Guiding conversion project for 200p and EQ5

[Quatermass]

Thank you Cozzy its all got to be tested out soon as well mind I wanted to just test out the webcam and phd through my finder scope this evening but its been snowing and the sky is gray with cloud at the moment. Got the finder scope rigged up at my bedroom window and PHD running on my pc indoors just wanted to have a play with it and get used to its setting a bit before I give it all a proper test when the GPUSB get here. Have never guided with a laptop before so its going to be quite a learning experience.

So you have an eq5 and modded controller like Stan and me I take it, are you guiding with phd as well?

[Cozzy]

I can only apolgies, I have replied three times to this, post, do'nt know where it went, Hey Um! pressed the wrong button, Just learned to text using thumbs 'Bonus'.! waffling, I do that!!

your step by step was spot on. I intend to use wxAtrocapture, pre-lims went well as mentioned.

Mods are easy, just like the question! if you know the amswer!!!! need to keep off that whisky, lol:p

I used to work down your area QM,down at the powerstations.

Qm, pm me.

[The_PSY3NTIST]

One more sleep to go...

[Quatermass]

lots of snow in suffolk this morning all the more reason to get set up in my shed with the laptop for guiding.

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[Chris]

Wow QM thats quite a garden you've got their

[The_PSY3NTIST]

Lots of room to build an observatory (I'll look forward to following that project next)

[Quatermass]

Its massive but mowing the grass is a pain. If I didnt have all the trees around me an observatory would be down there for sure. The field at the back has great dark skies cant wait to try out my set up, soon be time

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[Chris]

hey QM, talking of massive, that 200p I got with my HEQ5, what a big and heavy OTA! I only really realised how big it was today when I finished servicing the mount and placed the OTA on the mount, I had to place both the weights right at the end of the bar to get close to balancing the beast. I'm not surprised you had problems with the wind effecting your tracking, you must be right on the limits with the eq5 mate . I also took out the primary and cleaned it with de-ionised water, I thought I might as well with all this snow, it came up a treat

Edited February 5, 2012 by starfox

[Quatermass]

Yes Chris the 200p is a big beasty for sure and does push the limit on my EQ5 that's why I'm using the finders scope as a guide scope to cut down on any more weight. The Canon 350d is quite a light slr as well which helps. The wind does effect it quite a bit too but the extra capturing power of this light bucket gives great results on faint object and galaxy's. If I can get even a 4 minute exposure with this set up that will be brilliant. Snowed out at the moment so hoping my adapter comes tomorrow for the webcam and usb port so I can have a play with the set up and fine tune any thing that needs sorting out.. Now all I need is some nice clear skys. Sound like the clean up job is worth it I have cleaned my primary mirror quite often now it gets dusty and is not that hard to clean once you have done it a few times.

[JohnC64]

Hi QM, Just found this thread (Wow what a monster thread). Sorry that the original plan didn't work out but glad that you worked out a solution. I do guiding with the finderscope with phd and its really great. Look forward to some stunning images from you now :-)

Cheers John

[Quatermass]

Hi John

he he yes its a big thread for sure but lots of good stuff and lots of people contributing. Glad to here finder scope and phd work for you as well just hope it will work for me too. I am going to get some longer cables so I can stay warm in my shed dont want to stand out in all that snow

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[The_PSY3NTIST]

Wishing you clear skies for tomorrow QM keep us posted with any developments

[Quatermass]

Will do Dave soon as my gear arrives and I can get out there I will report back with my first attempts if I dont end up frozen to the telescope that is.

[The_PSY3NTIST]

That would be a very disappointing end to such a long thread make sure you wrap up warm lol

[Quatermass]

My webcam adapter has arrived going to take some pictures of it being fitted and post next. Now just waiting for the gpusb adapter from shoestring astronomy.

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[Quatermass]

Ok heres the conversion of the quickcam pro 4000 webcam with the adapter from Morgans.

Step 1.

Remove the base it just pulls off quite easily then unscrew the single small cross head screw on the right hand side of the casing with the lens pointing to the left of you.

Step 2.

Remove the camera lens by gently unscrewing it.

Step 3.

Now we offer up the adapter from Morgans, but there is a problem. The Adapter does not fit! Fear not though it is just a simple case of trimming down the barrel on the camera so that we can reach the screw thread inside a matter of removing about a quarter of an inch with a sharp craft knife blade, helps to heat it slightly so it cuts through the plastic easy.

Step 4

Remove the two small screws at the back of the unit that hold the barrel onto the chip here I am removing the second one below the first one at the top part of the unit.

And with the barrel gently removed here is the chip.

Step 5

Having removed the barrel I trimmed it back a small amount with my craft knife until the adapters thread could reach the thread inside the barrel. I then screwed it in to test a snug fit, then replaced the barrel back onto the unit and screwed in the morgans adapter.

Step 6

Now its time to put the casing all back together snug and screw tight the first screw we removed to divide the casing.

Step 7

Notice we have a rather horrible gap there which dirt and dust can get in so to fix this I used a piece of foam cut a small bit of the end and pierced a hole in the middle that fits nicely around the adapter and seal the gap. I also cut another bit to plug the end of the adapter when not in use to keep the dust out and off the sensor chip.

Step 8

Now all of that fits into my converted finder scope here is how that is done simply cut a loo roll to size wrap tightly around a spare eye piece and tape it with masking tape so it gives a snug fit and place the loo roll in a tube of foam pipe lagging.

Step 9

Now push the adapted webcam into the finder scope and aim it out the window of your house at the unsuspecting chickens. To focus just pull back slightly or push forward slightly and the chickens will never know they are being spied on.

Here is a still frame of the webcam finder scope conversion and the chickens it is filming.

Step 10

Wait for next clear night to test it out on stars and not chickens.

Hope you enjoyed that I had great fun doing it and its cool to watch the chickens on my converted webcam and finder scope:D:D

QM

[malc-c]

QM, In true Blue Peter fashion, with a little bit of foam here and there, a bit of paper tube etc ... but it works a treat !

Well done

[Quatermass]

Yes Malcolm it was one I prepared earlier Hope I get a blue peter badge!

[stan26]

Coming along nicely QM, Just need that USB to turn up now!

You now need to learn the art of finding/centering a suitable guide star. Not as easy as you think with the webcams VERY narrow FOV. And being an un-modded cam short exposure cam doesn't make it any easier, But if I can do it I'm sure anyone can....

Stan.

[Quatermass]

cheers stan it will be fun learning to do that but the weather could put me back a while lots of fog about in suffolk.

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[stan26]

Tell me about it! I also want to get my guide rig up and running again. Things where going so well before this poxy weather set in!

Stan

[Quatermass]

Oh well the snow makes the country side look lovely if nothing else. I was reading an article by the maker of PHD and he said webcams were not ideal for PHD he recommended the QHY5 cameras that might be my next investment later on once I have tested all this later.

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[bamus]

Oh well the snow makes the country side look lovely if nothing else. I was reading an article by the maker of PHD and he said webcams were not ideal for PHD he recommended the QHY5 cameras that might be my next investment later on once I have tested all this later.

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Don’t give up. I was able to get stars above 6 mag with Logitech 120. Perhaps 4000 series are more sensitive and you would get better results. Don’t forget to reduce noise by using median noise reduction in PHD settings.

http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-discussion/125230-unmoded-webcam-guider.html#post1663012

[Cozzy]

Job well done on the webcam, love the foam filler, John Noakes would be proud of that.

[Quatermass]

Don’t give up. I was able to get stars above 6 mag with Logitech 120. Perhaps 4000 series are more sensitive and you would get better results. Don’t forget to reduce noise by using median noise reduction in PHD settings.

http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-discussion/125230-unmoded-webcam-guider.html#post1663012

great link there Bamus thanks for posting it. Thats very encouraging;)