Astrophotography. My Affordable Guided Setup

I tried to convince myself that I didn't need a guided setup. 
"My mounts periodic error isn't that great.. is it"
"I don't want a guide-scope and laptop and all that cabling"
"I only do short exposures anyway".

I was throwing away half of my "sub frames" due to star elongation, even at 30 secs.

So what to do. A quick look at the price of guide scopes and camera's, plus the mods needed to the controller was starting to put me off again.

let's see what I can get from Ebay. 

A "T7 Astro camera" clone of ZWO ASI120 Colour approx A$145.00
A Generic 50mm Guidescope Approx A$90.00

I had an old laptop runnings windows 10 
Downloaded "PHD" software.
Modified my "RA" motor controller so it could accept "ST4" guide signals.

Plug it all together... good to go.

Another advantage of using "PHD" software is its polar alignment tools which I now find indispensable. 
I also decided to try an "Orion Field Flattener" which works a treat. No more stretched stars in the corners.
My setup is starting to look serious.

By the way my mounts periodic error is actually pretty bad.

The Guide scope clamps easily in the finder bracket.
I use a laser pointer followed by a wide field eyepiece in the main scope as a finder.
When aligned, I pop the camera in and re-focus, and fine tune the framing.

Coarse, slide and Fine helical focusing, works a treat

Yes you can guide on RA only

Eta Carinae and Nebula NGC 3372

Approx 7,500 Light Years from Earth

Location: Kilcunda Beach Victoria 
Scope: Aquila 90mm f5.5 Achromatic Refractor
Filter: "SVBony" "CLS" Light Pollution

Imager: Fuji XT1 at Prime Focus. 2inch diameter extension tube through "T mount"

Mount: SkyWatcher EQ5 RA motor Drive only

Guided: Guide scope and PHD software through Modified RA controller

Stack of 17 x 90 sec asa 3200 Raw "subs"

Stacked using "SiriL"

 2-3-2019
No Field Flattener

Eta Carinae and Nebula NGC 3372

Approx 7,500 Light Years from Earth

Location: Melbourne Bortle 6
Scope: Aquila 90mm f5.5 Achromatic Refractor 
Orion Field Flattener
Filter: "SVBony" "CLS" Light Pollution

Imager: Fuji XT1 at Prime Focus. 

Mount: SkyWatcher EQ5 RA motor Drive only

Guided: Guide scope and PHD software through 
Modified RA controller

Stack of 45 x 90sec asa 6400 Raw "subs"

Stacked using "Lynkeos" 

 27-3-2019

Cropped and Rotated from Picture above
but different colour pallet 

M83 Southern Pinwheel Galaxy

15 Million Light Years Away

Location: Melbourne Bortle 6
Scope: Aquila 90mm f5.5 Achromatic Refractor 

Orion Field Flattener
Filter: "SVBony" "CLS" Light Pollution

Imager: Fuji XT1 at Prime Focus. 

Mount: SkyWatcher EQ5 RA motor Drive only

Guided: Guide scope and PHD software through 
Modified RA controller

Stack of 30 x 120sec asa 6400 Raw "subs"

M83 Southern Pinwheel Galaxy

15 Million Light Years Away

Cropped

Location: Melbourne Bortle 6
Scope: Aquila 90mm f5.5 Achromatic Refractor 

Orion Field Flattener
Filter: "SVBony" "CLS" Light Pollution

Imager: Fuji XT1 at Prime Focus. 

Mount: SkyWatcher EQ5 RA motor Drive only

Guided: Guide scope and PHD software through 
Modified RA controller

Stack of 30 x 120sec asa 6400 Raw "subs"