teoria_del_big_bang

The top cable in those 3 pictures is a ST-4 cable that comes with most guide cameras and there is a socket in back of camera and also on mount and the cable just goes directly between the two, so does not affect your handset. 

The middle cable is to go between computer and mount and you would not use the handset but need software on computer (in addition to PHD2) to select target and slew mount, also can operate camera (IF camera can be operated via computer and usb cable). This is the method I know most about a it is the only one I have used.

The bottom two cables linked together is to connect computer to hand set. Not sure what else you need to do regarding software or Firmware updates to use this, it may be easy it may not, if I can find out I will let you know.

So you have all three choices.

But to get you guiding it may be easier (for now) to use the st-4 cable as the handset just stays as it is. Again I never used st-4 guiding but as far as I am aware it is very simple you connect the cable from camera direct to ST-4 port on mount with the top cable and in PHD2 select "On Camera" for the mount. I think that it how it works, not 100% as I never used it.

. If that works I just thought it was a simple way to get you guiding.

Then you can look at downloading something like NINA, or APT (my favorite) and start imaging using that. It is fully automatic so at the start of a session when scope is on target you simply set up how many exposures you want and how long the exposures are and leave the software to it. But I guess you need a DSLR or astro camera capable of being connected to computer via usb.  You can continue to use the st-4 cable but you can later look at using ASCOM to do the job and remove the ST-4 cable.

What is your imaging camera ?

Steve

Another cloudy night so may as well get some kip but keep the thread going with your progress and between us you will get there, whichever way you want to go, that is your choice as more than one way to do this, far too many to be honest 🙂 

Good night all.

Steve

4 minutes ago, Rustang said:

Thanks mate, I will digest everything mentioned and see how I get on. The biggest problem will be losing the handcontroller, it will be like taking away a child's safety blanket! but onwards and upwards... very slowly that is! 😉

I do understand butas I have said I think after a few nights when it all starts to work you will never look back. But if you do don't try to get it all working at once. Load all the software by all means but perhaps just use the top cable plugged direct from mount to guidecam to start with while you get the other stuff going. Okay so everyone says it is not as good as PHD2 but I don't think is is much different and certainly far far better than no guiding. 

Steve

Advice from @Viktiste sounds good to me, I must admit I had no experience of using handset and computer together.

But to be honest I think eventually loading some sort of sequence software and Stellarium would really make things simpler and is the way to go. I really think you are doing it the hard way and think you are managing really well to image this way.

And honestly when all this is set up (you can do it all with free software - I personally recommend APT which is free but I found it so good I paid for it as payment is sort of voluntary but even then it is so cheap)  I think you will find it so much easier, especially getting the framing correct and same over a number of nights.

To just use PHD2 you will I think need to load the ASCOM platform which is the harder bit, the other software is a doddle when that is loaded. And with this software and some extra files downloaded when you platesolve you will wonder how you ever did anything without it 🙂 .

But hopefully if you want to just use PHD2  then the cable setup suggested will get you going.

Good luck I hope you can get it working.

Steve

It can seem scary at first and it does take a few nights where probably you get no useable data before things start to drop into place, same for us all believe me.

So how do you image then at moment. I must admit I probably wouldn't know how to do this without the sequence software (it make things so much easier). Are you just using the DSLR manually ?

Steve

It just seems to me you are doing this in the wrong logical order .

From my understanding most people would start with the imaging software and get that working.  In my case (and I think many others) I did not have any guiding and if polar aligned properly could take 3 minute subs easily without significant star elongation. I did have a guide camera and PHD 2 loaded but I just felt I had enough on learning how to image. The guiding came later but by then I already had all the software installed for the imaging that was needed and with this software I did not need the handset at all, I used the software to tell mount where to go.

I think the penny has dropped now for me, is it that because you do not have Stellarium, or just a sequence program (NINA, APT, SG ro etc) running that you need the handset to slew to a target and so are reluctant to lose the handset ?

Steve

Ok, so what software are you using, or going to use to image with, usually some sort of sequence software ?

But are you imaging with the mount, I have not seen any reference to imaging ?

Very Nice.

Even with a NB filter that is incredible form Bortle 8 and only 1hr subs, well done.

Steve

This is the same cable just different manufacturer on FLO.

lynx-astro-ftdi-eqdir-usb-adapter-for-sky-watcher-eq5-pro-heq5

And this article may help you.

eqmod-controlling-the-heq5-neq6-and-other-mounts-directly-from-a-pc

Steve

Sorry TBH I never read the thread from start just saw the questions about where to plug the mount Hitecastro cable.

All I can say is that in my case it went from a usb port on computer direct to mount and used it perfectly well for AP with PHD2 guiding.

Reading the OP I am not 100% what you are trying to do.

I assume if using PHD2 then you are using it for Imaging but do not mention what software you are already using for this.

Steve

2 hours ago, Rustang said:

Without the controller,how do you set up the mount then, type in coordinates, pola align, star align etc!?

With the computer.

I just thought that if you go through the trouble of using a computer I would imagine you would load up ASCOM and other software such as APT (for example lots of others) and planetarium software such as Stellarium (also others available).

All this is then done through APT (although behind the scenes all this is done in ASCOM so all equipment uses same information but some like Stellarium may require you to enter it there as well). Once setup you can then click on a star, DSO, planet etc in Stellarium and the scope goes there. If off target then you can platesolve or manually star align and correct any errors. PHD2 will then work automatically without you having to do anything.

Not sure if that is the usual way but that is how I never used my handset with my HEQ5.

Sorry I haven't explained how to do this but there are loads of tutorials out there how to do this.

Steve

I can confirm the cable goes from computer directly to mount. In the end I never even connected the handset to the mount. I did find using a joystick (like on a playstation) was helpful for manually slewing the mount but not necessary and would not go there yet till you are okay with other things.

I never tried it but didn't think it worked plugging into the handset, but could be wrong.

Steve

23 minutes ago, DirkSteele said:

That sucks, sorry to hear that. We cancelled our plans for the year back in April as I was rather pessimistic about how this year would play out. We are doing a staycation later this year. Hoping we do not fall foul of local lockdowns, as will be packing a scope. Won’t be the Bortle Class 1/2 that the island above benefits from but will be nice to escape central London light pollution.

Same here, managed to hire a couple of cottages (one about 10 miles from hastings and then up to lincolnshire) also taking dog and scope so hoping for some fairly dark skies and some clear skies.

Steve

Brilliant images but oh so cruel when I have just had to cancel our holiday to Spain due to be taken in 3 weeks time. 

Steve

I know its already been said but ---- WOW!  

Steve

4 hours ago, MartinFransson said:

Help me out here guys... let´s say I have a flattener that needs 123mm spacing and I solve that with spacers, filter wheel etc. Then I add my filters, for example a 3mm Astrodon filter. I understand that this affects the spacing by approximately 1mm. BUT... does the filter add 1mm spacing or does it require me to add an extra 1mm?

Two alternatives here to reach 123mm back focus distance:
1. 122mm spacers + Astrodon filter
2. 124mm spacers + Astrodon filter

Help appreciated 🤯

I am pretty new to all this but because I too had the same issues with back focus on my first setup as far as I understand :-

A back focus of 123mm with a 3mm glass filter would require spacers to make 124 mm (In Theory). And that is what seems to have worked for me in two imaging rigs.

So I would say that is your starting point (and hopefully end point 🙂 )

But after saying that from many of these threads I have read then @david_taurus83 may well be right as many have said to get it 100% perfect some people do fiddle about with small spacers to get the field absolutely flat. To be honest I just dont think my eyes are that good, despite adding a 1 mm spacer to get the distance the theoretical correct value I am hard pushed to say that I could see any difference, and I think it is the outer edges that suffer and usually I crop some of this anyway so not sure how close you must get this,

Steve

So to recap if the filter comes between the flattener and the image plane you need to add 1/3 the thickness of the glass in the filter to the back focus and that is true even if inside a filter wheel.

There are thin spacers, such as 1 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.3 mm etc available in T2 and M42 available in order to get just the right distance without resorting to anything custom made.

If your filters are not all same make and so different thicknesses then just work on an average thickness of glass, not ideal but the best you can do and most filters are 2 to 3 mm so the difference is very small and will have very little affect (I would think - honestly no real idea how much 0.3 mm error in back focus would make to the image and whether it would be that noticeable).

Steve

10 minutes ago, Nigella Bryant said:

My electric body warmer, lol. Particularly in the winter.

Sort of same here as its an electric kettle that boils the water for the umpteen cups of tea and coffee I need in Winter.

Steve

I cannot say from experience but I have heard pretty good comments about Creality machines and let's face it for £200 to £300 there all going to have some niggles, they are not top end machines but if maintained and setup well are capable of very decent prints.

Unless you are printing very small items don't get lured into printers that print thinner layers. I have been printing for quite a few years now and very rarely use less than 0.2 mm layers even though I can do 0.05 mm if needed. Only on very small items, or things with a lot of detail or sometimes on curves to get part of the curve smoother, but even then can use variable layer heights so the bits that are detailed may be 0.05 and the other bits then back up to 0.2 mm.

Regarding software I use OnShape for the CAD to design my stuff. Its free for personal use and very easy but still very versatile to use. All your designs are in the public domain for anyone to use unless you pay for it but that has never bothered me.

OnShape CAD

For the slicing I use PrusaSlicer which is more designed for my Prusa printer but is designed on Slic3r which is for any printer and I can highly recommend this slicer but most of them are easy to use and generally do the same thing.

Slic3r

Steve

Thanks for that, can't wait to see the results 🙂 

Steve

Your welcome,  I had all the same issues and needed help from others on this forum for all this when I started not that long ago so happy to help.

Believe me everybody in this hobby has had issues and evenings where nothing went right so don't get disheartened eventually it all make sense and things start to work 🙂 

Steve

Thanks for sharing, some great photos there and shows exactly how it was done. Looks great by the way and inpsires me to get on with my own ----- SOON!

Steve

1 hour ago, HydrogenBadger said:

Yes it is this one. 

Then with this flattener, which is adjustable, you should  not need anymore spacers than what came with the camera. 

Whilst the photograph I put on my previous post is not mine I think yours just needs to be exactly like that and the 11mm, 16.5 mm and 21 mm spacers that come with the camera are all that is needed.

 I have a WO scope, but not this one, and unfortunately was bought before the adjustable flattener came out so mine is fixed which means all the adjustment to make the back focus correct has to be done with spacers between the flattener and camera and I had to obtain 0.5 mm spacers to get it just right. With these adjustable ones that is not required as the fine adjustment can be done on the adjustment of the flattener. 

I am not sure where the image in the post from  @inFINNity Deck  came from, maybe that is the fixed flattener that was used before this new adjustable one, but it doesn't seem to tie in with any info I can find for this particular flattener.

EDIT - I am now had I have just seen the reply so that settles that (Thanks @inFINNity Deck 🙂 )

Looking at the Info on the WO website and the FLO website I would think it is as follows,

2019-all-new-adjustable-flat6aiii

william-optics-adjustable-flat6a-iii

The back focus for this flattener with the GT71 is 64.1mm is as below:

The distance from the front of the camera body to the image plane, without any attachments or spacers, is 6.5 mm.

The first thick spacer that screws directly to the camera is 11mm, you should also have a 16.5 mm and a 21 mm spacer with the camera. So 6.5 + 11 + 16.5 + 21 = 55 mm.

Back Focus needs to be 64.1 so 64.1-55 = 9.1 mm - So adjust the flattener by 9.1 mm.

The image below shows the distance from the end of the flattener to the image plane to be 55 mm (being made up by 1 or more spacers which you should have). 

Sorry if I have confused you, that was not my intention and hope you have the required information to set it up correctly when you fit the flattener.

Also whilst doing this I see why you need the 1.5 hex key, those grub screws are not present on my older WO scope it all just screws off. I guess yours is much more secure and cannot now come loose.

I hope I have helped anwyay rather than confuse you more 🙂 

Steve

Not if it is the new adjustable WO flattener in the link in my last post. The 11mm, 16.5 mm and 21 mm spacers that come with the camera are all that is needed. This will make the spacers 55mm in total. The adjustment on the flattener then has to be 9.1 mm which will equal 64.1 mm which is the recommended back focus for this flattener.

Steve