HEQ5 Rowan belt mod tutorial
- MartinF
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HEQ5 Rowan belt mod tutorial
I just made a tutorial on how I performed the Rowan Belt mod on my HEQ5. Maybe it could be of some use for someone who is planning it. I chose text instead of voice over, since it makes it easier to pause and still see the instructions.
https://youtu.be/CNKcxVfzM58
https://youtu.be/CNKcxVfzM58
__________________________________________________
Skywatcher HEQ5 + Orion MMAG, AstroTrac TT320X-AG
Zwo ASI1600MM-Cool + Canon EOS 550D (Baader modified)
Skywatcher 150-PDS, TS-Optics 80mm f/6 triplet, Sigma 500/4.5 lens
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/FotografMartinF
Skywatcher HEQ5 + Orion MMAG, AstroTrac TT320X-AG
Zwo ASI1600MM-Cool + Canon EOS 550D (Baader modified)
Skywatcher 150-PDS, TS-Optics 80mm f/6 triplet, Sigma 500/4.5 lens
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/FotografMartinF
- Juno16
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Re: HEQ5 Rowan belt mod tutorial
Thanks Martin!
I just started using my HEQ5 a few months ago.
It has about 3000ms ofDEC backlash, but PHD2 backlash compensation handles it pretty well.
I am definitely interested in doing the mod, but seeing that it will invalidate the 2year warranty, I plan to run it for awhile to insure that the mount is sound.
Really enjoying the HEQ5 so far. I usually get sub arcsec total rms error in PHD2. The worst error that I’ve gotten so far is imaging the Rosette Nebula (at the celestial equator) is 1.12 arcsec which I was happy with.
If you don’t mind, can you post your first impressions of the mount performance before and after?
Thanks a bunch for the tutorial Martin!
I just started using my HEQ5 a few months ago.
It has about 3000ms of
I am definitely interested in doing the mod, but seeing that it will invalidate the 2year warranty, I plan to run it for awhile to insure that the mount is sound.
Really enjoying the HEQ5 so far. I usually get sub arcsec total rms error in PHD2. The worst error that I’ve gotten so far is imaging the Rosette Nebula (at the celestial equator) is 1.12 arcsec which I was happy with.
If you don’t mind, can you post your first impressions of the mount performance before and after?
Thanks a bunch for the tutorial Martin!
Jim
Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), ZWO OAG, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, ASI 220mm mini , IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
Dog and best bud: Jack
Sky: Bortle 6-7
My Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Juno16/
Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), ZWO OAG, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, ASI 220mm mini , IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
Dog and best bud: Jack
Sky: Bortle 6-7
My Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Juno16/
- MartinF
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Re: HEQ5 Rowan belt mod tutorial
I would say that the tracking is smoother, even though I don´t have any guide graphs or values from before/after. I find it to vary a lot between evenings anyway. But what I do know is that I no longer have these sudden jumps in the tracking that I sometimes had before. Probably because the gears kind of stuck to each other. Also, backlash has been reduced.Juno16 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 08, 2021 11:23 pm Thanks Martin!
I just started using my HEQ5 a few months ago.
It has about 3000ms of DEC backlash, but PHD2 backlash compensation handles it pretty well.
I am definitely interested in doing the mod, but seeing that it will invalidate the 2year warranty, I plan to run it for awhile to insure that the mount is sound.
Really enjoying the HEQ5 so far. I usually get sub arcsec total rms error in PHD2. The worst error that I’ve gotten so far is imaging the Rosette Nebula (at the celestial equator) is 1.12 arcsec which I was happy with.
If you don’t mind, can you post your first impressions of the mount performance before and after?
Thanks a bunch for the tutorial Martin!
__________________________________________________
Skywatcher HEQ5 + Orion MMAG, AstroTrac TT320X-AG
Zwo ASI1600MM-Cool + Canon EOS 550D (Baader modified)
Skywatcher 150-PDS, TS-Optics 80mm f/6 triplet, Sigma 500/4.5 lens
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/FotografMartinF
Skywatcher HEQ5 + Orion MMAG, AstroTrac TT320X-AG
Zwo ASI1600MM-Cool + Canon EOS 550D (Baader modified)
Skywatcher 150-PDS, TS-Optics 80mm f/6 triplet, Sigma 500/4.5 lens
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/FotografMartinF
- Juno16
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Re: HEQ5 Rowan belt mod tutorial
MartinF wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 12:27 pm
I would say that the tracking is smoother, even though I don´t have any guide graphs or values from before/after. I find it to vary a lot between evenings anyway. But what I do know is that I no longer have these sudden jumps in the tracking that I sometimes had before. Probably because the gears kind of stuck to each other. Also, backlash has been reduced.
Thanks a lot for the video and the post modification results.
The mount is quite noisy when it slews and I have also heard that the belt mod really quiet’s things down.
Very much looking forward to doing the modification!
Much appreciated Martin!
Jim
Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), ZWO OAG, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, ASI 220mm mini , IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
Dog and best bud: Jack
Sky: Bortle 6-7
My Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Juno16/
Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), ZWO OAG, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, ASI 220mm mini , IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
Dog and best bud: Jack
Sky: Bortle 6-7
My Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Juno16/
- MartinF
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Re: HEQ5 Rowan belt mod tutorial
Yeah, I think you can hear that already in my video. The sound before/after.
__________________________________________________
Skywatcher HEQ5 + Orion MMAG, AstroTrac TT320X-AG
Zwo ASI1600MM-Cool + Canon EOS 550D (Baader modified)
Skywatcher 150-PDS, TS-Optics 80mm f/6 triplet, Sigma 500/4.5 lens
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/FotografMartinF
Skywatcher HEQ5 + Orion MMAG, AstroTrac TT320X-AG
Zwo ASI1600MM-Cool + Canon EOS 550D (Baader modified)
Skywatcher 150-PDS, TS-Optics 80mm f/6 triplet, Sigma 500/4.5 lens
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/FotografMartinF
- Juno16
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- Articles: 0
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- Joined: Sun May 12, 2019 3:13 pm
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Re: HEQ5 Rowan belt mod tutorial
Yes, definitely quieter.
Luckily, my mount is pretty well behaved. I can wait a bit until things seem sound with the new mount.
I saved your video for when I do the mod. Very well done!
Thanks again Martin!
Jim
Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), ZWO OAG, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, ASI 220mm mini , IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
Dog and best bud: Jack
Sky: Bortle 6-7
My Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Juno16/
Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), ZWO OAG, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, ASI 220mm mini , IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
Dog and best bud: Jack
Sky: Bortle 6-7
My Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Juno16/
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