Simon Pepper

My second entry here and a familiar FOV. I am hooked on mosaics at the moment so again this is two panes stitched together. Shot using my usual equipment , Redcat, ZWO 1600mm pro, ZWO Ha, Oiii & Sii filters, HEQ5 pro. Also shot using 600s exposures which is the first time I have tried that (been lazy and never had the corresponding dark library)! Images taken on the 20/09 & 21/09. Pane1 9x600 Ha / 6x600 Oiii / 6x600 Sii Pane2 6x600 Ha / 6x600 Oiii / 6x600 Sii Total 6hrs 30 minutes Resolution 6204x4469 Pixel Scale 3.158 I have been fortunate down here in the south for a few clear partial nights, but the weather appears to be turning a lot of cloud and rain for the next week at least. I hope others have a bit more luck. Thanks

Thanks! I like my colours bold unlike the guys here I got a Redcat so I think I would get red again but that’s just me 😂

Do you have a picture of it? Love my Redcat been thinking about getting a second for dual rig!

Here is my first of probably many entries here as long as the skies hold! Rather embarrassingly I spent a whole night on LDN951 at the heart of SH2-119 was just about to add it here and realised the thread was Ceph and Cass and not Ceph and Cyg! Please see technical details below in the correct part of the sky! The Lion, The Wizard & In HOO 2x2 Mosaic Shot on 17/09 & 18/09 total integration is 7hr 25min images were taken with Redcat, ZWO 1600mm pro, ZWO Ha and Oiii filters, HEQ5 pro. Pane1 12x300 Ha / 12x300 Oiii Pane2 12x300 Ha / 6x300 Oiii Pane3 10x300 Ha / 13x300 Oiii Pane4 12x300 Ha / 12x300 Oiii Resolution: 8058x5974 / Pixel Scale: 3.165 Thanks

I have two asi air pros and without that red little box I wouldn’t be able to Astro as I have never even polar aligned by eye! It does everything from PA to dither its hands down the single piece of equipment I couldn’t be without no AAP no Astro for me 😂

Welcome Rich 👏

Astro goals 👌

10 Mins up the road from me will definitely be there next tim. Thanks

This looks awesome where is that?

Hi all it was Martins YouTube that I followed when making the backlash adjustments and if I had not done the mod as well probably would have been fine. However I definitely had binding that’s why the gear was so tight the belt was somehow tightening and slipping trying to move it. I have done the backlash again it’s a very fine line between removing it and getting binding I didn’t think the margin of error was so small! But that said it’s done no apparent backlash and the gear is smooth the belt is back on and it’s tracking and it’s silent! Thank you to all on this thread really helped nail down the issue. I guess the real test will be next clear night but pretty confident now.

So just to confirm this is the two little hex adjustments when the RA is rotated one under the power box? Just need to ease back a little? Thanks

Ok the only thing I can think is that when I removed the backlash I went too far and it’s binding? I have never taken that apart before so no idea why it’s so tight. If it’s possible to burn out the RA motor well I will be surprised if I have not after all this time. Incredible I was getting 0.4 tbh! I will come back once I have opened it up. Thanks

So the red one is smooth easy to turn the blue one is tight I have to put a lot of effort in

Hold on!!!! The DEC big cog turns effortlessly the RA one requires force!

Hi Both mount was brand new in 2020 so about 2.5 years old. Tracking was about 1.2 I had bad backlash I sorted that and immediately installed the mod got down to 0.4 then the ticking started lol. It was fine before the mod other than backlash and struggled to get under 1. I will go swap out the belts give me 5 mins to revert. Thanks

Hi knighty that one is the DEC mine is the RA issue not the one he is pointing at

It’s just the RA but the DEC doesn’t track… if the belts are the same size I could try swapping them…

On full speed slew there is no issue runs fine I can’t do that and video at the same time as I am using the phone to slew it. I am charging another phone so I can do this soon. The belt tension is good but when it starts to track it gets tighter if I turn off tracking and press the belt there is less flex then if I press harder it makes that same clunk noise and goes back to looser the correct tension it’s like it’s riding up on a tooth but I have checked the whole belt it’s not that I can see had the magnifying glass out as well! As soon as the belt is removed it’s tracking fine. The teeth are not touching at the bottom. More to follow when other phone charged thanks

Apologies for the heavy breathing just ran up the stairs 😂 An update if I take the belt off I don’t have this issue so something to do with the belt???

Hi all i have modded my HEQ5 and for couple weeks worked a great then I noticed a knocking sound so stripped it down checked everything looked good job sorted fixed again. Couple weeks later same again any ideas what could be causing this? It’s like instead of a nice smooth rotation it’s more of like a jump knock rotation. I have tried different tensions on the belt. I think it’s something to do with the part that connects to the motor when it runs the belt gets tighter when I turn it off and pressure the belt it turns the motor back and the belt gets looser I can’t figure it out. Has anyone else seen heard or had this? Please photos and video put the sound up. Thanks IMG_1468.MOV IMG_1469.MOV

Now that’s a PA! Also my best guiding ever that I saw anyway was 0.56 so you one up already! Glad your sorted it!

If you have issues again tonight bosh it here I’ll be out trying to figure out my mosaic that fantastically failed last night as well

You need a good PA guiding and PA are separate anything with a smiley face will be good in the AAP but this does depend on focal length. There is another setting something about restoring from last session make sure that’s off as well and make sure when calibrating that the steps count up to at least 12 West and back and 12 north and back.

I think you are right to suspect as I can one day the PA accuracy on AAP is not perfect but it’s good enough. Also AAP runs PHD I thought so there is no additional software here other than ZWOs OS? ST4 is dated now the OP has everything correct with cables I think the issue is RA only is on in AAP. Thanks

Hi Lem i have - similar setup. What guide scope are you using? That focus is fine by the way. I see you have a star tracker too and I can’t see the RA line have you left the guide the RA only box on? Couple other things. Clear calibration every time depending on guide scope you may need to lower the steps let me know Thanks