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AstroEQ for EQ mounts

Oily

By Oily
in DIY Astronomer

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RichM63

RichM63

Posted
Posted

The parts in #787 were for using standard SkyWatcher motors with a 1:1 ratio between motor and worm shaft.

I do NOT know anything about Nema 14 motors, shaft diameters, or drive ratios.

BE CAREFULL

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saac

saac

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Been reading this thread all the way through and it's clear that this is a great bit of kit.  My mount is an EQ5 derivative (supplied with my Messier Bresser Newtonian), from the photographs on here it looks identical to the SW EQ5.  I currently have RA/DEC clock motors driving it but it should be a simple matter of matching up suitable stepper motors - the motor housing/mounting webs again look identical to the EQ5 mount.  I've just dropped Tom an email on his web site enquiring if he has any units available.  All being well it could be a nice project for the summer holidays.

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TCWORLD

TCWORLD

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Well, I'm back on it.

I've been making some firmware improvements and hope to release them very soon - It looks like it might be a clear enough night tonight to test out the changes I have made.

More AstroEQ boards are on order, arriving tomorrow, so I will be able to start getting back to people who have sent me messages.

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TCWORLD

TCWORLD

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I was unable to get outside tonight, but I did check to make sure the updates to the config utility were working and that I hadn't noticeably broken anything.

If anyone wants to try out a Beta version, feel free to download it here:

http://www.astroeq.co.uk/AstroEQ7-ConfigUtility.zip

If anyone does test it, if they could let me know of any problems they might have.

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saac

saac

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Let it be me, let it be me.  Seriously don't you just love the experience when a bit of astro kit arrives in the post.  Coming home from work to find a parcel, hopefully left in the shed, waiting for you.  Like a child again at Christmas.  I've got to go to the post office tomorrow because the postman wouldn't use the shed - never mind it's a parcel with astro kit in it (pier head adaptor).  Can't wait to get my AstroEQ, Christmas in June :smiley:

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saac

saac

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Yipee, it doesn't get better than this.  Went to the post office on the way to work this morning to pick up the pier adaptor only to be told a second parcel had also arrived - it was the AstroEQ. Thanks Tom, good speedy delivery.  When I got home after work I found another missed delivery  but this time the parcel was left in the shed - a dovetail and star diagonal ordered from FLO.  Looking like Christmas indeed.

Anyway, thanks again Tom, just need to order some suitable stepper motors and my summer holiday project is sorted.  Just one thing, I noticed the port labeled ST4 input is blanked and the site AstroEQ web site refers to guiding capability as optional.  Does this mean that the controller has to be modded to guide?  

Jim

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TCWORLD

TCWORLD

Posted
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By default I don't solder on the ST4 port as it is possible to do guiding using PHD which seems to be more favourable - one less wire to have hanging around. The PCB does have all the necessary footprints on it so all that is required is to solder on a connector. There seem to be as many different layouts for an ST4 port as there are devices which use them, so this way you can solder on a cable in the correct arrangement without having to get adapter cables.

I suppose if I had been thinking I could add a box on the purchase page to specify whether an ST4 port is required.

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saac

saac

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Thanks Tom, I'd read a couple of tutorials online which suggested that guiding could be done using PHD but it is something I have never done nor used before so I wasn't 100 % sure if that meant it could be done without the ST4 port.  I'm taking my mount apart over the weekend to tighten everything up and at the same time confirm my gearing ratio.  I'll be interesting to see how closely it relates to the standard EQ5 on your common gear ratio page.  I won't be surprised if it the same, physically it looks very much like an EQ5.  Thanks again Tom for the first rate service.

 

Jim    

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TCWORLD

TCWORLD

Posted
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Just a quick update. I am still tweaking the new firmware - I've now improved the configuration process by making it possible to change the mount config without having to reupload the firmware which should make it easier to make changes.

If there are any features you would like to see, let me know and I will see what I can do.

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RichM63

RichM63

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First congratulation to the new AstroEQ users above, you won't be disappointed. :)

Tom, one handy feature would be a save/load profile. I use the AstroEQ with both the EQ3 and EQ5 and seem to have to manually re-enter the data, gear ratios etc whenever I swap mounts.

I can never remember all the info and always have to look it up.

Or a drop down box on the gear ratio settings boxes allowing the selection of named mount ratios.

Even with only one mount, this would make setting up easier.

All the best,

Rich

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Gonzo

Gonzo

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If there are any features you would like to see, let me know and I will see what I can do.

Something I would really like to have please is the possibility to remotely update the box without having to export the entire configuration tool over ssh.

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saac

saac

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Ok, I'm going to ask what may appear as a daft question but as I tell the kids in class, never be afraid to ask what you think is a daft question!

I stripped down my EQ5 vixen type clone mount yesterday and counted the teeth on the RA axis (not done the Dec yet).  The worm has 9 teeth while the aluminium drum it drives has 153, this gives a ratio of 17:1 (drum:worm).  The list of gear ratios from Tom's site (common gear ratios) refers to 144:1 for the worm ratio.  I think I must be wrongly interpreting the definition of these ratios.  I'd be grateful if someone could offer some help.

Jim

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TCWORLD

TCWORLD

Posted
Posted

Common misconception about work screws, it is not the number of spirals you count, its the number of starts. Most worms have one start, they are just a helix. Some less common (think high cost/performance) can have more than one.

So your worm ratio will bee 153:1

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saac

saac

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Thanks Tom, I thought I was doing something seriously wrong . :p   Am I right to think that the motor ratio will be the ratio of the number of teeth on the pulley fixed on the motor and worm shaft respectively?

I have the motors ordered (used one of the sites you listed a few pages back) just need to sort out the pulley/belts and a pier.

Tom

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