EQ6 for a tasmanian - off to the dark side.

[davidpretorius]

Well, the generousity of fellow astronomers never fails to amaze me.......... not wanting me to have bad tracking during the next jupiter season, a certain astronomer is helping me get a eq6......thanks go to this guy for an awesome offer of help. I feel very priveledged!

So, for this dob lover..............I need to do some research on what will safely hold a 10" custom newt (birds old one), 1500mm long, and roughly 970mm outer diameter for the tube.

I assume I will need a mount, tube rings and a dovetail plate.

So here comes the questions....

1. I assume the eq6 ( https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7348 ) can be converted to goto down the track??? ( https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7350 )
2. Would an Heq5 ( https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7347 ) would be too light? OR because I am only doing High Mag planetary, then I may get away with it?
3. do you need to balance the tube length wise with the tube rings
4. does it interface to the computer?
5. questions re drift aligning will come later.
6. I have no major inkling to do DSO's at this stage, just high magnification planetary

I feel very fortunate to be able to give this a crack thanks to a generous astronomer mate, and would want to make sure I make the right decisions and am looking to you guys to steer me in the right direction.

[peter_4059]

David,

Are you trying to mount a 10" Newt on an EQ6? The 970mm od tube sounds a bit big? I have a 10" f5 GSO Newt (ex Dob) mounted on an EQ6. In answer to your questions:

1 & 4. I have added a guide port and argo navis rather than going for the goto upgrade but that is also an option. You can interface the goto to computer as well as argo navis to computer.
2. not sure.
3. I balance the tube by adjusting the position of the rings on the tube. The rings end up straddling the tubes alt mounting point however I've removed these.

Happy to answer any other questions. I can post some pics if that helps.

Peter

[netwolf]

Welcome to the dark side.

Make sure you get the EQ6 Syntrek version, as this has the new motors and only requires the addition of the handcontroller to make it goto. Also you can use EQDIR (DIY or get from Shoestring Astronomy), to connect to a laptop and make the mount goto. I also think there was mention here of a member of IIS making them for other members. I think Ken mentioned in a thread that he was testing it. But that might have been the EQ6MOD that needs works via the hand controller. EQDIR is just s slight mod of the EQ6MOD that allows direct connect to the Mount's hand controller interface.

Note older EQ6 non goto mounts had a diffrent motor and control panel, which neded to be replaced.

Regards

[ballaratdragons]

Nope, I mentioned that Astroman was Beta testing the new EQ Mod. It has no need of a hand controller, it connects straight to the lappy. :thumbsup:

[peter_4059]

Here's an earlier thread with the Shoestring mod that adds a guide port to the basic EQ6 hand controller. You then connect this to the laptop.

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=23990

[netwolf]

My mistake sorry Ken. I recall looking at this when i was thinking about getting an EQ6 to put my 10" dob on. The combination certainly works well and even with a 12" as proven by Mike

[davidpretorius]

ok, this is great guys... thanks for the links and tips.

where is the best place to get the latest eq6 with syntrek?

[acropolite]

Welcome to the dark side Dave, I knew it would happen eventually. Given the variation in quality of the EQ6 it may be a good idea to get Bintel to supply and Roger Davis to tune the beastie before despatch.

[matt]

Great stuff, Dave.

I've had my EQ6 for a couple of years now and it's served me well:)

You'll enjoy it...once you get used to it.

[davidpretorius]

thanks Phil, i will get a look at Mike's EQ6 on the weekend at Ian's house

[davidpretorius]

thanks matt, i can just myself getting rather frustrated with "drift alignment"

[matt]

Nah. You'll have it sussed in no time.

If not...plenty of folk here to give you help and pointers. It's dead easy after you've done it a few times.

Let me know if I can help.

Make sure you get yourself an illuminated reticle eyepiece:)

[iceman]

Well done Dave! An EQ6 is so much easier to use for imaging than the EQ mount, and will be even more so than the dob driver.

The frustration lessens, and so you enjoy it more.

I've got the standard EQ6 with v2.something hand controller. You don't *need* the latest and greatest for planetary imaging. I don't even align the goto. I just manually slew to the planet and track. That's it.

I never drift aligned for the first 10 months either, just pointed south as accurately as possible (digital compass with magnetic deviation) and made rough adjustments until the planet stayed put for long enough at long focal lengths. I just used the hand-controller to re-center the planet when it drifts.

Having said that, now i'm doing deep-space imaging and drift alignment is crucial, I do now take the time to do it properly and it only takes me 10-20 minutes to get it very accurate. It's good for deep-space imaging, and also much nicer when the planet doesn't drift at all. It means you can read the forums while capturing an AVI :)

I use my DMK and an on-screen illuminated reticle to watch the star drift. Much easier than peering through an eyepiece and I don't run out of batteries!

[matt]

Yes. That's definitely another way to do it, although I prefer the larger FOV of a lower mag illuminated reticle eyepiece. I find it allows for those bigger adjustments if my initial alignment is out by a larger amount...and I can still see the star in the eyepiece, rather than the star flying off the screen.

I sometimes switch over to the on-screen reticle right at the end, when I'm putting the finishing touches to my alignment. The extra magnification reveals alignment error much quicker.

I also just like using an eyepiece. And my batteries are still going strong...after 18 months.

But each to their own:)

[davidpretorius]

this is in my mind too........

hopefully, things are little more stable so i can give onscreen collimation a go too.......but that original "coarse adjustment" may have to be eyepiece...

we shall see:thumbsup:

[rumples riot]

Come on hurry up and decide Dave. lol. When are you ordering the mount? Which one? EQ6 looks the most likely. ;-)

[davidpretorius]

ok, eq6 mount it is, finally chat to wife tonight, got the info form you guys, bird has been in contact...........

http://myastroshop.com.au/products/details.asp?id=MAS-043

this looks like the basis to asking more specific questions of suppliers

[madtuna]

Andrews was about $150 cheaper than Bintel, both shops were extremely helpful when I bought my EQ6 Pro about 6 weeks ago.
Postage was very reasonable too

[davidpretorius]

I will get the three main guys to quote.........bintel, andrews and myastro

thanks
dp