AndyThilo

Thanks, hopefully it will out resolve me for a long while :). I've already taken the foot off and fitted Skywatcher 101mm rings and a long Skywatcher green Vixen plate. Also fitted my guide scope on top. Just got to check it balanced ok or I might have redrill and tap the vixen plate to move it further back towards the camera.

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but has anyone tried these? I get my Esprit 80 tomorrow and want to put my guide scope on top: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/tube-rings/skywatcher-telescope-tube-rings.html

Well decision made and purchased. And it was none that I previously shortlists :D. I was having trouble matching a 2.5" flattener with one of these chinesium scopes so decided to choose between the Willams Optics 81GT and the Skywatcher Esprit 80. Both Triplets. Decided to go with the Esprit 80 package which included the 2.5" flattener and a Canon T-mount. Plus was a few hundred pounds cheaper than a 81GT + Flattener and comes with a decent hard case.

Thanks Alan, that makes sense now. Cable should be with me on Tuesday so I can test it all out, thank you for your help

I’ve ordered an eqdirect cable. Happy to ditch the handset if it works. Still confused to the process, is there a step by step anywhere for using the EQMOD directly without a handset?

Ok definitely sounds like my issue then. So the sync isn’t to sync home position? If there’s no handset, do I just park in EQMOD and then release the clutches and centre the mount to its home position?

I wasn't trying to sync to Polaris, just slewing as a test, but it's not just Polaris. If I use handset only and slew to to say Vega, it's fine. Goes to roughly the right place. If I try it with EQMOD and slew using CdC, it's massively off.

I guess I could try that. I have a hub also for my DSLR and guide camera. Just seems a waste to ditch the handset. I don't understand why with all location/time/park position synced, EQMOD sees a different RA position. Doesn't make sense to me and that annoys me lol.

How do I ditch the handset? I plug the USB cable into it. It's the latest handset with built in serial to USB.

Oh and RA reversed was unchecked, I was just trying things.

Hi So I've been playing with my EQ5 Pro Goto Mount. I setup it up according to a guide using a level and manually slewing both axes to get a perfect scope up, weights down home position. With the hand controller, even without calibration, I can slew to any target and it's close. I'm using an app on my phone, with the phone held against the mount to check and the target is always close to where it should be. Obviously a 3-star alignment would make it much closer. The Synscan app also works perfectly, with the same results as using the handset. However, the issue I have is with EQMOD. I installed everything required, ASCOM standards, drivers etc.. I have no issue connecting to my laptop and synced the home position. However, EQMOD fails to have the same position as the hand controller. Whatever I try and slew to using CarteduCiel, it's completely off, massively so, like 100+ degrees. How do I get EQMOD to work the same as the Handcontroller/Synscan App? I really want to use APT for everything and this is causing me real issues. Photos from handset location information: Untitled by Andy Thilo, on Flickr Untitled by Andy Thilo, on Flickr Untitled by Andy Thilo, on Flickr And EQMOD with park home position synced: Untitled by Andy Thilo, on Flickr Seems RA is 6hours different. Any ideas before I chuck the lot in the bin lol (jk, maybe)

This looks even nicer https://www.365astronomy.com/sharpstar-cf-90ii-ed-90mm-f-6.67-carbon-fiber-apo-triplet-apochromatic-refractor-telescope.html

This one? Looks quite nice for the price: https://www.365astronomy.com/sharpstar-71sdq-quadruplet-apochromatic-refractor-telescope.html

Looking to buy a dedicated refractor for astrophotograhy. Looking at the 70-80mm range, doublet or triplet but cost needs to be below £800. Any recommendations? Looking at these at the moment: https://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/altair-starwave-80-edt-r-triplet-apo-refractor-ota.html https://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/explore-scientific-ed-apo-80mm-f6-deluxe-fcd-100-hex-focus-ota.html https://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/A-Z81BU.html https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p3881_TS-Optics-Photoline-80mm-f-6-FPL53-Triplet-Apo-2-5--RPA-Zahnstangen-Auszug.html

Thanks but doesn’t support Olympus cameras. Seems no software does. I need stand-alone software

Hi At the moment I'm using my Olympus mirrorless camera for imaging. Whilst it has remote control software, the software doesn't allow for image review or auto-stretching. Is there any simple software out there that I can quickly load a photo into and auto stretch? Mainly to confirm object framing and image exposure. Thanks Andy

Got it figured out. Ended up buying a cheese plate and a dual screw Arca swiss mount. The dual screw mount is for the lens foot. I then fitted another arca swiss base to the other end and screwed the arca plate to the bottom of the guide scope dovetail. The EQ5 plate is bolted up through the cheese plate into the dual screw Arca mount. Super solid and all threadlocked.

No I'm using my 300mm F4 prime lens for the time being.

Hi Trying to get some ideas on how I can mount both my DSLR (lens has arca swiss foot) and 60mm guide scope to my EQ5 Synscan. Photos/ideas would be great please. Thanks Andy

Did you make the mounting plate yourself? That's kinda of the way I'm thinking of going.

Hi I'll soon be getting my first mount, the EQ5 Pro Synscan and want to add an autoguider. Any recommendations? I don’t want to spend too much. I’ll be using a PC for both mount and camera control so makes sense to use it for guiding as well. My initial setup will be my Olympus M1X with 300mm F4 prime. Will a 120mm guide scope be ok with an appropriate mono camera? Then I’ve got to figure out how to mount it all to the EQ5.