Motor drive for an EQ-3 mount..HELPPP..

[Jen]

HI Guys :hi::hi::hi:
I recently ordered one of these through the stoopid camera house shop here about three months ago and i still dont have it grrrrr so i told them to forget it :poke:so anyway.....
Now that i have looked at a few on line im confused :doh:whats the difference besides price :screwy: between the dual axis and the single axis drives and i found another that looks totally different is there a right or wrong one to go for :D
Some lovely hints from you guys would be very appreciated
here are the links that i have been looking at ;)

http://www.myastroshop.com.au/products/details.asp?id=MAS-105
http://www.ozscopes.com.au/skywatcher-dual-axis-eq3-motor-drive.html
http://www.yorkoptical.com.au/Home/tabid/36/ProductID/147/Default.aspx?utm_source=getprice&utm_medium=cpc

Thanks :thumbsup:
Jen xo

[chrisp9au]

Hi Jen,

I'm not an expert on these things, but I do have the dual axis drive for the EQ-3 mount. I quickly found that it is a bit of a pain! You can't slew the scope any faster than 8 times tracking speed, which is sloooow! I now find that it is easier to just fit the RA drive for tracking and use the manual control for the declination axis. The RA drive tracks very accurately but the hand paddle only really allows you to move, very slowly, to center objects, and to scan around the surface of the moon.

In short, I could have saved money by buying just the single axis drive, maybe you could save some as well.

And now that I have a 12" dob, I'm not using the EQ-3 very much at all!

Cheers :thumbsup:
Chris

[[1ponders]]

Unless you plan to mod the dual axis drive hand paddle so you can autoguide (there are simple kits available) I agree with Chris. Stick to the single axis RA drive. Mine works a treat. Mines even good enough for shortlongish (or longshortish) :P widefield shots without adjusting the dec if you polar align well enough.

[Jen]

Thanks Chris and Paul :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
now polar aligning that will proberly be my next issue :screwy: if i can finally get my hands on one of these motor drives :P

[dannat]

Jen, i would try Matt at telescope & astronomy in SA, think he has them for 99 at the moment for the ra drive

[Jen]

:thumbsup: Thanks Daniel that sounds like a bargain i will suss it out cheers :)

[Barrykgerdes]

Hi Jen

I have a RA drive here for one of those mounts that I don't expect ever to use. You are welcome to it but you need to pay the postage. Probably around $15 (unless you like to drop in and pick it up).

Barry

[Jen]

:eyepop: really, oh that is so kind of you yes i would love to take it off your hands. I would love to pick it up personally just to give you a big hug :lol: but you are too far away so yeah postage is cool ;);)
Thank you thank you :thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Barrykgerdes]

Hi Jen
Contact me by private message with an address and we will complete the transaction. Next time I go through swan hill I will pick up my big hug!

Barry

[Jen]

Aww thats so kind of you thanks Barry (big hugs are here waiting for you :lol:)
PM sent cheers :D

[Barrykgerdes]

The PM just arrived. I have been waiting all day. The parcel is packed it will be in the mail tomorrow. I tested it and the (new) batteries are in the battery box already. When you see how much postage it cost you can send it to me.

Barry

[Barrykgerdes]

Hi Jen
Further to the last. It looks just like the one in the York optical ad. Gee $200 That's two hugs worth,:):)

Barry

[Jen]

Thanks again Barry :love2::2thumbs:
( we dont have a hug emoticon gonna have to speak to the mods about that):poke: :lol:

:lol::lol: hey i will give you lots of hugs for that ;)

I think around April Erick recommended that i should get one of those and back then they were only $119 at bintels

[BerrieK]

Nice outcome Jen!

I was going to suggest you look up Andrews for a good price ($249 for the dual axis) but for 2 hugs and postage...gee you just cant beat that! I have dual axis motors for my (old) eq5 and once you have it aligned, you really do only need the RA motor. Hope the installation goes okay.

Kerrie :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Barrykgerdes]

I am just happy to help out. I spend money on these things just to see what they are like and when I am finished I often just pass them on. My next project after I get my teeth out is to get an EQ6 for my son so he can further his astro photography.

At the moment I am designing and building a slitting machine for my friends factory. I got an idea that captured my interest in mechanics and I get all the bits I need to play with at no expense. I love my retirement. I have never worked so hard before at things I love to do.

Baz

[Jen]

:thumbsup::thumbsup: Thanks Kerrie :)

[PCH]

What a nice story - well done guys :D Good on yer Barry, and lucky old you Jen ;)

I need something valued at around $200 bucks too Barry. What have you got spare :P

[Jen]

:) Yes it is a nice story thanks PCH :thumbsup: there is some very lovely fellas in these forums :D

[Jen]

:thanks::thanks:
Wow that was quick service :eyepop:
Thanks Baz i got it in the mail today
:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
:D:D:D

:cool::cool::cool:

[erick]

And it is not mounted and tested yet!!????

[Ian Robinson]

I'm actually just about to disassemble my CG5 (old dual axis 6V version) handpadddle now I've fixed the RA (S hem wire .... dropped something on it and buggered it so I had to open up the 4 core "telephone cable" , expose the wires , remove the broken bit of wire (that made S hem tracking possible) and replace that with small bit of similar sized wire from an old rj11 cable and do the fiddleley soldering to rejoin the wire .... big maglamp was very handy.


Will be very similar to the EQ3 d/a drive electronics (only RA rate will be different) and I understand identical to the EQ5 version (which has the same 144:1 gearing).


My Orion Starshoot Autoguider cable will just plug straight into the rj12 port I'll be adding to my CG5 dual axis handpaddle, and that'll help with small errors in PA and tracking rates and turn the old CG5 into a nice camera platform that I can aim and leave to self guide.

PS when I want move to another object quicky with the CG5, I just unlock the RA and DEC and move the camera / scope by hand to near where I want to be , the lock them again and loosen the clutches and use the slow mos to zero in manually. Can't be easier.
Ultra high slew rates are not necessary IMO.

[Jen]

:lol::lol: no not yet im not sure what to do with it :whistle::whistle::rolleyes:
:D

[BerrieK]

Hey Jen, I was tooling around with my mount the other day and thought of you and your motor drives.

Have you got them installed yet? How's it going?


Kerrie

[Jen]

Aww Kerrie thanks thats nice of you to think of me :D
No i havnt had a chance to set it up yet i have been dying to. I have been studying up on how to polar align so im just about ready to give it a go :thumbsup: Once i get rid of the clouds and the wind i should be in luck :D