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Guiding conversion project for 200p and EQ5


Quatermass

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It sounds to me that it is the battery's. I never use them unless I go out to dark site instead I run an extension lead to the mount and use an adapter to run the control pad from. I find this a much more reliable method for long exposures last thing you need is the battery pack going dead on you.

I always use the adapter and extension lead now and suggest you do the same as buying battery's for it is a pain for sure. But the light on the control pad will flash red as PHD sends pulse signals to the unit and that is normal. When the battery's die down if your running it the unit will also flash the red light.

I know what you mean about having to buy the whole dam unit I asked Skywatcher if they would sell me just another motor but they would not do that for me, cheers I thought its all money with these guys.

If you cant get a second hand one then sadly you have no choice but to get another one but it might just be worth asking on the forums if any one can help you out lots of guys on here have spares.

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Funny that you mention that about the red light flashing as I recall the light was green. When PHD was controlling the mount the controller would occasionaly go red. I would imagine that was when the computer was sending commands to the mount. The problem came when I stopped PHD and the green light in the hand controller kept flashing. The mount wouldn't track so I unplugged the cables from the computer and still the same problem. I assumed that the battery was the problem but if you say that the light flashing should be red, then I have a problem. I've got a feeling that PHD might have made my controller to go mad. It would be interesting to know if anybody out there doing guiding with this mode for a while has encountered the same problem...I mean, I'll be reluctant to mode a new handset and risk having the same problem!

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I think it was just a case of overloading the controller in your case Pix. It should be green when its in standby mode and red when a pulse is being sent if the charge is too low it starts to flash at you. I had another go tonight at the monkey head nebula but the fog rolled in after just 30 shots so gave up it can be a frustrating old game this. I am waiting to get my focal reducer next then may be bothered to set all the guiding rig up again. Sometimes its good for you to just leave it all inside and do some straight observing for a change. Any way here is my attempt at the monkeys head needs a lot more data to bring it right out but it will be gone soon so thought I would make a start on it now ready for another bash next January.

MHN.jpg

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Nice one. That's with only 30 subs? How are you finding your new scope?

I know we don't have clear skies every night; that's the downside of living in a country with a temperate oceanic climate. My brother lives in Tenerife; imagine living there with some of the best skies in the world for astronomy! On the other hand, my wife probably would divorce me if I spent every night in the garden! so I won't complain about the weather here. It's not really that bad.

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Hi Pix, that was a total of about 80 one minute subs over 2 nights but guided would be better once the weather gives me a clear night. The evostar ed80 takes some getting used to but its a lovely bit of gear the biggest difference is that it makes everything so light and portable now, this will mean trips out in the car to dark sites later on in the year. Tenerife hey I should be going over there to see my brother if I was you. The british weather is okish but rather live in tenirife any day. So what are you going to do now about your dual axis controller,such a shame that. Also check out this thread it really opened my eyes up to the possiblitys of using just a cannon and a 200 lens..

http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-deep-sky/114064-m31-what-difference-dark-sky-makes.html

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I ordered a new dual axis motor so I can get the control pad. £97 gone out of my sheer stupidity. With this and the Stellavue American finder and the custom duties I no longer have a budget setup:mad:

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I feel for you mate that was a real downer for you, I got my set up and my niece stood on my laptop and cracked the screen so that was also very annoying had to get a second hand dell laptop from my step son. But lets be positive about it your new one is on the way and the mod is painless and easy to do and once its done you will be good to go again, its a set back but not one that will stop you. Its a shame company's are so greedy about there products the price of some stuff for astrophotography is off the wall in my opinion. Thats why we have to resort to these devious modifications.

Keep the old one it might be handy for spares if you need any later on and good luck with the mod mate

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Thanks for comments on my http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-...sky-makes.html image QM.

I've only just picked up this thread and I know it's long past now but I have the original LVI autoguider which i used with varying degrees of success on a CG5-GT mount, I would occasionally get the "MOTORS NOT MOVING" message apparently randomly. I've just upgraded my mount (at Astrofest) to an Ioptron IEQ45 and asked the guys at Altair Astro whether the LVI would work with it and was told they doubted it and thought a firmware upgrade might be required. Well the first time I tried the guider with new mount "MOTORS NOT MOVING" duly appeared so I contacted Baader and they suggested either raising or lowering the tracking rate, it was originally set at 100% (x1) so I dropped it down to 40% "MOTORS NOT MOVING" appeared again so I dropped it to 25% and guess what...... it calibrated first time and has tracked faultlessly even since. So if you have the ability to drop the tracking rate don't write off the LVI to quickly, it's a good quick portable set-up, like the Astrotrac, for those of us who don't want to set computers in cold damp fields in the middle of nowhere.

Anyway QM it looks like you're successfully solved your tracking problems and I look forward to seeing more of your fabulous images on the forum.

Thanks Mel

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:)Hi Mel

That really was a stunning image of the Andromeda Galaxy best I have ever seen and that astrotrak thing looks like a great bit of gear. The LVI motor not moving error was down to needing a lower gear speed but with my EQ5 mount it was never going to work so I passed it on to another chap on the forum who has an eq6. I am loving my new evostar ed80 and learning how to use it. All I need is good run of clear sky and its back out there again. Keep posting those astrotrack images Mell very inspiring indeed:headbang:

QM

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  • 3 weeks later...

I've gone an done it... I've finally become a traitor to the EQ3-2 and EQ5 guiding threads : (

I ordered a HEQ5 Pro, about 20 minutes after the wife left for the airport.....

Going to beef up the guidescope to a startravel ST80, but I'm keeping the quick cam pro guide camera for now, as it works relatively well, and QHY5s don't play nicely on a macintosh.

Doubt it will improve my imaging and life will be harder as a eunuch when the wife finds out : )

Anyway, I learned loads on these threads so thanks again QM and stan.

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Wife left for the airport hey lol the perfect time to buy a new telescope mount just dont go blaming us when your missus finds out. That will be my next item on the "I am an astrophotographer and I am broke" list..

Tell us all about it when the beast arrives wont you, your going to have a hard job hiding it lol.

Edited by Quatermass
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LOL!

When she discovers it, I'll initially deny that it is different, then admit that it cost £50 which she will double before giving me grief for spending £100.

Besides I know that she secretly buys shoes, which she hides :icon_salut:

My next question is to work out how many shoes she'd have to buy before I can justify a Mesu friction mount.....

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I also thought my modding days were over with my new 'quality' mount on the way......

5 mins of google has already convinced me to take it apart as soon as it arrives to regrease it..... oh and then there's the belt-drive options.....

GOD HELP ME!

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My next question is to work out how many shoes she'd have to buy before I can justify a Mesu friction mount.....

Is it called a friction mount because of the effect the purchase has on domestic harmony?

James

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Oh and its a sad day today : (

My EQ3-2 with all its mods is being packed up to be sent to its new happy owner.

And I took your advice and did the camera last night too QM.

Hoping for some clear skies for first light of the HEQ and modded Canon

Edited by badgers
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Hi QM,

We've been looking at your thread and blog, and have got the gear to start guiding but we're having a few problems and hope you can help.

We have set up the Quickcam4000 in the finderscope. Software is PHD, and the interface is GPUSB + ST4. The camera works, and the laptop talks to the mount ok.

We've tried adjusting the brightness/contrast/gamma/saturation settings, etc with no luck at getting a useable image. We're currently testing it and have been proping up the finderscope, so obviously wasn't as secure as it would be on a mount. Managed to get a great glowing blob of moon last night, but it's impossible to get detail. We did try it on a mount in trying to find Venus, or brighter stars, but there seemed to be no way of locating them as there's either so much noise, or in reducing the noise, just a dark screen.

On positive note, after the advice you gave us previously, we have bought a cheap planetry CCD (Opticstar 130C) and are able to take acceptable images of the moon manually guiding, and feel we are on the way with planets.

We'd really appreciate any advice or some pointers as to where we might find it.

Thanks

Flinthead

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Jesus it's big....

The wife is going to crucify me!

Hmmm, that came out Easter themed without me even intending it.

LOL we are not allowed to discus religion or politics on the forum mate so better stay clear of the easter themes. Big is it? Well I may be getting one as well my local dealer has a guy upgrading to an eq6 and part exchanging his heq5 which will be offered to me if it happens at discount price so that could be the next BIG thing for me to. Now the question is where are you going to hide it?:)

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