Improving tracking on a Celestron Evolution?

[larsmn]

OK, lets confess, having started with a Skywatcher Synscan AltAz 4 years ago, primarily using a Evostar 80ED for astrophoto I dislike GEM:s.

So, when this spring I started to plan for a larger scope, due to my trusted AltAz could not take much heavier tubes than the Evorstar or Mak it came with, I searched high and low for a mount that a. primarily was  AltAz, b. could work in EQ mode (big mistake not including that, Skywatcher !!!)  and c. being extremely portable.  The last due to me forced to bring it out and in down a steep stair every obs night. I have a fixed obs position, but cannot leave it out.  

I have tested GEM's, with is like having a pneumatic hammer on my balcony (guess what neighbors says 2-3 o'clock in the morning? The SkyW is silent), empties my battery in 3 h, rather than 9 h and mostly points toward the Magellan clouds (living 56 degr north, that is bad). And the choice fell on the new Celestrone Evostar 6.  8 & 9.25 is not portable 2 o'clock in the night, when you just waken up after the last photo series of 1.5 h, which the SkyW is. 

OK, all good, new scope, 1 m with reducer, remote control, no cables, both camera and scope handled via tablet/phone before winter (we have -15C regulary).  And then the bad news, I hope you guys can help with.

A. The wifi tracking:  It dies after 15-30 min if not touching the tablet. The scope slewing away from the object. My SkyW can hold the object for at least 6 h.  Found an app keeping the tablet alive, but still, after ca 45 min the scope slews away again (using SkySafari 4+). So I am back to the handset. 

 - Anyone found a way to get the SkySafari app to work for up to an hour at least?

B. On the SkyW there is a very good function, PAE, to improve tracking. If I moved the mount to another place, after aligning I goto and do 4-5 PAE on known objects and have good tracking. Even for objects in near zenit, we're talking 30 sec exposures. At times the align/tracking database seems off and I get only 20 sec in near zenit, but mostly 30 sec.

  - There is some ways to improve tracking, but they seem very complex. Is there a PAE like function in Celestrons software, I haven't found.  Since I have the 6" tube, it can go full zenit with my Nex-5, but I can't get over 10 sec exposure, getting star trails.

C. Do anyone know of an astro site with a far better Celestron instruction manual, than the substandard Celestron Evo manual.  

[larsmn]

Sorry for the typos, can't find the edit button, is not meaning Celestron Evostar, but Evolution.

[rp2009]

A good forum for Evolution owner is teamcelestron.com

You have to subscibe to use the forum.

I have an Evolution 8 and SkySafari Pro and no problem tracking for hours.

 I use StarSense to align.

Make sure you have the latest firmware.

If not get CFM from Celestron site.

With the latest CFM, you don't need any cable to update firmware. It can be done via WiFi.

Hope this help.

Richard

[larsmn]

Thanks Richard 

[ejp1684]

Not sure if this is the same problem with wifi quitting, but my iPad did the same using SkySafari 4 plus. I solved it by going to Settings, selecting Appearance, and changing the Prevent Sleep to On. Some people have reported iPads being sluggish in cold temperatures, but I can't comment on that.

[larsmn]

Nebula,  

Didn't find a "prevent sleep" in my Android tablet, but have downloaded an app for it. However, after 35-50 min (not the same each time) the connection goes down.

Cheers