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Old 23-10-2014, 05:02 PM
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Merlin66 (Ken)
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Merlin66 is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Junortoun Vic
Posts: 8,904
Nick,
A couple of comments....
You can use a Finder guider type arrangement but IMHO a good guider set-up doesn't replace the finder but compliments it.
How easy is it to fit a support rail on the OTA?
The favourite solution is something like a ST80 and a QHY5 mono camera. If this is RIGIDLY mounted on the OTA it will work well.
The QHY can connect directly to the mount with an ST-4 cable BUT still required the guide software (something like PHD2) to run on a computer.
If you're getting into AP you'll need a computer to do the image acquisition from the main scope....I use AstroArt for image acquisition and guiding on an ol' Acer laptop.
Getting and keeping power at a remote location can be a PITA!
I've been using 20Ah gel cell batteries for the past few years - one for the mount, one for the cameras and one for the laptop....
I'd have to say, if you are really serious then you'd need to consider a marine HD battery - heavy as hell - but that's the price you pay.
(I use an on axis guide system with the C11 at f10, spectroscope, a Lodestar guider and PHD2 - or AstroArt for guiding a NEQ6pro mount with CdC/ EQmod)
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