6x30 finder + neximage for guiding?

[chemtom24]

does anyone know if i can use a 6x30 finderscope and a neximage camera to guide my mount? im gonna mod my handset for an st4 port and need a cheap light guidescope. will this do or should i go for the bigger 8x50? http://stargazerslounge.com/sale/151428-skywatcher-6x30-finderscope.html

incidentally, can anyone give me the part list i need for the st4 mod? cables and adapters etc

Thanks,

Tom

[Cornelius Varley]

You can purchase the components needed to do the ST4 mod from Opticstar. There is also a link to the Shoestring Astronomy instruction sheet on the same page. I doubt if the 6x30 finderscope is suitable for guiding, it may not even be possible to attach a guide camera to the finderscope.

Peter

[chemtom24]

is the st4 port the small connector liek the eq5 motor controls are? and what cable would i need to connect it to the laptop, and any converters needed?

[Cornelius Varley]

The ST4 port is the small adaptor that looks like a telephone extension socket. You will also need an autoguider such as this one First Light Optics - HitecAstro USB Guider or the Shoestring autoguider from Opticstar and a ST4 cable to connect the autoguider to the mount, the HitechAstro guider is supplied with a 2m cable. The autoguider plugs into an available usb pot on your laptop.

Peter

[steelfixer]

You do have another option and that is EQMOD. If you use this you do not need to convert your mount or buy any more cables ect.

[chemtom24]

You do have another option and that is EQMOD. If you use this you do not need to convert your mount or buy any more cables ect.

this is what i was hoping to use yes. as i understand it, i plug the cable into the laptop form the st4 port and run eqmod which will then send signals to the modded handeset to move the mount.

so il have the st4 port done, what i need to knwo now is what cable i need to go from the st4 port to the laptop?

i gather its not the standard ethernet size square port but the smaller version?

edit - and will i need any adapters for the laptop for the cable to plug into?

[Ransu]

Hello Tom. I'm afraid that 30mm finderscope and Neximage is not well working combination. Neximage is not very sensitive, i have used it with 100/660 refractor/ C8 combination. Of course you can try, but i think you will need more light for Neximage.

[Anders]

Hello Tom. I'm afraid that 30mm finderscope and Neximage is not well working combination. Neximage is not very sensitive, i have used it with 100/660 refractor/ C8 combination. Of course you can try, but i think you will need more light for Neximage.

This is what I've read too.

The st-80 works very well with the nex/synguider (same thing with different brand markings on it) according to what I have read, and it is very light weight too.

//Anders

[chemtom24]

Hello Tom. I'm afraid that 30mm finderscope and Neximage is not well working combination. Neximage is not very sensitive, i have used it with 100/660 refractor/ C8 combination. Of course you can try, but i think you will need more light for Neximage.

ok well the seller is offering an 8x50 will this fare any better? im just trying to spend as little as possible and use what ive got.

any other cheap suggestions?

[chemtom24]

oooh astroboot... a 6x30 finder for 11 quid, but i dont want that now.. how about this AstroBoot: 60mm x 700mm scope for 25? AstroBoot this should work well yea?

[Ransu]

60/700 , with almost F=12 i think image is way too dim for neximage. I have tried with 70/700 and Synguider, ( more sensitive chip than nexguider) I tried once, and did not find any good guidingstar. with ST 80/400 it's working well.

propably 50 or 60mm finder could be ok for Neximage.

[chemtom24]

ive got an old set of 12x50 binos, could i use one leg of that?

[chrisshillito]

this is what i was hoping to use yes. as i understand it, i plug the cable into the laptop form the st4 port and run eqmod which will then send signals to the modded handeset to move the mount.

EQMOD only works with synscan standard mounts (i.e. HEQ5 synscan or syntrek versions) and connects to the mounts handcontroller port not the ST-4 port. If you have an EQ5 rather than a HEQ5 then EQMOD could only be used if you first fitted a synscan upgrade kit (£300!).

Chris

[Cornelius Varley]

this is what i was hoping to use yes. as i understand it, i plug the cable into the laptop form the st4 port and run eqmod which will then send signals to the modded handeset to move the mount.

so il have the st4 port done, what i need to knwo now is what cable i need to go from the st4 port to the laptop?

i gather its not the standard ethernet size square port but the smaller version?

edit - and will i need any adapters for the laptop for the cable to plug into?

Unless your mount is the EQ5 Pro Synscan version and not the standard non goto type you will not be able to use EQmod to control the mount.

To connect the ST4 port to your laptop you need an autoguider, these devices connect to a usb port, you cannot connect the ST4 port on the handset directly to the computer. The autoguider then connects to the handset with a ST4 cable.

Peter

[chemtom24]

ok then,. eq mod guide says theres a prog called dog guide.

BUT.... isnt the whole point of modding the handset so you DONT have to buy the synscan bits?

[chemtom24]

from the guide...

How can I be sure that my computer can control my telescope

mount through this adapter?

GPUSBCheck can be used to make sure that the adapter is actually capable of moving

your scope. Do this check right away, don’t wait until you are out in the dark trying to

take a picture to verify that your mount will respond to correction commands from the

GPUSB. First connect the GPUSB to a USB port on your computer, then run an RJ-12

cable from the GPUSB to your mount. Start GPUSBCheck and click on one of the

direction buttons. There should be movement in some direction. Remember, this

movement will be very subtle and hard to observe. The sound of the motors may be a

more obvious sign that the scope is moving. You can also try looking through the scope

at a distant object to check for movement. Click the opposite direction button and watch

for the movement to reverse. Click the button again to stop the motion. Try all four

directions to make sure they all result in movement.

[chemtom24]

Introduction

The Shoestring Astronomy USB Guide Port Adapter is designed to allow personal

computers to control ST-4 compatible autoguider ports as found on many telescope

mounts. Because it is a USB device, it is very convenient to install, is compatible with

many operating systems, and requires no additional power source. It is a small but

important piece of a total system that allows you to economically autoguide your

telescope for long exposure astrophotography. A typical system includes your scope and

mount, a webcam with scope adapter, this interface adapter, and a personal computer

running autoguide software.

am i missing somehting?

[chrisshillito]

ok then,. eq mod guide says theres a prog called dog guide.

BUT.... isnt the whole point of modding the handset so you DONT have to buy the synscan bits?

I think there is a confusion over the terms being used. EQMOD is a popular mount control driver for synta EQ mounts - I suspect the "eq mod" you're referring to is something else with a similar name.

Chris

P.S. (the guide applicatin is called guidedog)

[chrisshillito]

Ah, I see the problem. Shoestring have the filename eq_mod.pdf for their document describing the handcontroller rmodification for older synta mounts. This has nothing to do with EQMOD software just an unfortunate name clash.

If all you want is guiding control then the handcontroller modification coupled with shoestring's FCUSB will work. Rather than GuideDog as the guiding application use PHD - it also supports FCUSB and is probably the most popular free guiding software around (so plenty of help available)

Chris.

[chemtom24]

thankyou chris

i dont know why but short of spending alot of money (which i hvent got) its been hard for me to find out the info i need to know for guiding.

so hopefully this is the right setup?.. mod my handset so it has an st4 port. buy the usb version of the mod kit from shoestring, run a cable from the usb adapter to the handset, plug in the usb, use phd, plug in my guiding webcam, confiugure in phd? and im away *deep breath* lol *

[chemtom24]

crikey the usb port thing is 75 dollars. hmmm.

[Cornelius Varley]

The Shoestring Astronomy autoguider costs £75 and the HitechAstro version costs £60.

Peter

[chemtom24]

The Shoestring Astronomy autoguider costs £75 and the HitechAstro version costs £60.

Peter

are these thigns absolutely neccesary, and are they simple enough to be done diy style?

would you mind humouring a fool liek me and exlpain what they do?

[chemtom24]

will this do the job? First Light Optics - HitecAstro EQDIR adapter

[Cornelius Varley]

will this do the job? First Light Optics - HitecAstro EQDIR adapter

The EQDir adaptor replaces the Skywatcher Synscan handset and allows a Synscan goto mount to be controlled via a computer. Do not confuse this item with the HitechAstro autoguider.

The HitechAstro / Shoestring astronomy autoguider interface adapter plugs directly into a USB port on your computer or a USB hub attached to your computer. Using an RJ-12 (ST4) cable, the adapter connects to the guide port of your telescope mount / modified EQ dual axis handset. This guide port interface uses optocouplers to electrically isolate the computer from the telescope, eliminating a possible source of electrical interference.

Peter