New to autoguiding

[decoyp]

I've decided to take the plunge into the world of autoguiding, and have decided on the QHY5 camera to do this. Can anyone tell me what extras will I need to get up and running with an HEQ5 mount. I already have a laptop and am anticipating using PHD software (recently described as "Push Here Dummy" - which is exactly what I need). Do I need anything else ie leads etc and adaptors. I will be using and old 60mm achromat for a guide scope.

Thanks in anticipation

Richard.

[daz]

Is the HEQ5 Pro?

[decoyp]

Yes sorry. It is an HEQ5 pro

[red dwalf]

hi Richard,

i`m to new to autoguiding, and i must say at first i thought it was going to be difficult to get all the cables and equipment together, but advice from "glider" showed me that the only cable i needed was a rs232 cable that plugs into the bottom of the handset (luckly one came with the mount) and PHD to guide with a webcam i already have, so no expensive equipment there, we`ve tried it and it works a treat but all i need to purchase now is a guide scope, this is the only extra item i will need to buy.

[decoyp]

Sounds like you're a bit further down the road than me. From what I've read I think you can just about use any half decent scope for guiding so long as you can get a fix on a guide star. I hope the one I've got in mind is going to work. It's a very cheap refractor I bought off a bloke from work for £50 about a year ago. I'm looking foreward to being able to use longer exposures without having to throw half away because of trailing. I know this is also going to inevitably lead to the need for a more permanent set up due to the time it takes to get going with allthis gear. It already takes me at least an hour to get up and running and as a result I am missing out on chances to grap a few frames between the clouds. It's just net even worth starting if there is no chance of a few hours clear sky at the moment.