Sky-Watcher AZ-EQ6 alignment with EQMOD

[StevieDvd]

I have the Sky-Watcher AZ-EQ6 all connected OK and hopefully nicely polar aligned (thanks to the PPA program from Themos here on SGL).

The AZ-EQ6 has dual encoders, which is where my issues arise.

When I used the HEQ5 with EQMOD I would tell the mount to go to a star, release the clutches and centre the star, then set the clutches and eqmod would be  on the star and I would then park and switch off. That would mean when I start EQMOD has the correct start position. I could then goto a few stars and sync to get the alignment OK. I think this was mentioned by Chris of EQMOD as a simple alignment method.

If I do the same with the AZ-EQ6 the encoders remember the adjustments with the clutches off so I can't seem to get the alignment correct for goto.

Lined up a star or jupiter and it stays on track but the next goto is out, If I centre on that then the first alignment is out again.

So if anyone uses this mount with eqmod, how do you do your alignment and/or set an accurate park position?

I have tried turning the aux encoders off via the handset but I'm not sure that they are off when using eqmod directly. When I move with the clutches off the telescope crosshairs in CDC also moves.

I think I need a way to turn the aux encoder off for eqmod or the proper way to align in eqmod with dual encoder mount.

Any help gratefully appreciated as the few clear nights have been a little wasted on trying to get a proper alignment. I'm supposed to be learning how to guide and thoght I had aligments covered.

Thanks

Steve

[red dwalf]

i`ve not used that mount as i have a neq6 pro but what i do using stellarium with eqmod is that i first polar align the scope, then slew to a target, usually a bright star then centre it on my camera or eyepiece if you are using one using the eqmod buttons, then when you look at stellarium your target will be off the center of the object you slewed to, click ctrl and 3 at the same time and the virtual target will move to the centre of the target and be in sync, i usually do this a few times on different stars around the sky and then stellarium gets better at slewing to the center of targets as it builds up a map, you can save these settings in eqmod so that if your using a obsy or permanent set up you only need to do it once.

[StevieDvd]

The NEQ6 does not have dual encoders though, your procedure is somewhat like the method I used with my HEQ5 using CDC abd EQMOD.

The dual encoders mean if you de-clutch and move manually the system knows where you are still. So if correctly aligned you could whiz round manually to another position and the goto will still work and be accurate as if you'd never de-clutched - not so without dual encoders. This is great for visual but seems to be a hindrance for remote eqmod control.

I have  a pier in the garden so my polar alignment stays OK  but I don't leave the scope mounted. So when balancing the mount/scope each session I have to move from park and can only get back to an approximate marked point.

So my best option is to find out what AZEQ6 users who are using eqmod OK and  setup each session do.

Thanks

[Siegfried]

Having the same problem here (that's why I landed here).  Unfortunately I have n't used my new AZ-EQ6 GT a lot (to much clouds here) but going from star to star is a mess.
I think there are a number of settings in EQMOD to be adjusted.  The worm in the AZ-EQ6 GT has more theets (180) than other EQ mounts, but I have no idea what exactly in the EQMOD Ascom configuration should be adjusted.

[MiguelMJr]

I am planning on getting an AZ-EQ6 mount in April, so needless to say I am very interested in this particular problem.

I belong to the eqmod yahoo group and have heard about this issue but have stopped reading their emails a while back. Maybe I should read my unread mail and see how this issue has been handled by others.

From what i understand, the mount knows where it is moved to when de-clutching and aligning but eqmod doesn't know the mount has moved since eqmod doesn't monitor the encoders.

Have you tried moving the mount with a gamepad (or eqmod screen buttons) instead of de-clutching in order to get the alignment star centered?

Miguel

[MiguelMJr]

Here is a post from the eqmod yahoo group. The question was basically the same as StevieDvd's question.

Here is a reply from Kyle (?) who seems to not have a problem when using his particular method.

I use the Orion version of this mount, and have had no problem using EQMOD with the Shoestring EQdirect cable. I run Stellarium, rather than CDC, but it works fine. I must assume the encoders are disabled, as I have to redefine my Park position after polar alignment. I click clear align, and clear synch data buttons when I first open EQMOD (called up by Stellarium scope). After polar aligning, I park the scope, but it does not move in DEC. I loosen the DEC clutch, manually set both axes perfectly on zero, and click "resynch park". I do a one star alignment, and I am good to go.

Hope this helps, I am really getting good results from this mount, and am completely impressed with the whole EQMOD project. Couldn't ask for more!

Regards, Kyle

Please note that he is using an EQDir connection.

Hope this helps,

Miguel

[MiguelMJr]

One other thing...

There is/was a problem with the software in the AZ-EQ6 mounts. You need to upgrade to the latest version. I'm not sure if the latest version fixes the alignment issue but having a corrected version can't be a bad thing.

Miguel

[msh1]

to set a home position get the counter weight bar horizontal use a spirit level (make sure the sprit level is level check one side on a flat surface then turn it around is the bubble in the same place you would be surprised i had to try loads in bnq to find one that was level )anyway once level loosen the ra clock line up 9 o'clock to the pointer on the left hand side tighten back up thats ra done move ra to 12 o'clock position cw bar pointing down (hope this is making sense ) now for dec loosen the dec clutch turn dec with the spirit level in the puc once level turn dec clock to pointer the same as in ra clock  move dec to the correct position tighten clutch back up double check everything thats the home position set . now open eqmod clear any sync positions unpark press the sync encoders button  in the set park position box  switch off then back on it should say ra 90 degrees goto a star with cdc it will still be out  centre the star then press sync in cdc do this on a few stars sync every time and thats it your gotos should be bang on i did this from memory so i hope its right i been using my azeq6gt since may never had a problem 

hth

mark

[Starflyer]

I have the encoders turned off (turn them off with the handset and they will stay turned off) and just use it with EQMOD the same as I would a standard EQ6 Pro.  I can't see the benefit in having (low resolution) encoders on an imaging mount anyway.

Cheers,

Ian

[StevieDvd]

Having the same problem here (that's why I landed here).  Unfortunately I have n't used my new AZ-EQ6 GT a lot (to much clouds here) but going from star to star is a mess.

I think there are a number of settings in EQMOD to be adjusted.  The worm in the AZ-EQ6 GT has more theets (180) than other EQ mounts, but I have no idea what exactly in the EQMOD Ascom configuration should be adjusted.

Siegfried,

I have not heard of any issues with the EQMOD settings like that, I believe my issue is just a simple one of usage and of course knowing the right way to do it. I hope answers here will help get you sorted as well.

I am planning on getting an AZ-EQ6 mount in April, so needless to say I am very interested in this particular problem.

I belong to the eqmod yahoo group and have heard about this issue but have stopped reading their emails a while back. Maybe I should read my unread mail and see how this issue has been handled by others.

From what i understand, the mount knows where it is moved to when de-clutching and aligning but eqmod doesn't know the mount has moved since eqmod doesn't monitor the encoders.

Have you tried moving the mount with a gamepad (or eqmod screen buttons) instead of de-clutching in order to get the alignment star centered?

Miguel

Miguel,

Using the dir keys is the same as unclutching, or so I understand. It did seem to me though that the encoders were passing back the info to eqmod as when I adjusted the position of a star and checked back in CDC it had registred the move and was now off of the target.

Here is a post from the eqmod yahoo group. The question was basically the same as StevieDvd's question.

Here is a reply from Kyle (?) who seems to not have a problem when using his particular method.

I use the Orion version of this mount, and have had no problem using EQMOD with the Shoestring EQdirect cable. I run Stellarium, rather than CDC, but it works fine. I must assume the encoders are disabled, as I have to redefine my Park position after polar alignment. I click clear align, and clear synch data buttons when I first open EQMOD (called up by Stellarium scope). After polar aligning, I park the scope, but it does not move in DEC. I loosen the DEC clutch, manually set both axes perfectly on zero, and click "resynch park". I do a one star alignment, and I am good to go.

Hope this helps, I am really getting good results from this mount, and am completely impressed with the whole EQMOD project. Couldn't ask for more!

Regards, Kyle

Please note that he is using an EQDir connection.

Hope this helps,

Miguel

That was a reply to my posting

One other thing...

There is/was a problem with the software in the AZ-EQ6 mounts. You need to upgrade to the latest version. I'm not sure if the latest version fixes the alignment issue but having a corrected version can't be a bad thing.

Miguel

I upgraded the handset and motor firmware to see if that helped, but no luck.

to set a home position get the counter weight bar horizontal use a spirit level (make sure the sprit level is level check one side on a flat surface then turn it around is the bubble in the same place you would be surprised i had to try loads in bnq to find one that was level )anyway once level loosen the ra clock line up 9 o'clock to the pointer on the left hand side tighten back up thats ra done move ra to 12 o'clock position cw bar pointing down (hope this is making sense ) now for dec loosen the dec clutch turn dec with the spirit level in the puc once level turn dec clock to pointer the same as in ra clock  move dec to the correct position tighten clutch back up double check everything thats the home position set . now open eqmod clear any sync positions unpark press the sync encoders button  in the set park position box  switch off then back on it should say ra 90 degrees goto a star with cdc it will still be out  centre the star then press sync in cdc do this on a few stars sync every time and thats it your gotos should be bang on i did this from memory so i hope its right i been using my azeq6gt since may never had a problem 

hth

mark

I think this may be a good idea which I should adopt any way. Previously I always mis-trusted the park position (as being out due to manual/visual positioning - always a little inaccurate) and told eqmod (via CDC or other software) to go to a star which I then ligned up with clutches off. Then I synched eqmod and parked the scope and switched off. Then when turning on again eqmod and the mount have an accurate park position and alignment was usually OK. However, that was with the HEQ5 which had no aux encoders.

I will double check the mount with a level and reset the dials, which I may not have bothered with when the new mount was put in place as I concentrated on good polar alignment.

It can't hurt anything so worth doing, thanks for the tip.

I have the encoders turned off (turn them off with the handset and they will stay turned off) and just use it with EQMOD the same as I would a standard EQ6 Pro.  I can't see the benefit in having (low resolution) encoders on an imaging mount anyway.

Cheers,

Ian

If is that is the case it will solve my problem I did see a comment in the yahoo groups that a command can be sent to the EQ8 to turn the encoders off/on but supposedly it is not the same for this mount.

Is there a way to check they are off?  Logically, if they are turned off and the scope is moved, the position in eqmod should not change. I'll test that theory

Thanks all I hope I am not suitably informed enough to get this sorted. I will come back and relay any results in case others find this post and need the same answer.

Happy New Year to all.

Steve

[chrisshillito]

Having the same problem here (that's why I landed here).  Unfortunately I have n't used my new AZ-EQ6 GT a lot (to much clouds here) but going from star to star is a mess.

I think there are a number of settings in EQMOD to be adjusted.  The worm in the AZ-EQ6 GT has more theets (180) than other EQ mounts, but I have no idea what exactly in the EQMOD Ascom configuration should be adjusted.

There are 'advanced' settings in EQMOD to allow you to manually override some parameters to work with 'non-standard' gearing ratios. However, you don't need to touch these for the AZ-EQ6 as  EQMOD will read all the correct settings directly from the mount when it first connects.

Chris.

[Siegfried]

There are 'advanced' settings in EQMOD to allow you to manually override some parameters to work with 'non-standard' gearing ratios. However, you don't need to touch these for the AZ-EQ6 as  EQMOD will read all the correct settings directly from the mount when it first connects.

Chris.

I get rid of Windows 8 and installed Windows 7 on the same PC.

Afterwards, I updated the mount-firmware from 2.05 to 2.11 and the Synscan-firmware from 3.33 to 3.36.  Everything works fine now! Indeed no need to overrule those EQMOD settings.

Thanks tor the tip to update the AZ-EQ6 GT mount

Siegfried