I'm a bit confused about Auto guiding.

[White Rabbit]

Hi Guys.

I have an HEQ5 mount and I'd like auto guide it. I dont have any specialized equipment for the job but I do have a web cam that PHD will recognise. I'm attaching the web cam to an 8*50 finderscope so I'm not expecting much.

My question is this.

How do I connect my laptop to the auto guide port on the mount?

Here is my set up.

HEQ5 pro.
Starrynight 6
EQmod.
PHD.
Imaging with a canon 1000d.

I can figure everthing out except how to connect PHD to my guide port. Do I bypass SN6 and Eqmod and come out of the serial port of the laptop into the guide port and use the synscan box as the navigator?

Thanks
Sandy

[Babalyon 5]

Hi.
If your already running EQMOD, when you choose the mount in the ASCOM dialogue box in Starry Night, go into properties, I think it is, and on the settings for EQMOD you will see stuff like Baud Rate, Time out, etc. Down the bottom is another box(small box) that says something like "enable pulse guiding". Ensure that this is ticked and close it. Using your Starry night, connect as normal to EQMOD and your scope, open PHD and at the top where it says telescope, select ASCOM, I think it is,and then click all the buttons to connect camera and scope. Next, loop your exposures with the arrow button to find a star, press stop, then select a star, then press PHD button. PHD should go through a calibration routine, then start guiding. You may have to fiddle around with the settings in the "brain" button to get it all to work best, but shouldn't be too hard.
I'm not out in my control room so I cant tell you exactly all the right buttons, which is why I have listed them as "I think". SORRY!
Hope that helps, as you don't need a connection to the guide port with this method. I have a GPUSB and cable just sitting there getting dusty, thanks to the great work by the EQMOD team.:D

[Jeff]

Alternately, you could but a GPUSB from Shoestring Astronomy:
http://www.store.shoestringastronomy.com/products_gp.htm

I used one of these for about 12 months for guiding in conjunction with a webcam. The GPUSB connects from a laptop USB port to the 4pin ST4 guiding port on your mount. PHD then has a "GPUSB" option under the list of mounts.

They can also be purchased new from Bintel.
Ocassionally they are available 2nd hand for around $75.

Cheers,
Jeff