Project:
HEQ5 as portable mount

Contents:

1. Introduction
2. EQDIRECT from D-sub to RJ45
3. Power terminal of HEQ5 changed
4. Installing the 300 mm lens on HEQ5
5. Rewiring the electric cables
6. Connecting the Raspberry
7. Setup GPSD
8. Setup GPS NMEA
9. Power consumption
10. Battery power cables
11. Tweaking auto guiding parameters
12. Rowan Belt Modification Kit
13. Making the tripod to a low rider
14. Redesign of mount head details
15. Raspberry Pi4 bracket
16. Brackets: temperature sensor, spirit level and stepper motor
17. Transport box
18. EQDirect cable
19. Brackets reinforced and adapt it to EQ6
20. Cut the length of the GPS cable
21. HEQ5 and TS130 refractor ?
22. To be continued

Related projects:

1. HEQ5 as portable mount
2. Pentax 645 300 mm ED IF f/4 lens
3. KStars / EKOS and Raspberry Pi4

Note:
I take no responsibility or liability for what are written here, you use the information on your own risk!

20: Cut the length of the GPS cable

On my compact mount, the HEQ5 I don't want any unnecessary long cables. The cable to the GPS dongle is very long, I want to cut it down if it's possible.

GPS dongle:

This is the GPS dongle I have, it only work in Windows 7, but it's the old PL2303 chip. In Linux I have got it to work properly.

More about GPS navigation:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/ Satellite navigation device (Satellite navigation device, Wikipedia)

It's the common but old model BU-353.

A look inside the GPS dongle:

The cable is very long to this unit, can it be shortened in a easy way ?

Open the lid on the backside, hold by five screws.

The satellite receiver.

Behind the receiver, the cable is glued in place which make it difficult.

I cut the cable at the GPS end, but recommend to do it at the USB contact instead.

It's very narrow space here and the cable is glued into the GPS chassi. I solder together the two cables I got when I cut earlier.

After a lot of efforts I got it together again.

I use one of the holes I have made in the tube rings to place a steel screw, it will hold the GPS module in place which has a magnet.

Much better now when I got rid of the long cable.