catman161 Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 Hey guys, Decided to give eqascom platform a try. Have installed latest EQ ascom platform and EQ mod drivers. Have managed to connect to mount via serial cable into handset and can control it with the interface below My problem is I can't get it all setup to work with stellarium. I have installed stellarium scope and that says the mount is connected and opens stelarium. I have updated the setting file via clicking the update stelarium settings button in stelarium bit when I hit cntrl+1 to get it to slew to a target it doesn't move. The only reason I am tryin to use eqmod I because is like to try align master to make polar alignment a bit more accurate. Does anyone have a link to a clear step by step guide to setting it all up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted March 20, 2014 Author Share Posted March 20, 2014 Given up with it and used CduC-way easier! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+RonC Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 Way to go Felix!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Graham Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 Only way to go Felix. I only ever used Stel once and that was enough for me. I only use CDC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red dwalf Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 It's good when it works, looks better than cdc but cdc is easier to setup, If I remember correctly the first time you start stellarium scope don't you have to save the settings so stellarium scope can setup a virtual scope target in stellarium ? Then connect to mount starts eqmod then click the start stellarium button, stellarium then starts, One thing you need to do in stellarium so that when it.starts up it is pointing north and the virtual scope target is visible is to run stellarium move the view until Polaris is visable then save the setting in location settings i think then once saved it'll open with the same view of north. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted March 20, 2014 Author Share Posted March 20, 2014 Did all of the above rob but to no avail Still doesn't matter. Jut gotta get to grips with how you do a 2 or 3 star alignment through eqmod now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teslar Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 Have you got stellarium as the active window when you do the cntrl1. Click on stellarium before you issue the command. If EQMod is the active window stellarium doesn't see the command Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted March 20, 2014 Author Share Posted March 20, 2014 Yep tried that too Tom but again nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kheldar Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 Did all of the above rob but to no avail Still doesn't matter. Jut gotta get to grips with how you do a 2 or 3 star alignment through eqmod now Dead easy Get PA first Point at something way over on the West, something you recognise - make sure you're pretty accurately centred on it In CDC find the star you're point at and click it (white circle appears around it) Click Telescope - Sync ... it will probably ask you to confirm Repeat the process for something in the East This will give you reasonable GOTO ... if you're just imaging though ... you only need to Sync on one star near the target Then ask it to goto the target Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted March 20, 2014 Author Share Posted March 20, 2014 Cheers Stephen. Have been watching Chris shiltos videos and saw the method you've described above. So am I right in assuming that the method you explained above completely replaces the 2 or 3 star alignment I would normally have done on the handset? I was thinkin of getting align master too. Would I run alignmaster software after having done a rough polar alignment first and then when it's done it's thing run the 2-3 star alignment in CduC via eqmod? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Graham Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 (edited) As Stephen says Felix No need for 2 or 3 star alignment for imaging. Polar align your mount. Fire up CDC select telescope from the drop down tab. Click connect. This will fire up EQMOD. Once open click 'hide' and the drop down will vanish. Eqmod should be flashing Parked. ( if you parked your mount when you finished your last session.) Unpark the mount into 'Home' position ( weight bar and scope in the vertical position.) Select a Star near to your chosen target to image in CDC and slew to it. Center that star in the center of your frame using the manual arrows in Eqmod and click the Sync button in CDC. (The little circle on the CDC screen will move to cover the Star.) From there click on your chosen target and slew to it. Frame the target and start imaging. :) Edited March 21, 2014 by Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted March 21, 2014 Author Share Posted March 21, 2014 Awesome very simple indeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Graham Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Oh yes one bit I missed. At the start of each new session. When you first open up Eqmod click on the >>>>> button to open up the whole screen. You will see a little box with your Alignment points number in it. (Center of panel half way down.) Clear this back to zero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kheldar Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Yes this process removes 2/3 star alignment - all alignment does it set up your GOTO realistically, and again if imaging you're really not that fussed so long as you can get on target As to Alignmaster, I'm not a fan ... I much prefer EQMod's in built PA routine (check Chris' videos again) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red dwalf Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 i never do a 2 or 3 star alignment, i`ve just got the mount polar aligned, so when i start up i slew to a star near to the target, align the target with the red dot finder, at this point stellarium virtual scope if off the alignment star, so press control 3 to get the virtual target moveing back to the alignment star then move to target, do a couple for focusing shots and frame the the target, fire up PHD and let it start tracking then snap away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted March 21, 2014 Author Share Posted March 21, 2014 Yes this process removes 2/3 star alignment - all alignment does it set up your GOTO realistically, and again if imaging you're really not that fussed so long as you can get on target As to Alignmaster, I'm not a fan ... I much prefer EQMod's in built PA routine (check Chris' videos again) Hey Stephen thanks for this. I have watched the polar alignment one. As far as I can see it jut accurately placed the reticule in the correct position rather than corrects any polar alignment error like alignmaster does or have I missed something?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted March 21, 2014 Author Share Posted March 21, 2014 i never do a 2 or 3 star alignment, i`ve just got the mount polar aligned, so when i start up i slew to a star near to the target, align the target with the red dot finder, at this point stellarium virtual scope if off the alignment star, so press control 3 to get the virtual target moveing back to the alignment star then move to target, do a couple for focusing shots and frame the the target, fire up PHD and let it start tracking then snap away. Thanks Rob I'm not using stellarium now but CduC as stellarium made me want to take an axe to the laptop! Also I am not guiding I just wanted to get the mount working via the laptop and increase polar alignment accuracy so I can minimise any potential problems with drift when imaging Jupiter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kheldar Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Hey Stephen thanks for this. I have watched the polar alignment one. As far as I can see it jut accurately placed the reticule in the correct position rather than corrects any polar alignment error like alignmaster does or have I missed something?? I think you've missed something - with both Alignmaster and the EQMod method you MUST do the manual step of adjusting the Alt/Az to bring "something" back in line With Alignmaster you bring a star back into the centre With EQMod you bring Polaris back into the reticule There's no automatic (fully) PA process Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kheldar Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Here's what I do - this is barmy I know but it works!!! 1 - Three star align with the handset 2 - PA with the handset 3 - Connect to PC 4 - Single star sync 5 - GOTO target and image Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted March 21, 2014 Author Share Posted March 21, 2014 I think you've missed something - with both Alignmaster and the EQMod method you MUST do the manual step of adjusting the Alt/Az to bring "something" back in line With Alignmaster you bring a star back into the centre With EQMod you bring Polaris back into the reticule There's no automatic (fully) PA process Oh ok. I thought that eqmod just tuned your right ascension axis so that the reticule is in exactly the right place rather than the usual estimating it at "about" the right position by eye. Does eqmod then move Polaris out and you re-centre it in the reticule again? Sorry for all the questions I am sure it will come clear when I actually do it perhaps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kheldar Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Oh ok. I thought that eqmod just tuned your right ascension axis so that the reticule is in exactly the right place rather than the usual estimating it at "about" the right position by eye. Does eqmod then move Polaris out and you re-centre it in the reticule again? Sorry for all the questions I am sure it will come clear when I actually do it perhaps Yup it becomes clearer in practice - you yourself have to move Polaris out (first step, defining the home position of Polaris,) then it rotates (removing the estimating by eye step,) then you move it back in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Type-R Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Reminds me of a song.... You put Polaris in, Polaris out, In out, in out, Align it all about..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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