I followed the instructions to upload a config checker to the astroeq via avrdude.exe from a couple years ago. here is the output.
So it seems like something is working, just can't change the config, or load eqmod.
àààààààààààààààààààààààààààààààààààààààààààààààààààààààààààààAEQ8.11è
RA Reverse = 0
DEC Reverse = 1
Driver Version = [1] = DRV882x
Microstep Mode = [32] = 1/32
RA aVal = [0,64,56,0] = 3686400
DEC aVal = [0,64,56,0] = 3686400
RA bVal = [207,51] = 13263
DEC bVal = [207,51] = 13263
RA sVal = [0,100] = 25600
DEC sVal = [0,100] = 25600
RA IVal = [54,1] = 310
DEC IVal = [54,1] = 310
RA Goto Encoded = [1]
DEC Goto Encoded = [1]