Quote:
Originally Posted by allan gould
I know I'm going to be swimming against the tide here, but here goes.
I use a 5" refractor, 10" SCT and a 10" GSO RC on a Losmandy mount. All scopes have another Losmandy rail on the top to which I securely add my guidescope fitted with an x/y shifter and DSI II Pro guide camera.
I have a set of rings around the guidescope that CLAMP the OTA of the guidescope securely and tightly. THERE IS NO FLEX IN THIS SYSTEM. If I use rings with three screws to hold the guide OTA there WILL be flexture.
My SCT does not suffer from mirror flop and I have successfully guided it at 2950mm focal length for 40 min subs with round stars. That is not to say that these subs are not full of plane and satellite trails.
I've tried three sets of OAG and I do have a lodestar and found for me they just give unparalleled frustration. Ive never failed to get a GUidestar with the DSI and my 72mm guidescope, NEVER. The x/y shifter helps here and is invaluable and I guess that's why they are not made any more.
I should add that all scopes are fitted with moonlight focusers with stepper motors for autofocus using Sequence Generator Pro.
So there you go
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Just shows how it comes down to what works for you. I found guidescopes on my SCT to be nothing but a hair tearing exercise, but haven't once had trouble with the SX OAG and Lodestar. It always just works first go.
To me the OAG is a lighter more straightforward setup with less variables, but getting 40 minute subs with a guidescope is a great setup.
The moral is, try before you buy if possible and see what makes sense for you, it is obvious from the replies that both systems can work, it comes down to what *you* can get to work
