Autoguiding/Cables

[LaVey]

Hi all..

Have now got my st80 in rings on a dovetail, just gotta get the dual mount bar (perhaps next payday), anyway I need to get a cable to control the scope from the PC...

Do I need a cable into the RS232 on the handbox or to the 'Autoguide' port on the mount?

confused :S

[Merlin66]

It really depends on the guide camera and the mounting...

I have a QHY5 which has a "guide port out" which takes the J11 (??) 4 wire phone cable directly to the "Guide / ST4" port on the HEQ5pro mounting. On the LX200 it plugs into the "CCD" port in the base.

The alternative is the guide camera is connected to the PC, running under say PHD and a separate serial cable connects from the PC to the "Guide/ ST-4" port on the mount.

Hope this helps.

[LaVey]

ahh, sorry should of given more detail.. for guiding i'll be using the LPI connected to the PC via usb... so looks like I need a serial-to-st4 cable then

thx for your advice

[Beyond_Vision]

You could get one of these to control the ST4 port from a usb connection to your PC.

Shoestring Astronomy GPUSB for auto-guiding.

I think it's also possible to auto guide via EQMOD pulse guiding. I dont use this method but others may know more. With this method you wouldn't need the above adapter. You will need a slightly cheaper adapter cable that you can either construct yourself or buy for around £40. This will give the advantages of EQMOD as well as a method of autoguiding.

The LPI camera probably wont be sensitive enough to find a decent guide star.

Regards

Kevin

[LaVey]

oh, I thought I could talk direct to the ST4 port via serial with one of these:

Astronomiser - Automated Astronomy and AstroImaging Solutions

Is this not how it works?

[LaVey]

hmm... after reading johns post here (http://stargazerslounge.com/equipment-reviews/78837-eqmod.html) I think that this is the route for me. Well, providing this will work with my CG5 mount.

You will need a slightly cheaper adapter cable that you can either construct yourself or buy for around £40. This will give the advantages of EQMOD as well as a method of autoguiding.

Kevin

Do you know whee I can get one of these pre made cables ?

Cheers

Chris

[Beyond_Vision]

Sorry EQMOD is only compatible with the HEQ5 and EQ6pro mounts.

[Beyond_Vision]

oh, I thought I could talk direct to the ST4 port via serial with one of these:

Astronomiser - Automated Astronomy and AstroImaging Solutions

Is this not how it works?

No this is only a method of connecting to the handset of the mount you would need a USB to serial adapter and one of the leads you gave a link to for your mounts handset. This lead does not connect to a ST4 port on your mount.

The shoe string USB to ST4 adapter would work with your mount if it has an ST4 input port. Or a guide camera which has a ST4 output port.

Regards

Kevin

[greenkat]

Hi all,

Can I jump in on this thread ?

I have the Heq5pro mount & currently use eqmod via the eqdir adaptor (no handset) which plugs into the handset port.

I am trying to get to grips with guiding, but not having much success atm,

Using PHD, I have managed to guide once but now it either crashes or keeps telling me the star didnt move enough, even tho I have lowered the pixel thing to 0.1.

However, my question is, what is the difference between using the eqdir & the st4 port? and how do I use the st4 port?

Sorry for gatecrashing

Greenkat

[Beyond_Vision]

Hi all,

Can I jump in on this thread ?

I have the Heq5pro mount & currently use eqmod via the eqdir adaptor (no handset) which plugs into the handset port.

I am trying to get to grips with guiding, but not having much success atm,

Using PHD, I have managed to guide once but now it either crashes or keeps telling me the star didnt move enough, even tho I have lowered the pixel thing to 0.1.

However, my question is, what is the difference between using the eqdir & the st4 port? and how do I use the st4 port?

Sorry for gatecrashing

Greenkat

You may be selecting a hot pixel which will cause the calibration to fail. It is probably more likely that the mount is not being moved in response to the autoguiding commands.

To use the ST4 port you will need a widget like the Shoestring Adapter mentioned above.

I havent used the pulse guiding method in EQMOD but im sure other will help.

Regards

Kevin

[greenkat]

Cheers Kevin

I think it may have been the calibration step setting, i've increased it as suggested elsewhere and seemed to calibrate ok last time I tried

Regarding the adapter do you mean the eqdir one or the GPINT-PT one, as I have both