QHY5, PHD and CG5

[MND]

I'm struggling to set these up, basically because Im clueless with PC's...

Ive installed the Ascom drivers and both QHY5 drivers from the CD. Ive installed PHD and it seems to have connected to the camera.

Ive plugged the camera into the laptop and into the ST4 port. Is all this I need to control the mount from PHD?

I have installed Celestron Ascom driver but PHD wont connect to the mount. I click the mount button and choose celestron scope driver but it says ascom driver problem during connection. Im thinking that I should have a serial cable also or is the cable to the ST4 port ok for guiding?

[Thalestris24]

Hi

I think you need to select 'on camera' for mount when using ST4.

Louise

[MND]

Hi Louise,

That did the trick. Was an in some ways frustrating but also enjoyable night. I eventually got PHD working with the QHY. I struggled to find any stars so just swung the Scope to regulos so I could play with PHD. Worked fine guiding on that. Next problem was damn battery was flat in 600D so I never got to try any shots.

I did find that I had to have the focus all the way out to get Regulos vaguely in focus. Would an extension help with that, I did fit the QHY onto the diagonal, or maybe using the diagonal is the problem would I be better without it?

[Thalestris24]

Hi

I wouldn't personally use the diagonal, though I suppose, in principal you could. Obviously without it you need to make up for its optical length with an extender. I think one of these would probably do:

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/adaptors/celestron-125-inch-t-extension-93625.html

or similar.

You just have to aim to have a distance of ~400mm (the ST80's focal length) between the plane of the objective lens and that of the camera sensor.

Hth

Louise

[tingting44]

you dont want to guide on any bright stars like regulos/arctus/spica just slew around and pick a very faint star, i also guided for the first time tonight, what an epic feeling it is to see them words.........."guiding" lol

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/216612-im-back-up-and-running-d/#entry2326758