Guidedog and HEQ5 Pro with Synscan V3.0 Question?

[DJ N]

Hi Guys,

I hope some of you can help us.
Danny Boy and I are planning a session next saturday, and I want to make sure that we eliminate most glitches at home before we go out there in the dark.

I have recently acquired a Modded Toucam 840K, and have installed GuideDog on the laptop, the only issue I have is in getting it setup so it talks to the SkyWatcher HEQ5 Pro mount. I am aware of the ASCOM drivers and have installed the latest version.

Now for my question? When choosing the telecope from the menu, the SW HEQ5 is no where to be seen. Does anyone know what I need to choose from "ASCOM Telescope chooser"? Is there a separate ASCOM driver available for the HEQ5 Pro mount?

Am I choosing the OTA from this menu or the mount system?
Any help is appreciated, and I promise to post our first results, weather permitting.

Cheers Guys and Clear Skies!:shrug:

[DeanoNZL]

Hi DJ N,
It doesn't have it own driver under ascom.
Instead choose the Celestron Nexstar 5 or 8.

Good luck :D

Adrian

[ving]

as deano said :)

best of luck dood! :)

ps: i use 5.

[DJ N]

Adrian,

Thanks for the input, waht do you use to connect the laptop to the mount guide port? as fara as cable is concerned? do you use a relay box?

cheers
DJ N

[Ambermile]

Shoestring GPI should do it...

http://www.store.shoestringastronomy.com/products_gp.htm

Bound to be something similar in Oz, here in the UK, Astronomiser makes them...

Arthur

[allan gould]

Shoestring have parallel or USB connector that work with Guidedog. But Guidedog requires setup such that L/R travel is RA and U/D is dec. Guidemaster and PhD guiding have calibration routines which will take in account of backlash and are far better programs.

[DeanoNZL]

Hi DJ N,
I am still the comm cable to the base of the handset.
Have not tried the "quide port" as yet. (EQ6-Pro):thumbsup:
And using PHD as the software.

Regards

Adrian

[DJ N]

Thanks Adrian,

let me get this straight, you use the comm cable provided with the mount, and have it plugged from the com port on your laptop to the actual controller.
please confirm.

Cheers
DJ N

[DeanoNZL]

Yes correct.
Just make sure if you are using a USB to Serial converter, check what comm port(in "OS" hardware manager) the "virtual port" has been assigned.
This may change depending on what USB port you connect to.
Select the same port under ASCOM and it should connect.
Here for any advise or questions.

Adrian:astron:

[DJ N]

Thanks for the confirmation Adrian,

So what are the benefits of autoguiding via the hand controller as apposed to straight into the autoguide port on the mount.
I have purchased a GPUSB from shoestring which I am hoping to connect straight to the mount. Is this basically the option you use when you dont have goto, hence have no hand controller, hence I didn't really need to buy it...........doh!

The GPUSB has its own ASCOM driver that you choose from the telescope menu in Guidedog, but there are no advanced properties like on some of the scopes, where there are inputs for Longitude and Latitude and scope specs.

Which method is better, or is it just the same?:shrug:

[DeanoNZL]

Hi DJ N,
Benefits of using GP-USB connector could be freeing up serial port so astro software could connect to mount while guiding.(Show position etc...)
I have read a few web pages that suggest it would be more accurate, but nothing concrete.
Still new to having a semi decent mount as well, after struggling for 18 months with an EQ5 with roboscope goto that had more movement than "Elvis":D

Adrian

[DJ N]

Thanks Adrian,

Its taken quite some time for someone to just plainly spell it out, it either seems that not many people do this or they just cannot be bothered replying with decent explanations.....

Thanks again Adrian, i really appreciated your advice and I finally know what the hell is going on now and what goes where and why?

Good Luck and clear skies:thumbsup:

[Astrodad]

My EQ-6 autoguides wondefully with my ST2000XM when I plug into the Autoguider port. However, as part of my astro-evolution I'm piggymbacking the ST2000 on top with a Mandel widefield adapter and want to autoguide with my DSI using PHD. I can successfully interface the laptop to the EQ-6 with Cartes du Ciel using my serial port adapter by calling my scope a Celestron Nexstar 5 like the manual says. PHD works with my LX200 but when I plug into the EQ-6 autoguider port or the Serial port at the base of the hand paddle, an error messagen "Scope Does Not Support Pulse Guide Mode" appears. I'm setting it up as the instructions say, as a Celestron Nexstar 5. What is the answer to this question??? FYI, this is my first post here and the environment looks wonderful.

Cheers,
max

[tony8gj]

Hi:

re: "My EQ-6 autoguides wondefully with my ST2000XM when I plug into the Autoguider port."

I have the EQ6 + ST2000XCM + CCDSoft v5

I'm interested in learning what settings you're using:

1. EQ6 backlash settings
2. autoguider calibration autoguide rate
3. autoguider calibration times
4. autoguiding rate
5. typical autoguiding exposure time
6. autoguider exposure binning

I've had little luck with autoguiding, despite good mount leveling, good drift alignment, good OTA balance. After only 30 secs of autoguiding I'm getting autoguider star movement in the CCDSoft autoguider image.

[DeanoNZL]

Hi Max,
I found when the "Scope Does Not Support Pulse Guide Mode", I changed to the nexstar5i or 8i, this resolved my issue.
Good luck

[Doug]

G'day guys, one thing I have found with my EQ6 is that if I try to interface with Guide Dog talking to 'The Sky Controlled Scope', via Ascom, I get this pulse guide support problem too. If I connect direct with GuideDog I have no problems when telling Guide Dog that the scope is a Celestron. It is just a minor nuicence having to connect/disconnect if I want to control the mount thru planetarium S/W. But hey how often in one night am I going to hop all over the sky and need to auto guide as well......not that much really.
Don't know if this helps or not...........
Doug