Simon Dunsmore

3 hours ago, KP82 said:

Date/Time data must be entered every time you switch on the mount as the hand controller does not have a built-in RTC. Once you're at the home screen on the hand controller, you can follow my previous steps to slew the mount. There is no need to do the star alignment.

Hi Thanks, 

Yep, that worked, thanks for your help!! 

Clear Skies and stay safe 

Simon 

13 hours ago, KP82 said:

You first need to press '3' to choose the slew rate. Then you can use the directional keys to slew the mount. No prior star alignment required

Hi, So I gave that a try. Unfortunately, as soon as I switch on the mount the first thing it will allow me to do is enter all the required set up data. It will not allow me to just select the directional controls. 

Any thoughts? 

Cheers 

Simon 

Thanks, I'll give that a shot! 

Hi Mike, 

Welcome back!! 

I purchased a Skywatcher 10" dob from the good folks at FLO. Nice piece of kit, although it could do with a twin speed focuser. 

I have two scopes, a 130pds on a Heq5 for photography and the dob for visual, I built a push to base for the dob and love the set up, definitely don't regret the purchase. 

Hope you find a scope soon, you never know we may even get some clear skies?! 🤣😂

Happy New year 

Simon 

Thanks, 

The manual says that the directional controls (arrows) can be accessed at any time. But that's not been my experience. 

Hi Folks, 

Hope everyone is enjoying these clear skies 😂🤣😂

I have a question. I am awaiting my new toy (qhy polemaster) so that will curse things for the first month of the year, sorry! 

Anyway,  I read that the PM will require me to rotate the mount by NOT undoing the clutches. My question is this, how do I access/ use the hand set slewing/rotation function without doing an alignment first? 

As far as I can see this option is only available after the alignment process. However the PM alignment process needs to take place before the alignment. Mmmm🤔

I have an Heq5 pro mount. 

Cheers and happy new year! 

Simon 

11 minutes ago, smashing said:

I had that error message when my guide camera wasn't working via the st-4 cable...does the camera work on it's own...can eqmod control the mount ok?

Hi, Thanks for your reply. Yes, the camera works fine when polar aligning with Sharpcap and I can move the scope around from the eqmod pad.

2 hours ago, smashing said:

Stupid question but do you have EQMOD up and running when using PHD?

Hi, Yes, EQMOD is working 

1 hour ago, smashing said:

Stupid question but do you have EQMOD up and running when using PHD?

Hi, Yes, EQMOD is working 

Hi Folks, 

I'm hoping someone can bring me a little relief from the frustration!! 

So as the weather is not playing ball, I thought I'd delve into the dark art of guiding. 

I have an Heq5 pro goto mount and QHY5-II guide camera. 

I've installed Phd2 and the ascom drivers. 

I launched phd2 and created a new profile. As I am in doors and not able to see starts I selected simulator for the camera and EQMOD ASCOM Heq5 /6 for the mount. I selected a star and then press loop, I then hit the green target phd2 button and nothing. I have had a message that says RA calibration failed: star did not move enough. 

Prior to this I had marginal success but I only had the Dec (Red line) showing on the graph (no RA) the line was all over the show going off the scale. 

I've balanced the scope but no joy. 

Any help or advice would be much appreciated. I've tried watching multiple how to videos on You tube but alas, no joy. 

Thanks in advance for your help 

Simon 

9 hours ago, M40 said:

Looks like you have the version 3 handset or earlier so this function isn't available via the handset. Reading what Moonshed said, the adjustment, if there is any, is on the polar scope itself. If you manage to do it, let us know how so if anybody has this challenge in the future the info can be found.

Enjoy

 

Hi Folks, I've had a look at the polarscope and have absolutely no idea how to turn down the brightness from there. 

I read somewhere about painting the bulb with nail varnish. Anyone have any idea how to get to it or an alternative? 

Thanks 

Simon 

Will do!! 

On 04/10/2020 at 15:42, Simon Dunsmore said:

Hi Folks, 

After months of head scratching, researching, trawling the I ternet for bits and bobs and then another month beavering away in the garage like something out of city chity bang bang. I have finally finished the push to leveling base for my dob. 

Felt I needed to mark the moment with a grand unveiling so this seems as good a place as any. 

Just need a clear night to test it!!!! 

 

Quick update, 

Absolutely chuffed that this worked like a dream. 

After lining up on a star and setting the pointer on the scale. Looked up coordinates of the object I wanted to view, slewed to these and hey presto the object was in the eyepiece (Well almost) just a little adjustment needed. 

Very happy chap 

4 hours ago, M40 said:

Hello Simon, page 32 of the manual. The setting is hiding in the utility menu 👍

Enjoy

Hi and thanks for your replies. Unfortunately, I still can't see that setting on the hand controler. 

My Synscan manual only has 15 pages. 

I'm attaching a video of the scroll through the utility setting, no LED option there even though the manual lists the following as coming under the utility setting 

Show Position 

Display time

Park scope 

Inquire version 

PEC training 

LCD/LED tuning 

Thanks again for your help 

Simon 

Greetings Fellow astro peeps, 

I have a question that I'm sure must have been asked before, if so sorry to bring it up again. 

I own a Heq5 Pro goto mount. The problem is that the polarscope illuminator is just too bright and washes out the stars. I've tried using a red torch but can't seem to get on with this approach. 

I can't see an option on the handset to turn the brightness down. 

Any suggestions would be much appreciated. 

Thanks in advance 

Simon 

Hi Folks, 

After months of head scratching, researching, trawling the I ternet for bits and bobs and then another month beavering away in the garage like something out of city chity bang bang. I have finally finished the push to leveling base for my dob. 

Felt I needed to mark the moment with a grand unveiling so this seems as good a place as any. 

Just need a clear night to test it!!!! 

Hi Guys,

Sorry, back again to pick your brains!

I recently asked for advice about suggestions for a 10mm eyepiece to use in my 10" f4.7 dob. I think I've settled on the 52degree Explore Scientific. I would however like to try an eyepiece that would allow max magnification. I already have an Explore Scientific 3x barlow which effectively makes that 10 a 3.3 and give 363x mag on the scope. 

I really enjoy observing planets and the moon and for the moon especially wanted to squeeze as much mag as I can out of the scope. I was looking for a good 8mm eyepiece to use with e 3xbrlow to give a mag of 461. Id really like to hear any suggestions that you may have. I was considering the Pentax XF 8.5mm (presently on sale at Wex) budget of around £100.

Thanks for your help and suggestions

Simon

10 minutes ago, John said:

The Hyperions are nicely made eyepieces but they are not too well corrected towards the edges of the field of view in faster scopes. The Skywatcher 250P is F/4.7 which is considered quite a fast scope.

I have not used the ES 62 so I don't know how that will do at that focal ratio.

 

Hi John, 

Thanks for your reply. Any thoughts on alternatives? 

Thanks again Simon 

Hi Folks, 

Just looking for a little advice. 

I own a Skywatcher 250p dobsonian. Looking for a 10mm eyepiece. I've narrowed it down to two I think. Baader Hyperion 68 Degree Eyepiece or Explore Scientific 62° Series Eyepiece. I have the 26mm Explore Scientific and its superb. Just not sure which way to go. 

Budget is around £80

Thanks for your help 

Clear Skies 

Simon 

13 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Insert a few washers make from a plastic milk bottle on the central bolt in the base. Just enough to raise the top a fraction of a mm above the teflon pads. Should help a lot.

 

Hi, 

Thanks for your reply. So should it rotate freely or require some encouragement? I'm guessing the milk bottle top solution is to take the pressure off the teflon pads. 

Hi Folks, 

Just assembled a Skywatcher 250 dobsonian. Can anyone advise how freely the base should rotate (azimuth)? It feels a little stiff to me, but is that correct? 

Secondly, just for future reference, is it worth installing a lazy Susan bearing, if so is it difficult and where would I buy one!? 

Thanks for your help. 

BTW sorry if I've cursed the weather for the weekend! 

2 hours ago, ALZASCOPE said:

Dia 540mm approx feet are set in 40mm approx from outer edge if that helps

 

Alan

Thanks Alan, 

I'd read somewhere that it was 520, so good to know, thanks. 

Simon 

Hi Folks, 

Can anyone let me know the diameter of the Skywatcher 250 dobsonian base IS and how far the feet are set in away from the edge? 

Thanks for your help 

Simon 

Hi Folks, 

Can anyone let me know the diameter of the Skywatcher 250 dobsonian base is? 

Thanks for your help 

Simon 

5 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

that's what mine is setup like

OK, that's good to know, thanks. Does the tape work OK? What did you use as a pointer? 

The other thought I had was to stand the dob base on a metal disc and then use a magnet with a pointer attached. 

Sorry for all the questions. 

3 hours ago, vlaiv said:

Precision of setting circles was always a questionable thing.

Suppose that you can accurately read off half a degree of that scale. This is probably the most precision you can get as diameter of the base is probably around 50cm. This means that circumference is about 157cm and single degree is about 4mm.

With 32mm plossl you'll get x37.5 magnification or about 1.33 degrees TFOV.

In principle - you should be able to put a target somewhere in FOV of your finder eyepiece.

Similarly, regular 7x50 finder has something like 5 degrees TFOV and if you put Polaris in the center - you'll be in principle within one degree from NCP. That should still provide enough precision to land a target in FOV of finder eyepiece.

BTW - you can make a slight tweak to above design that will enable you to roughly maneuver mount in position and then adjust settings circle arm to "zero it in". Just attach it in such way that it can move/rotate slightly to provide you with couple degrees of adjustment (remember ~4mm is one degree so you really need only a few centimeters of motion).

Thanks for your help. Just a thought, would it work, rather than aligning the base, fixing magnetic tape around the lower base, aligning the scope on a chosen star with known azimuth degree. Then fixing a metal pointer to the correct number?

Rather than moving the base, move the pointer?