Sky & Telescope - November 2024 - 69

As explained in the
accompanying text, the
most straightforward
way to operate the
mount with planetarium
software is on a Windows
device that must
simultaneously be running
the SynScan app.
The app appears here
as the white box in the
foreground of Software
Bisque's TheSkyX
planetarium software,
which has its dialogue
box open for making
the required ASCOM
connection to the app.
a cornucopia of databases. The most
straightforward way of doing this with
the CQ350-Pro is with a Windows or
iOS device running the SynScan app
(available as a free download from SkyWatcher)
and connected to the mount
via a USB 2.0 cable or with an optional
SynScan Wi-Fi adapter available from
Sky-Watcher for $70. The app basically
mimics the operation of the hand
control, albeit with a much smaller star
database. Its big advantage, however,
is its ability to connect via an ASCOM
driver to a variety of Windows-based
planetarium programs. This allows
using the extensive databases most of
these programs include as well as the
point-and-click ability to send Go To
commands to the mount.
I did my testing with Software
Bisque's TheSkyX program. Unfortunately,
the necessity of connecting this
software through the ASCOM driver for
the SynScan app does not support many
of the features that TheSkyX offers for
controlling mounts that have native
software directly connecting them to
the planetarium program. For example,
The CQ350-Pro performed well with the
author's 8-inch f/8 refractor that placed a 29-kg
payload on the mount. Sky-Watcher lists the
mount's power requirement as 11 to 16 volts
DC and 55 watts. But the author never had a
problem running it on a 13.8 VDC supply rated
for a maximum of 41 watts (3 amps).
if you want to nudge the CQ350-Pro to
position a target after a Go To command
with TheSkyX, you must toggle
back to the SynScan app and issue move
commands from it. In my review of the
EQ8-R Pro I called this arrangement
" clunky, " and while I still consider that
a reasonable assessment, the process
of flipping back and forth between the
programs while observing becomes
a comfortable routine with use, only
adding a few mouse clicks compared to
software that offers direct control of the
mount from the planetarium program.
This, however, is not the end of the
story for those wishing to control the
CQ350-Pro with a computer. At least
two open-source and free programs -
EQmod (eq-mod.sourceforge.net) and
Green Swamp Server (greenswamp.org)
- offer various levels of control of SkyWatcher
mounts. I haven't tested either,
but a simple internet search will lead
you to comments and videos by amateurs
who are working with these applications.
While as of this writing neither
of these programs specifically lists the
CQ350-Pro as a supported mount, they
do work with many of the mounts that
use the SynScan controller. Furthermore,
these programs are continuously
in development, so it would be best for
anyone interested in using them to do a
little internet homework to learn their
current capabilities.
I found the CQ350-Pro to be an
impressive piece of hardware given its
extremely good performance and heavy
payload capacity while still being a
mount that one person can set up and
use in the field. It's a very nice addition
to the Sky-Watcher line of equatorial
mounts for advanced observers and
astrophotographers. It's another thumbs
up for Sky-Watcher.
¢ DENNIS DI CICCO has been observing
and testing equipment for more than 40
years from his backyard observatory in
Boston's western suburbs.
sk yand tele scope .o r g * NOVEMBER 2024 69
http://eq-mod.sourceforge.net http://www.greenswamp.org http://skyandtelescope.org
Sky & Telescope - November 2024

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