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Thalestris24

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Everything posted by Thalestris24

  1. Might be ok but has the heavy tripod legs - I suppose it all depends on what you call 'heavy'. As for me, I'm an old lady and not very strong... I imagine that using the EQM35 without DEC would be a bit limiting - might as well just have a Star Adventurer on a Velbon tripod. I've no personal experience of the EQM35 so can't really recommend it - or not. Louise
  2. Not really - I was a beginner and doing things for the first time. It was a good learning experience. Once it was up and running I've never had to touch anything - it's been a great mod! 🙂 Louise
  3. No reason why it shouldn't, Knobby! I fitted my own with a kit from Rowan. Over 5 years ago now. I remember I had to fiddle a bit to get the tension right and the scope balance right :-). I was grateful for the help I got on here: Louise
  4. Hi I agree, the Heq5 Pro is the better mount but is still rather heavy. How about an EQ3 Pro - fairly light with the supplied Al tripod. It can go on an eq5/heq5 tripod but then gets quite heavy (at least, it does for me!). I'd go for an 80mm ED scope just because they are virtually hassle and maintenance free, easy to use and easy to balance. Whatever you get, you will still need to guide. So budget for a guide scope and guide camera, as well as a field flattener. Put the rest towards a cooled astro camera. Louise
  5. You could explain the situation to FLO and also ask them if it's ok to check the belt tensions without affecting the warranty. You could also try and see how it behaves with a lighter scope on the mount - eg your 72ed. Well, that's what I'd do, anyway. Louise
  6. That looks pretty awful, Knobby! Obviously you need to get calibration right in order for guiding to work properly. I assume you've input your scope focal length ok etc. And your PA is good (I always drift align using the PHD tool 🙂 ) Maybe have a word with FLO to check what they adjusted in respect of the belt mod and, what if any, testing they did. Louise
  7. Hi Michael As others have said, any worm backlash is separate from the motors but I think it should be very small if adjusted correctly. Louise
  8. Hi again Knobby You shouldn't have any backlash with a belt mod - unless the belt tension is maladjusted, or you are out of balance, or have cable drag or similar. Double check that the mount still balances ok vertically. In my experience, even with a small scope the belt mod is sensitive to small amounts of imbalance. You mentioned somewhere above that you keep losing the guide star - is that because the mount is drifting away from it rather than, say, poor sky transparency? The Guiding Assistant should show how your mount+scope is behaving independent of guiding and sky conditions. What figures does it return in respect of RA and DEC behaviour? Are you sure your PA is spot on - you need good PA to get a good calibration, and sometimes you need to do several iterations. If everything checks out otherwise then the simplest explanation will be the belt tension being off. I did my own belt mod (a few years ago now) and had to make several adjustments before I got it right. It's been excellent since 🙂 Hope you can sort it - it's so good when it's up and running! Louise
  9. Hi Knobby Remember that with a belt mod you want very good balancing, no East heavy! Louise
  10. Even more annoying, perhaps, is that you have to remember to copy any custom threads. As it happens I've not needed to print any T2 threads in a long time so haven't bothered to add any custom threads. But who knows what the future holds? 😄 Louise
  11. I think you have to reinstall it every time Autocad does an update... Louise
  12. I'm not sure if I'll be able to manage mine. I'll have to dig the original tripod out of the attic. If it's still too heavy for me then my astro days will be numbered and I'll just have to find a new hobby. Maybe just terrestrial photography - I'd like to do some macro photography. Also more photomicrography - I've not done any in ages. I could do with a better microscope, or at least, better objectives. Good ones are very expensive but at least I wouldn't be limited by my location or the weather! 🙂 Louise
  13. But then it wouldn't be ideal... 😄
  14. My ideal tripod has a 50kg payload, weighs 500g, and costs £20...
  15. Those tripods look quite good but nobody seems to have them and they're rather expensive. I'll try the supplied Al one - maybe it will do... Thanks
  16. Thanks, though I can't really mess about with building materials in the flat... Louise
  17. I don't see how a eq3 pro would fit to one? How much does the tripod weigh (on their own)? £200 is an awful lot to pay just for a tripod... Thanks Louise
  18. They look the same as the heq5 tripod, which I already have. Thanks Louise
  19. Wooden tripods seem very expensive and I can't find the one you mention? Thanks Louise
  20. Hmm… Maybe I'll unpack it and actually try it out. It always just seemed like it's too flimsy. Thanks Alan Louise
  21. I currently have my EQ3 Synscan mounted on a HEQ5 tripod and it's very happy on there. The only trouble is it's a bit heavy for me. OTOH the supplied aluminium tripod, though light, seems too flimsy. Anyone know if there's something in between? I had been looking at the iOptron SmartEQ but decided it's probably not good enough for reliable imaging. However, the 1.25" steel tripod is lighter than the 1.75" one but might still be ok. iOptron also do 1.5" tripods but don't know if they can be adapted for SW mounts or how much they weigh. Now if only I could get a similar tripod for the EQ3 - any ideas anyone? Thanks Louise
  22. Hiya Oh ok. It's anyway always difficult to part with cash for something that doesn't have lots of positive reviews. I actually discarded the flimsy aluminium eq3 mount and put the head on an heq5 mount - much sturdier but quite a bit heavier. The eq3 head on its own weighs 4.6kg, the heq5 tripod is 5.6kg. Plus, say 2kg for a scope plus 2kg cw. So it's around 15kg overall and it's just too heavy for little me! The Smart EQ is only 2.8kg + 2.7kg for tripod plus the other 4kg < 10kg which I can probably manage without breaking my neck going down the stairs... Laptop can go in a backpack. Obviously, one only gets what one pays for, though the smart EQ Pro is a similar price to the eq3 synscan. My flat is getting cluttered with too many mounts here and there! However, I've been stuck using them from indoors and I've had enough of that now. So one more might be the answer... I do wish there was an astro showroom nearby but there isn't. I sometimes wish I had a car but I don't. If only I had more muscles but I think it's a bit late in the day to contemplate bodybuilding, lol. Thanks Louise
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