HEQ5 and 200PDS?

[FinleyChambers]

Anyone use a 200PDS on a HEQ5 pro? If so what are your thoughts? 

[Rallemikken]

I do. Very satisfiied. Image with a DSLR, guiding with a mini camera in the finderscope. But pretty small FOV. Good for big galaxies and small nebulas, and all between. Fun rig to tinker with.

http://www.agle.no/astro/index.php

 

[Varavall]

Hi

I'm a bit late to the party, but I have a the very same rig. As you can see in the photo it can be loaded with all the kit you may wish for. I have done the collimation,  Rowan Belt mod and adjusted the backlash out of the drives, and I made a pillar mount out of scrap aluminium to minimise risk of collisions with tripod legs. For guiding I started by using the 9x50 finder scope with QHY5L II C, but I have now bolted a TS optics 80mm finder/guider scope to the top which gives better pixel ratio for guiding. I can do 10 minute guided subs without problems. Of course the tube is a sail when the wind blows and it can rock a bit. All in all I am very happy with it's performance. I have only been into mono imaging for 6 months so there is still a lot to learn about the rig, but I attach a photo I took recently in LRGB SHO.  It's a scope that provides enjoyment without breaking the bank, well at least until you start mono AP!

[MichaelBibby]

On 10/02/2022 at 02:16, Varavall said:

Hi

I'm a bit late to the party, but I have a the very same rig. As you can see in the photo it can be loaded with all the kit you may wish for. I have done the collimation,  Rowan Belt mod and adjusted the backlash out of the drives, and I made a pillar mount out of scrap aluminium to minimise risk of collisions with tripod legs. For guiding I started by using the 9x50 finder scope with QHY5L II C, but I have now bolted a TS optics 80mm finder/guider scope to the top which gives better pixel ratio for guiding. I can do 10 minute guided subs without problems. Of course the tube is a sail when the wind blows and it can rock a bit. All in all I am very happy with it's performance. I have only been into mono imaging for 6 months so there is still a lot to learn about the rig, but I attach a photo I took recently in LRGB SHO.  It's a scope that provides enjoyment without breaking the bank, well at least until you start mono AP!

I would HIGHLY recommend rotating the scope so that the focuser, and guidescope, is facing DOWN, and I would remove the finderscope too. Doing that should really help improve the guiding performance. You want to get as much weight closer to the axis of the mount to reduce the 'moment arm'.

[Varavall]

On 01/11/2023 at 04:49, MichaelBibby said:

I would HIGHLY recommend rotating the scope

Thanks for the pointer, but the photo was illustrative and not how ithe telescope is used. It's all rotated and I have hypertuned the mount with SKL bearings,  etc. PHD2 guide RMS of 0.3-0.6. So all is well 🙂