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[Mooster]

Hi Tom,

I sent an email earlier. But I thought that it is maybe better to discuss it on the forum.
I am new to the forum so hopefully I posted my question in the right topic?

First of all, my compliments for the AstroEQ. I build my own telescope and hope that your product can help me to provide the telescope with a goto system.
I have the following questions;
On the RA axis I built a set of gears with a delay of 36100 times (It was  intended that this would be 36,000 times. But my wormwheel which I made had one cog to much). For driving, I use a stepper motor that has to turn a little bit more than 25 rpm for the use of autoguiding (25.13811RPM). for the DEC axis I have to make another set of gears.

-Can I use the AstroEQ with such a delay in the RA axis?
-Support AstroEQ, AutoGuiding from EQascom?
-What kind of A delay do you advise me to use on the DEC axis in combination with astroeq?

Marcel
Zaandam, Holland

[TCWORLD]

Hi Marcel,

Apologies I haven't gotten back to you yet, been a hectic weekend.
Also, for some reason the attachment to your post crashed the forum, not sure why, but you'll notice I removed it. If you want to try posting it again, hopefully it should work fine.

The way you are describing things is not entirely clear to me. Rather than specifying the delay and rpm, could you tell me what the gear ratios are? The speed in rpm doesn't make much sense as that will change depending on how fast the mount is moving at the time.

AstroEQ does support Autoguiding using EQMOD and software such as PHD Guiding.

Regards,
Tom.

[Mooster]

Hi Tom,

An apology is not necessary. My enthusiasm makes me impatient.
Instead I have to say sorry about the crash of the forum.
I re-posted the picture of my telescope. Hopefully it goes well now.

When I started building my telescope I was intended to use only a steppermotor on the RA axis for automatic tracking of the stars (Autoguiding). The ratio of the gear behind the steppermotor is 1/100 and the wormwheel at the RA axis has a ratio of 1/361 (That makes a total ratio of 1/36100 at the RA axis).
You understand, I changed my plan and want a goto system for my telescope.
Can I use AstroEQ with such a ratio on the RA axis. In other words, Autoguiding versus rotating (not to slow) the telescope  to a new object in the sky)

For the DEC axis I must create another set of gears.
Can you recommend me what kind of ratio desirable is for the gear in combination with astroEQ? (in between ratio.... and ratio....)
Perhaps you have got experience which ratio works well?

Hopefully my story and the questions are a bit obvious. otherwise, say it to me.
My knowledge of the English language is not my strongest point.

Regards,
Marcel

[TCWORLD]

I presume they are 1.8* stepper motors, In which case you would need to at least half the gear ratio (say 50:1 or 30:1) for it to be supported by AstroEQ.

For the DEC axis, you probably want to aim for similar overall ratios, although they don't have to be exactly the same, +/-10% or so would be fine.

[Mooster]

I use a 1.8 * stepper motor indeed.
Do I understand that only the ratio of the gear should be brought back from 100/1 to 50/1 or 30/1.
This is oke in combination with the wormwheel on the RA axis

[TCWORLD]

Those aren't hard and fast ratios, anything in that sort of range, or even lower would be fine, whatever proves easiest to achieve.