Ian McCallum

Something like this should do... They do cost a fortune in Oz!😲 https://amateurradiosupplies.com.au/index.php/product/dirland-d-1206gs-regulated-power-supply/ Here's an equivalent one that I could buy in the UK, it cost £40 (around AUS$70).😲 https://www.kcb.co.uk/contents/en-uk/p55203_PS-08-6-8A-Linear-Power-Supply.html

Here's the one I use. It's a switch mode power supply, so it can produce a bit of radio frequency interference to my amateur radio transceiver. It's got variable voltage control and run at 25A continuous or 30A peak, which is overkill. 🙄

Sounds like that the power supply isn't that well stabilised, as it seems to drop voltage whilst under load.🤔

It didn't seem that long ago, that CCD cameras in general were seen (no pun intended) as having better definition than CMOS. I must be getting old.🙄

I'm slowly working my way through KStars and EKOS, learning the package. I have a question though.... Is anyone aware of a way to create separate presets or profiles with EKOS, so that I can save gain, exposure and offsets all in to one profile at a time? That way, I can just select the right profile based on the target of interest, i.e. planet, DSO, etc.

Although we say 12V, most of the larger ones tend to be 13.8V. This is perfectly acceptable for the job in hand. I think the problem that you are experiencing with the voltage drop is probably due to the power supply. It's probably struggling with the load on it or perhaps the cable feeding the mount simply is too thin for the job, thereby creating a bottleneck. Does the power supply or cable get hot, when the mount is slewing?🤔

I believe it's the same stuff.🙄

The word Cantenna always reminds me of this...🤣

When I fitted the aftermarket EQ5 Goto kit to my EQ5 mount, a few months, I used the supplied glue grease. My question is, is it worth replacing or should I just keep with it? My though was that as the mount slews at high speed, that the gears and cogs would shed a loose grease, whereas the sticky stuff would remain on longer. Does that happen in reality?

I use KStars and EKOS on a Raspberry Pi, for that very job.👍

M3 and M101, from last night. I'm still working on post processing.🙄

That's comical, happening to a comedian!😂 The irony...🙄

Thanks for the info, as I was just wanting to use it as a backup on my laptop, incase my RPi was unavailable, etc...

I was trying out ASCOM EQmod on my laptop, with the EQ5 Pro SynScan mount. My question is, is it normal for the EQ5 to show up as HEQ5/HEQ6 on the pull down menu selection for ASCOM? 🤔 It works okay, just curious...

Here's what I use... https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-product?id=8459

I've redone the images with Deep Sky Stacker, but have still to work on them with GIMP. The targets were HD 73731 and IC 2388.

I'm trying to keep the costs down!😮 Thanks to Chris on YouTube (Astro La Vista), I'm working on improving the images...👍

Goodness knows how these look to you experienced AP's?🤔🙄 Some images I took a few nights ago, around the vicinity of Cancer. The log is on my RPi, not this laptop...

Been there, done that!🙄 I've had a number of issues with KStars and Ekos, etc. It's not the simplest or most intuitive software to use and could do with an 'idiot' mode, for people like me. I've also had problems with RPi throwing wobblies, etc. First time I tried to plate solve a few nights ago, I couldn't get anything. Last night, was the first ever time that plate solving actually worked for me!😲 I don't if it was because I increased the exposure time and gain settings, but it did seem to make a difference. Having a 120mm f8 1000m refractor makes the FOV a bit small, so perhaps there weren't enough starts in the image to be resolved correctly?🤔 I've got it working after a fashion though...

It can be update using a USB B type connector and receives it's power through the USB cable (5V). You just need to hook it up to the computer, as it doesn't need to be connected to the mount for updating the firmware...

There's a bit of 'give/slop' in the focuser tube, but that seems to be normal for these lower end refractors from SW. 🙄 I get the same affect with some of the eyepieces that I use, if I'm visually observing.

I can very much chime in with this!🙄 I went down the road from a 4.5" Newtonian reflector, to 8" Dob, then 120mm refractor with EQ5 Deluxe mount, then motor drives and finally a goto system. That's not including the two ZWO cameras that I've bought and Raspberry Pi to run it all remotely. At times, I've felt like pulling out my hair. My bank balance is low and my 8" Dob is collecting dust from lack of use. If I don't make a breakthrough soon, then I'll be putting most of the AP gear up for sale and going back to being a purely visual observer...

I spoke with Auntie @FLO, who suggested that the 224MC is really a lightweight camera that doesn't need to be screwed in directly. I can live with that.😉 My biggest headache at the moment is the very steep learning curve that it KStars and EKOS - plate solving, etc.🙄

I was relatively brand loyal to SW, till Astro Essentials and the like came out - same accessories, but a bit cheaper.

That's the thing, being so close to Ireland, was it Irish Whiskey or Scottish Whisky (not Scotch)?🤔🤣