Oh the EQ3 Headache I have..

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SteveRo
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Oh the EQ3 Headache I have..

Post by SteveRo » Thu Oct 19, 2017 7:48 am

The fine folks @ OPen PHD guiding have gotten me a step closer to a resolution, which is how i have found this place.

Heer's my problem. I have only ever been able to guide my EQ3 via teh ST4 cable and even then only in RA guiding. I do not know why but for the photo's i had been taking it was OK. I have recently begun taking uch longer exposures and now somethign needs to be done. I need to get 'real' guiding worked out.

I went @ the ST4 problem, swapped cables etc, no go. only ever ST4 guiding. I thought it best to dump ST4 and get more versatility and start using EQASCOM / EQMOD. I cannot get mount connections. I am sure i have cabling issues but as of this point no-one really knows for sure how to tackle the problem of my EQ which i will remind you seems to be the retarded step-child since IT HAS NO DB9/SERIAL plug on the mount like its brothers EQ5/6. In PHD2 I have only the EQMOD ASCOM HEQ5/6 option to select for mount. I believe this would be OK IF i had the proper cabling.

Right now i have a ST4/RJ11 cable @ one end with a Serial/DB9 at the other end. I believe it came with the mount. I then bought this thing to go from DB9/Serial to USB.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00QUZ ... UTF8&psc=1

Nada. It doesn't work. It show up as a COM port "Prolific" on my computer but i have no connection to the mount. I will add that i have it plugged into the ST4/RJ11 "Autoguide" port on the MOUNT. It's the only place that made sense to me and i assume this is correct.

I believe my answer is found in the Shoestring products but i want to be sure my head is on straight.

One other point if it matters. I would prefer, if possible to hand the handset stay on the mount BUT also have parallel connection with so i can also use planetarium software etc to also control the mount on a laptop - and all of this while having Guiding, (proper - both RA and DEC of course).

I say this because i think I see an option to dump the handset and go from teh laptop USD to the RJ45 port on the MOUNT where the handset is currently plugged in. I am also wondering what if any, the RJ11 plug on the HAND CONTROLLER has any possibilities to be used or if it just adds another levels of complexity i do not need.

If it came down to me not having parallel connection to the mount via hand control AND computer software I would have to say I would then be OK with dumping the handset.

thanks.

dpanderson
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Re: Oh the EQ3 Headache I have..

Post by dpanderson » Sat Oct 21, 2017 9:03 am

I'm not a much of an expert on EQx mounts, but full remote control boils down to which handset you have. Could you provide a picture to help clarify this?
Doug Anderson
Shoestring Astronomy
http://www.ShoestringAstronomy.com

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