HEQ5 advice.

[Franklin]

Hi all, looking for advice from HEQ5 owners please.

I am visual only and presently have a Vixen GP2 with a synta RA drive and DEC slow-mo which is used for centering and tracking only. I am very pleased with this set up. However, having suffered from aperture fever for some time I have found myself with a scope which really needs a heavier duty mount and am looking at the HEQ5 as a beefier alternative. In the past these where available as a non-goto set up which would have been ideal. My question is, can the present goto version of the HEQ5 be used simply for centering and tracking, bypassing the goto function all together? Thanks.

[Cornelius Varley]

12 minutes ago, Franklin said:

My question is, can the present goto version of the HEQ5 be used simply for centering and tracking, bypassing the goto function all together?

After the initial setup you can skip the star alignment and use the mount as a non-goto tracking mount.  

[Franklin]

Thanks for the reply and for putting my mind at rest. I just want to be able to set my latitude on the mount, point the thing North and get observing. Nice one thanks.