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GOTO Mount choice

phattanglo

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phattanglo

phattanglo

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After reading many a thread on the subject of Goto mounts I had decided to go for a CG-5 GT when funds permit.

Further reading has made me consider the merits of buying a higher spec mount second hand.

I would be interested in everyones view of a couple of mounts.

Which would you choose and why.

HEQ5 Synscan.

Vixen GP-DX with Skysensor 2000.

The mount will be for visual use only with a SW150p.

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Merlin66

Merlin66

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HEQ5 synscan has my vote. Very well supported, a good solid mount which is still light enough to carry around.

I've had mine for over three years and never a moments trouble. If only everything else in life was so reliable.

Ken

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Psychobilly

Psychobilly

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HEQ5 synscan has my vote. Very well supported, a good solid mount which is still light enough to carry around.

I've had mine for over three years and never a moments trouble. If only everything else in life was so reliable.

Ken

Or Cheap ;)

Sorry couldnt resist...

Billy...

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phattanglo

phattanglo

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What would you consider to be a reasonable price to pay for an HEQ5 second hand?

Is the HEQ5 self contained or does it need an external power source?

Apart from the colour is there any difference between the black and white versions?

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Merlin66

Merlin66

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Around 450-500gbp.

It just needs a good 12V battery ( I recommend a 20Ah gel cell, and get a triple stage electronic charger -it will outlast any of those powerpacks anyday.

You also want to consider sometime connecting it to a computer to give full GOTO from a planetarium program (Carte du Ciel is very good)

Don't know about the colour...mine have always been white....

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Cornelius Varley

Cornelius Varley

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What would you consider to be a reasonable price to pay for an HEQ5 second hand?

Is the HEQ5 self contained or does it need an external power source?

Apart from the colour is there any difference between the black and white versions?

Be careful, the HEQ5 is not a goto mount, only the HEQ5 Pro and HEQ5 Syntrek are the goto version of the mount. The HEQ5 Pro has always been white I think.

Peter

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Merlin66

Merlin66

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Good correction, Peter.

I think the Syntrack has the "correct" motors and motherboard for GOTO but needs the additional SYNSCAN controller to give full functionality.

The HEQ5pro has always been the white Synscan version....

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dogfish

dogfish

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I've had both mounts and would say go for a 2nd hand HEQ5 Pro. The CG5-GT is know as the coffee grinder (listen to one move and you'll know why). The HEQ5 tracks better, should you want to get into astrophotography later and it's built better, IMHO. The Syntrek one can do GoTo with EQMod, as can the Pro version, but you also have the handset. £450 to £500 is about right, 2nd hand. You wont regret it.

Cheers, Martin

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rawhead

rawhead

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The CG5-GT is an excellent mount. Quiet as a mouse when tracking. Can be picked up for as little as £300 nearly new (brand new if you're really lucky ;)) Handles my 10'' newt fine for visual.

Had it autoguiding (for the first time) at the weekend.

See this months S@N group test winner.... :)

Cheers

Jon

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brianb

brianb

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HEQ5 - my (Sysnscan Pro) has proved pretty bulletproof if less steady than I'd hoped it might be. It should cope well with a 6" Newtonian tube though.

It's nowhere near heavy enough though ;) - mine blew over on Sunday!!!! fortunately it was not loaded with an optical tube at the time & did not sustain any damage apart from paint chips on the caounterweight.

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phattanglo

phattanglo

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If I can just check then for full Goto, either Synscan or Syntrek with EQ mod ?

I'm being obtuse I'm sure but does EQ mod need a pc to provide goto ?

I ask because my laptop is proper poorly and I am instructed by SWMBO that my choice is a laptop OR a mount not both, unless I can get a mount cheaply which can then be driven by a replacement laptop.

AARGH! decisions decisions. ;)

PS Carte du ciel is mentioned, does Stellarium work as a Goto guide and if so what other components would I need?

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ncjunk

ncjunk

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You can get a usb ftdi cable and make a cable to connect syntrek to the pc for around fifteen pounds if you can solder a bit and dont want to pay the extra for full goto via hand controller.

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Astro_Baby

Astro_Baby

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Where were you standing Brian when the HEQ5 blew over ? Behind a jet exhaust ;) With the mount steady and more or less level I cant imagine what could have blown it over. I'd struggle to push mine over :)

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jgs001

jgs001

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I went the heq5 syntrek route added the ftdi cable and use my lappy for goto and guiding. It all depends on whether you're going to have a outer nearby or not. To convert the syntrek to synacan you only need to add a synscan handset (not cheap but)

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gary1968

gary1968

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I sold my CG5 GT and bought a HEQ5 Pro, reason, couldn't get the CG5 GT to guide reliably. Other than that it was great, had it for 3 years.

The HEQ5 on the other hand is a completely different animal. Much better built, much better tracking and guides right out of the box.

One down side I find though is that the Celestron software, to me anyway, was much better.

Which one would I recomend? The HEQ5 every time. Although the software aint so good the rest is much better and with the addition of EQMod the HEQ5 is in every way better IMO.

HTH,

Gary

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NickH

NickH

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The CG5-GT is an excellent mount.

See this months S@N group test winner.... ;)

Cheers

Jon

I will take the 5th amendment on that...as after mulling typing a rather witty response, I remembered that I have very good friends who write for that magazine..

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ashworthacca

ashworthacca

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Where were you standing Brian when the HEQ5 blew over ? Behind a jet exhaust ;) With the mount steady and more or less level I cant imagine what could have blown it over. I'd struggle to push mine over :)

Lol, I was just thinking the same......must have been a hurricane.!!!

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brianb

brianb

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Where were you standing Brian when the HEQ5 blew over ?

Stuck the mount up when the sky was threatening to clear, along came a shower with strong gusts probably 70-80 mph - these are common enough in this part of the world in winter storms but not in summer showers.

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Marmite

Marmite

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Stuck the mount up when the sky was threatening to clear, along came a shower with strong gusts probably 70-80 mph - these are common enough in this part of the world in winter storms but not in summer showers.

You don't have the CW shaft and weights "hanging between the legs" do you? They should be over one leg only. Lots of the Synta EQ mounts shipped with the wrong config in that regard.

(It was just a thought. You're probably waaaay ahead of on that me already...;))

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brianb

brianb

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You don't have the CW shaft and weights "hanging between the legs" do you?

No, the mount was in its "park position" with the dec axis hanging down over the north leg (no OTA fitted & clutches loose)

It would actually have been better in a "southern leg" configuration as the killer gusts were from the north.

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