Jump to content

Banner.jpg.b89429c566825f6ab32bcafbada449c9.jpg

EQMOD Review

daz

By daz
in Member Equipment Reviews

Recommended Posts

daz

daz

Posted
Posted

This an 'out of the box in daylight' review that I will update once I get a chance to run it under dark skies and am more familiar with the software.

I took the decision to buy the EQMOD interface after various threads on here expunged the benefits, which include

* Being able to use ASCOM to link with planetarium software (as opposed to a Celestron interface)

* Being able to align on 6 stars rather than three

* No more getting the date / time wrong

* Direct interface with the stepper motors

* Able to sit in comfort at the laptop!

* Ever evolving features from the EQMOD community

One additional benefit to this interface is that it also works with the Non-Pro mounts (HEQ5 and EQ6) - at least, as far as I can make out. I'd recommend you join the Yahoo group and check on this though!!

Requirements

To get the interface to work you need the bit of hardware that converts the signals from your computer to ones that the mount understands. There are a few different options available, including one that you can build yourself if you are competent at soldering (or don't have fingers like fat pork sausages...!!). I chose the pre-built option from Opticstar. Delivery was a fiver, but it was recorded next day. The unit is essentially two 9 pin serial ports back to back, with a small circuit board in between. Measuring a couple of inches long, its very neat and well made.

The next thing needed is a suitable 9pin male to female serial lead. Available from any number places are these, but having a handy 3 metre one at work meant I didn't have to buy this.

Finally, the software is needed in the form of the ASCOM drivers. You'll also need the ASCOM platform if you don't already have it. Both are easy to install - the EQMOD just simply needs you register the DLL with Windows, instructions are in the drivers link above.

Connection and Set Up

I have a Dynamode PCMCIA cardbus adapter for my laptop, but the documentation says that it will work just as well with a USB to SERIAL adapter. So, I stuck the adapter in, hooked up the lead to the mount, powered up the mount, started Starry Night and selected the EQMOD ASCOM in the telescope options. The EQMOD interface fired up but refused to connect to the mount.

After checking all the cables, it dawned on me to check the COM port settings. The adapter was set for COM Port 8 - EQMOD was set for port 1!!! You can set the port, baud rate, etc. in the driver, but I reset the COM port in Windows back to COM1 and tried again.

This time it connected straight away. As the handset normally holds all the location settings, these needed to be set, along with elevation and hemisphere. Date, time and time-zone is apparently taken from the computer - something else not to worry about!

The driver has many options and settings that the user can tweak - slew rates, guide rates, slewing limits, it will interface with GPS, wireless gamepads or joysticks and you can use a 3-button mouse to slew with As there is a very strong beta testing programme, I am confident that the stable releases are just that!

Software Interfacing

For the sake of software testing, I used Starry Night V6, Skymap Pro 10, Deep Sky Planner 4 (Build 4.3.1) (Deep Sky Planner has a toolbar for mount control to save jumping out of DSP, which is a nice touch!!), Virtual Moon Atlas (Pro) and Cartes du Ciel. All of them worked with no issues at all. VMA is able to tweak the position to centre a moon's feature, which was cool. Starry Night offered limited telescope control from with its own interface, but DSP impressed me the most.

Conclusion

My conclusion then is that there is actually very little to go wrong. You need to join the Yahoo group to get to the latest stable releases, but given the level of knowledge on there, this is worth doing IMO. Its very refreshing to see something work straight of the box and the fact that the interface is under constant development is very good news.

So, was it worth the £30 price tag - absolutely!! I will still be outside with scope, but it means once the mount is aligned and tracking, I don't have to go near it again when its time to slew to a new object.

As promised, I'll update this once its been outside and actually used in anger (given the forecasted weather, don't hold your breath for a rapid turnaround though!!!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Beyond_Vision

Beyond_Vision

Posted
Posted

Great review Daz I think I will be going for this option myself as there are no comet or asteroid or artificial satellite targets in the handset database.

Just a word of warning Daz I would stay with the scope whilst slewing just incase it slews into the tripod leg or overstretches any cables to CCD/DSLR camera.

BTW this is a great way of getting a cheaper goto mount. If you purchase the Syntrek version of the EQ6 pro its £100 pounds cheaper (since it has no goto handset but the same motors and control board as the full goto mount), if you then get the EQMOD for £30 you will save £70 off the full price of a EQ6Pro Synscan goto

http://www.modernastronomy.com/mounts.htm#heq5pro

Regards

Kevin

Link to comment
Share on other sites
steppenwolf

steppenwolf

Posted
Posted

An excellent first report.

One additional benefit to this interface is that it also works with the Non-Pro mounts (HEQ5 and EQ6) - at least, as far as I can make out. I'd recommend you join the Yahoo group and check on this though!!

The EQMod will not work with the original HEQ5 and EQ6 mounts that just have the RA and DEC hand control box - you need to have the latest motors and control board installed in the mount as it is this control board that is directly addresed by the EQMod system.

This means that HEQ5 and EQ6 mounts that have had the SkyScan (later renamed SynScan) upgrade will work as will the current non-goto mounts using the SynTrek handcontroller as noted above as these also have the latest controller board and motors.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
radioactive

radioactive

Posted
Posted

Daz

Fantastic Review mate all that power to hand straight out of the box I keep saying I am convinced and will be getting one well even if I were not convinced before (WHICH I AM!) I would be after your superb review.

Big thanks for that I must write a review about something I do one maybe for the Denks if they ever turn up! no they may have been done before, I've just thought we had a few people round last night to look at my new Obs n stuff after a touch of networking and beers I have I think sourced a supplier of a couple of components to my finish building the remote controlled roof open/closer bit I will review that So meantime its get:-

the EQMOD here and working

Thanks again

Link to comment
Share on other sites
cygnusx1

cygnusx1

Posted
Posted

An excellent first report.

One additional benefit to this interface is that it also works with the Non-Pro mounts (HEQ5 and EQ6) - at least, as far as I can make out. I'd recommend you join the Yahoo group and check on this though!!

The EQMod will not work with the original HEQ5 and EQ6 mounts that just have the RA and DEC hand control box - you need to have the latest motors and control board installed in the mount as it is this control board that is directly addresed by the EQMod system.

This means that HEQ5 and EQ6 mounts that have had the SkyScan (later renamed SynScan) upgrade will work as will the current non-goto mounts using the SynTrek handcontroller as noted above as these also have the latest controller board and motors.

Just a clarification needed as i am looking at upgrading my HEQ5 Pro for a computerised EQ6 mount.

Are the standard EQ6 or Syntrek mounts compatible with EQMOD?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
steppenwolf

steppenwolf

Posted
Posted
Just a clarification needed as i am looking at upgrading my HEQ5 Pro for a computerised EQ6 mount.

Are the standard EQ6 or Syntrek mounts compatible with EQMOD?

To clarify even further, this is a compatibility list for the EQMod:-

Standard EQ6 - Not compatible

Standard HEQ5 - Not compatible

EQ6 Pro - compatible

HEQ5 Pro - compatible

EQ6 with SynTrek - compatible

HEQ5 with SynTrek - compatible

Standard EQ6 with SkyScan or SynScan Upgrade Kit - compatible

Standard HEQ5 with SkyScan or SynScan Upgrade Kit - compatible

Hope that helps!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.