got a long way before I will get the hang of the more dificult aspects of AP - hence me looking through this thread.

Only just started looking at guiding, and its scary ! So I'm gonna be grateful for any advice in this area.

Many thanks

Regards

Aenima

Sad news.

Aenima

I don't know about the mounts, but the latest beta firmware upgrade for the SynScan is ambidextrous. With the last production firmware, you had to choose EQ or AZ.

Evan

Im guessing that the handsets - both - can have the new version installed and then be interchangeable?

For me this is quite a vital bit of info, being clumsy I have dropped the handset a few times and the last time this happened a little piece of something was chipped or dislodged and a tiny rattling sound can occasionally be heard inside.

So being able to use the one handset between two mounts would be handy to say the least.

Regards

Aenima

I'm not following the whole AZ and EQ simultaneously thing.. - I get that some new mounts can do both, but as an owner of a AZgoto with a 130p and EQ5 eqGoto for my 200p - how would these two mounts interact regarding mention of using the same handset for both?

Sorry if its a silly question but being new to EQ in general I didnt quite understand what that meant. (?)

Anyone shed light on this for me?

Thanks

Aenima

I take the entire thing in and out each time and it definitely seems like it would be better as a permanent fixture, especially equatorials due to getting decent polar alignment every session.

If astrophotography is your aim then a pier is a excellent idea, or at least finding a way to keep the mount set up with covering over it for protection, to get set up in the shortest possible time.

but like me not everyone can leave equipment outside...

If your just observing then a rough polar alignment - ie just get polaris in the polarscope's center - with a reasonably levelled mount will do, then start in 'home' - (weights downward and in line with the 'north' tripod leg, and scope up, pointing at pole,) then choose 1 star align selecting a bright easy to find star ( this is assuming the rest of your info - lat/long date time etc is also done) and press slew to object.

It will not quite find it first slew so unlock clutches and manually get your align star in finder then lock up and fine tune using handset, then press enter - it will say successful with luck, you can use PAE afterwards on different stars to get a better fix on the scope's position.

I think the mount's tracking relies on being aligned, but i'm not sure. There is a tracking option in handset menu which sets the motor humming but not sure if its accurate when not aligned - its always worth a shot.

If you set up in a different spot each time then this is when goto is least helpful and usually least accurate too. You'll need things like star map or planetarium app on your phone, a lat long/GPS app will also help. Some people use illuminated polarscopes and/or polarscope webcams when setting up in dark fields or uneven rough ground to save their knees and backs, but mostly I would expect a smaller set-up to be used for this - though many do take massive amounts of kit to remote sites in cars, especially for AP.

The newest version of synscan EQ firmware has a polar align feature that takes some of the hassle and need for absolute accuracy out of the set-up procedure, its still beta test at the moment but good things are being said of it.

As I have just recently changed from AZ to EQ goto I cant really be of much use, but I hope some of the above is useful.

Best of luck

Aenima

Not quite right on the EQ3-2 upgrade bit. The two upgrades are different, they are supplied in identical boxes with a seal on the lid stating the mount upgrade version. You are right about getting the gears the right way round though, there has been a number of threads from EQ5 owners having problems after the upgrade. If you put the gear wheels on in the incorrect order/orientation the mount gearing is affected and the mount will slew too far,

Peter

Hi folks

After reading through I noticed the cogs were supposed to be a certain way, but after fitting I lost track of the correct (ie, so it works) position for the cogs - I think its unclear in the instruction leaflet which way to put them so I missed which way was 'correct' to begin with... doh.

Which way - for eq5 ?

Regards

Aenima

First dso image, first night out with newly goto upgraded EQ5/200p - 30sec exp. canon 300d body. 13th oct 2012.

all in all not disappointed.

Update,

The problem with the power I discovered was in the adapter - it needs to be the correct amps as well as volts, mine was from my other goto mount so I thought it would be ok, but the amps have to be 'at least 2A / 2000mA' to run properly.

Future reference kind of thing.

Thanks again for the instructions and other useful posts on this thread.

Regards

Aenima

PS. after fitting synscan upgrade I tried usikng the mount normally, ie. undoing clutches and manually slewing and it worked ok as long as you dont mind losing alignment. (depends what is meant by 'guiding' as the plastic case covers the slo-mo RA knob control)

Hi and many thanks to JNC - for the pics and tutorial, tremendous help.

I have just fitted the upgrade and am having trouble with the the thing stopping dead when pressing two directioanal buttons at once, like as if to go up-and-left diagonally for example. The motors stop dead and the handset seems to restart itself like the power was cut for a second.

I posted a question on the forum but wanted to post here for the sake of finding the thread and getting an update from the posters in this topic, who are knowledgable in the subject.

Any advice gratefully recieved. !

Thanks again for the guide with the how-to pics,

Regards

Aenima

Here are soome size comparison pics showing the 130p explorer next to the 200p explorer. I tried to include mounts/tripods but compromised due to space issues.

Hope this helps.

Regards

A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL MEMBERS WHO DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY WORK TO PASS ON THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES, AND WHO HAVE TAUGHT ME STUFF THAT I CAN HOPEFULLY USE AND NOW PASS ON TO OTHER NEWBIES IN THE SAME WAY IT WAS GIVEN TO ME - GLADLY.

THIS IS A GOOD PROCESS, AND I'M GLAD TO TRY AND KEEP IT THAT WAY.

MANY THANKS,

REGARDS

AENIMA

One thing that can help with Goto accuracy is to always approach the alignment star in the same direction. By this, I mean always using (for instance) the Right and Up arrow keys on the handset. If you overshoot, then back up beyond the alingmenrt star and then re-approach with Right and Up. Doing this will prevent the gearing backlash from putting the Goto system out.

Yes, this is something that ive seen before and noticed myself on these mounts. There is a backlash function on the handset menu but i have not yet learnt to use it properly. But the mechanism definitely stops momentarily whilst changing directions at certain speeds (slow fine-tuning speeds).

Find Latitude and Longitude

this is great for getting the lat/long right.

As a noob i found similar problems setting up the goto mount and for a while i stuck to only using the handset to slew to objects manually, only recently have i began learning more. If i'd have had better skills and the guts to admit my confusion over those same issues as the ones in the starter thread, I would probably have posted something very close to your useful and honest learning experience myself.

Nice1 for the heads up - the next wave of newbies will appreciate that info, as I did when i first received advice here at SGL that encouraged me to not give up.

Thank man,

Aenima

ps. thanks also to the poster of the alignment stars PDF.