Autoguiding standard HEQ5 - questions!

[Amra]

Hi guys, I was thinking of investing in some autoguiding equipment for my standard HEQ5. I have already researched a bit, and I think I know what I want to do, but any advice you might have is greatly appreciated.

As I understand it I will first need to modify my hand controller, and I plan to find someone skilled with soldering & such and follow this guide: http://www.store.shoestringastronomy.com/eq_mod.pdf

Now a question, where do I find that cable with a ST-4 port that is being soldered into the hand controller, that I will later connect to the device below?

The usb-guider http://www.firstlightoptics.com/hitecastro/hitecastro-usb-guider.html from FLO to be the bridge between the modified hand controller and laptop.

Lastly I will need an adapter for my finderscope so that I can connect my webcam for guiding. My current webcam is a measly cheap xbox cam, with I guess quite quite low sensitivity, so I can have problems finding a guide star. However with this setup I do not need a ST4 port inbuilt into my webcam, right? And I could also invest in a decent planetary webcam which can double as my guide camera when needed.

As I see it, the only expensive investment in going ahead with this is the usb-guider, the software part I am positive I can work out.

[Amra]

Also I am looking at http://www.modernastronomy.com/accessories.html for the right adapter for a simple 1.25 inch nosepiece, which one is it? Or maybe I should just go ahead and invest in QHY webcam.

[Robny]

Does your HEQ5 not already have an st4 guide port that the usb-guider can be plugged into? ST4 cables are freely available from FLO sorry can provide a link (easily) asim using my phone

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[Robny]

Just done a quick search, my appologies the std heq5 does not have a st4 port (surprised) but you may findrhis helpful

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[Robny]

Sorry for all the posts, early morning and brain not functioning efficiently yet

Here you go

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/guide-cameras/st4-guide-cable.html

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[Physicist13]

first think very carefully about why you think you need to autoguide! It may not be as obvious as you first think!..there is a lot of incorrect info out there unfortunately.

[Beyond_Vision]

It would be worth putting up a picture of the mounts connection ports so that we can see what connections you have availble. It is most likely that all you need is an EQMOD adaptor such as this

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/astronomy-cables-leads-accessories/hitecastro-eqdir-adapter.html

The HEQ5 syntrek/pro version.

With this device you will be able to control the mount directly from a laptop and dispense with the Synscan (or Syntrek) handset. You can then set up pulse guiding option in the EQMOD software (downloadble from link on FLO website).

There is plenty of stuff online on how to set this up.

Regards

[Amra]

It would be worth putting up a picture of the mounts connection ports so that we can see what connections you have availble. It is most likely that all you need is an EQMOD adaptor such as this

http://www.firstligh...ir-adapter.html

The HEQ5 syntrek/pro version.

With this device you will be able to control the mount directly from a laptop and dispense with the Synscan (or Syntrek) handset. You can then set up pulse guiding option in the EQMOD software (downloadble from link on FLO website).

There is plenty of stuff online on how to set this up.

Regards

Unfortunately that's not possible with the standard HEQ5 I think, but I might just plunge into a upgrade kit from FLO, something I've also been considering for a long time.

These are the connections on the standard HEQ5.

[steppenwolf]

You can certainly modify the standard handset (via soldering to the back of the switch contacts) - I have done this with my old black non-GoTo EQ6. There is an article regarding this'll on my website so feel free to have a look.

The mod does work but if you are contemplating upgrading to GoTo and thus moving on to EQMod, I would thoroughly recommend this more advanced route as a very value added alternative.

Too many advantages to list but in addition to all the joys of GoTo, the motors and motor boards are much better than the originals so auto guided tracking will also be better.

Sent from my iPhone from somewhere dark .....

[Amra]

If I upgrade my HEQ5, can I use EQmod through the hand controller as a bridge with all the same functionality without having to buy the EQdir cable? I've asked FLO if I could buy an upgrade kit without a hand controller to save some money, but I doubt that's an option, doesn't hurt to ask though.

[Amra]

btw I love your book Steve! On that note, I should open it up and have a full read up on autoguiding again.

[IanL]

I would second Steve's suggestion of upgrading to a GOTO set-up with EQMOD. It would be worth the extra cost to save the time and headaches. I built a home-brew modification for an LX10 to make it auto-guide by converting the push-button handset using an Arduino, a relay board and custom software to emulate a Meade GOTO hand-controller, but it was a trial and a half and whilst it worked it is not a patch on a stepper motor system with a proper micro-controller.

Read up on EQMOD, as you may find that you can use the PC Direct mode of the handset to function the same as EQMOD adaptor (it isn't fully endorsed by the EQMOD developers, but a lot of people report that it works).

If you are considering auto-guiding with PHD guiding , have a read of this sticky for the basics:

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/188777-phd-guiding-basic-use-and-troubleshooting/