Tomatobro

I think you are ok. My EQ6-R clutches slip a bit as I carry the head around. This has happened many times and all works as it should.

The audience was made up of folks who in the main only have a casual interest in astronomy but enough interest to come to an astronomy club. I explained that these images were made by an amateur and not by a professional astronomer. In this case the questions came after each image and they were typically what is that called and how far away is it. In case it gets shown again I was going to identify and research on each so I could answer on the spot. I think that adding on screen data would detract from its visual impact even though there is some on screen text in places. The showing was very spontaneous so I was not able to do any preparation beforehand.

The only thing I will do for next time is to prepare a script as folks asked me what the object was and how far away and I stumbled a bit on a few of them.

I showed your video at last nights astronomy club and all were very impressed.........

A few light days I think....................

Moths flying around the scope will reflect the ir. My problem is a bit bigger with the bats chasing them for dinner. But not in the depths of winter

one of the great joys of CMOS is the ability to have ultra short exposures during the star hopping calibration stage. Moving the scopes cross hairs and seeing stars and DSO's moving across the screen in real time speeds up the set up time no end. In particular the EQMOD circular search is very effective.

I have just read your post and tried to follow what you have done and it seems to me that swapping the connectors has eliminated the hand set and the board. Switching the drive output over tested the buttons and the driver so my guess is that is that you have a motor problem. Looking at the wiring going to the motor it looks like a DC motor (the two wires on their own and the multi connector a positional encoder. If you have a multimeter then I would disconnect the two wires either side of the motor and check for continuity across the motor connections and see if its open circuit. It might just be a stuck brush so a sharp tap on the side of the motor might unstick it.......you never know you might be lucky. Best I can suggest

two drops of condensation moving due to gravity on the flip? I don't know but just throwing out ideas

Having spent years working with and designing instruments that use micro processors the one thing I have learnt is that most start up issues are the result of how the power is applied. This falls into two areas. One is the power supply and the second is how the power is applied. If the power is applied by pushing in a socket there is a good chance that the power will apply and disconnect many times during this action and can impact on the start up of the circuit. If at all possible connect everything up first then apply power via a good quality switch. On the power supply having some headroom on the current output vs. requirement is a help as charging capacitors etc place an initial load during connection. Its true that modern processors have inbuilt start up procedures to allow for stabilisation but they can be defeated. Probably that is why the problems only occur now and again. microprocessors live in a different world to the rest of us mere mortals

I would probably go for the VLT in Atacama........

When you look at the PHD guide log the periodic error really jumps out of the data. Its unmistakeable. Just clear one point for me. I do not attempt a visual guide but just let the mount run...right?

Ah...I see what you mean. The error I am making is that PHD is "guiding" while creating the PEC file which is clearly wrong. Will do your method when the clouds clear.... Thanks vlaiv

I will read the write up on PHD again to be sure but it does say you can run both together. My experience is that once you have created a PEC file the tracking improves ( the numbers reduce for Dec , RA and RMS). I only get the PHD error when trying to use the recorded PEC file at the next imaging session which points to a syncing issue.

If you set Ascom to record six cycles while PHD is doing its stuff when the sixth cycle ends PEC will kick in and you do see a reduction in the error graph but even though I always park the scope when finished turning on PEC correction at the next session using the file created results in PHD complaining of unexpected movements. As each graph overwrites itself it gives you something to watch while waiting for the next image. I clearly do not yet have a good handle on PHD and PEC but perhaps someone can come in and advise as when it does work it does help.

I like Mihaighita's method of checking balance as it would also highlight any change in the rotation drag of the mount itself. I used to check compressors by wrapping cord round the drive pulley and using a spring balance to measure the start and rotation pull as part of routine checks.

Having recently been involved in dismantling and transporting a Pulsar dome (2.2 mtr) here are a few tips. Pulsar put a substantial bead of RTV between the joints. When you have removed the bolts the flanges have to be parted. I found that a 4 inch wooden handled paint scraper lightly oiled can be forced in-between the flange and then drawn up and down cutting the RTV. Eventually the sections will part. The panels will fit inside a long wheel base Transit van. Take some blankets or dust covers to pack between the panels to stop them rubbing during transit (no pun intended!) Poly rope will tie them down (our van had rings in the floor). Journey one was with them stacked flat, journey two with them stacked vertical. When you have them home the next problem is getting the RTV off the panel flanges. Some spray on softener (via Ebay) proved to be useless. Unibond RTV softener from Screwfix applied over the RTV and left for 3 hours made scraping it off a breeze. A power wash, Tee cut (or Brasso) and a wax polish brings the panels up like new. A power polisher takes the hard work out of restoring the finish.

First DSO with our Esprit150, Morvan CCD, 2x5 mins luminance, red green and blue. Mesu200 mount. Tomato did all the hard work setting up and taking down the equipment, me 170 miles away looking in using TeamViewer. We had a problem of the mount "sinking" into the lawn and we know that the field flattener is not positioned correctly. Also include a picture of our stepper motor focuser with temperature compensation via Hitec controller. M51

there is some good stuff in the links. I have Ubuntu on a spare laptop which I have played with and have programmed PIC processors. I will follow this with a view to having a go as the kit does not look too expensive. look forward to the next instalment

I would check the following.... When the non tracking condition exists I would put my ear to the mount to see if the tracking motor has indeed stopped and not just going slow. Do any of the other rates via Ascom work (solar, lunar etc) Is your power supply for the mount adequate amps wise I run my EQ5 pro via a 4 or 7 port USB splitter at the mount and run a single USB cable to the laptop. A RS232 to USB convertor does the interface from the splitter to the Synscan hand controller. Sometimes I have to wake up the RS232 link by disconnect and reconnect particularly if I have added another item (like say a focuser) during the session.