is this dead now? I didn't check before joining today

You may have noticed that we have created a new heading, above the banner, called 'Clubs'. The plan is to move all the existing social groups and observatories to this new area. Currently there are 17 different groups some more active than others. You need to advise me, in this thread, whether you wish your social group to be moved, otherwise the group will be closed and archived. I look forward to hearing from someone within group for us to take necessary admin action.

I found this thread

Yes Davy, there's a few of us use that car park - although the weather hasn't been the best this season - check out the Central Scotland Observers Group forum, google CSOG, and you will see if any meets have been arranged. It's getting a bit light now at nights so there may not be many more nights up there until August when the darker nights come back. L.

I still need to make the effort to take a trip out there one night. It's not too far from me (maybe about 20-30 minutes). I've been on google maps and seen that there is a car park next to the Fishery - do people just park up there and set their kit up?

I was always hoping to go there

There has been a new fb page set up aimed at astronomers in East Lothian (although needless to say that all are welcome!!) It's goals are not only to encourage general astro talk but to make it easier to organise viewing sessions for those of us who find 'The Rig' just a little bit too far to travel-especially on a school night!! Link below. P.s- this page is not my work but the brain child of @ASTROSTUART https://www.facebook.com/groups/771762932974919/

Hi Matt I think there's also a local club in Livingston which I'm also looking to join

Thx for that its pretty close to me just over the bridge website seems to be working now as well

Hi Matt - there's an astro club which meets last Tuesday of each month at the Kabin in Dalgety Bay - some details here: https://www.facebook.com/Dalgety-Bay-Astronomy-Club-131704133556015/ I found them very welcoming and helpful. I can't seem to get onto their website at the moment. It was db-astro.org/

Thanks - I'll join up tonight:)

http://scottishastronomers.com/forum/index.php check this out Matt, looking forward to meeting you

Thanks for your replies

Hi Matt - welcome tae Scotland !! Stirling University has a world class astro facility and its open to the public and there meetings are very well attended - not exactly on your doorstep but you will soon get used to travelling now you are in Scotland !! (Our nearest Marks and Sparks, B&Q, large hospital, main car dealerships etc are all 3 hours away!)

Hi Matt-welcome to SGL. Not sure how far you are willing to travel but if you check out 'central Scotland observers group' then they quite often meet up at the harperigg resevoir, I think that's about a half hour drive from bathgate.

Hi, I'm new to astronomy and also new to Scotland having moved to Bathgate from Manchester, is there any clubs/meet ups/members near my area? I have the new Meade ETX90 as my first scope. Thanks matt

If you are prepared to venture out a bit further then the Backwater Reservoir near me is excellent: https://goo.gl/maps/NcpSWTyHjtM2 Plenty of parking and there is pretty much no light pollution in most directions.

A few members of the Dundee Astronomical Society are known to frequent Carrot Hill north of Broughty Ferry. Ken Kennedy who will be honoured by the BAA for his contribution to Astronomy in September uses the site and if it's good enough for him it should be ok for you. Regards Tony (DAS Webmaster)

Brilliant; I do hope it is easily fixed. Kabi, you deserve a gold star, or a run of clear nights, which ever you prefer James

Thank you all, and yes Kabi (with a heart of gold)is currently neck deep in the m.c, and I thank him massively Atb para

Yes, I am talking it apart at the moment. I checked the hand controller so far and run the com port diagnostics successfully. Easy to update the firmware. So, all looks fine. The cable from the handset to the MC was checked and works. However the HC does not 'see' the MC. Different error code depending on the firmware. I am not able to connect to the MC nor move the motors. I tired flashing the MC, but this does not work either (as expected as there does not seem to be a connection from the HC to the MC....) I then ran the MC alone and tried the autoguider port to initiate some motor movement. No success. So, I guess the MC is the culprit. Next step will be to follow the circuit board to see if the PIC is powered and still connected to the port.

Have we found someone near by to help you out?!?! I hope so. James

No need to buy anything! I think we are in walking distance...

I have bought all replacement cables (rj45) including a cat5e ethernet which is the same as the wire you get with it( the curly one), dont have a volt meter but if you think it will work i will get one, as for being savvy i am not lol sorry, been asking my father who is more clued up on these kind of cables how i would change my connections for stepper motor to rj11 to fit a astro eq box which on the verge of giving up and buying, he was round all day on staurday as we bashed through ellimination techniques, leaving us with the same thought something wrong with the M.C atb para

So I guess, it is not the handset. I would then work my way down the 'wire'. Check the connector in the handset (discoloured pins would be a sign of corrosion). Then check the cable. You can use a simple voltmeter set to resistance to check if the cable including plugs are in working order. If it is the cable you can try a network cable. I think the cable is a standard RJ45 crossed computer network cable. So, if you have one at home you can try that. But don't blame me if anything goes wrong... If it is not the cable it 'must' then be the M.C.. I would check the connector there as well. You could also use the autoguider port on the M.C. and test if you can connect e.g the R.A.+ pin to ground and see if the mount turns. Not sure how electrically savvy you are...