Astronome

I have this problem also... The guide rate of RA is 1/3 that of DEC even though they are set to 0.9 on both in EQMOD? Something wrong. John

Hello all, I have had a real problem with my AZ EQ6 GT: I have found that the MOUNT guide rate in RA is 1/3 the guide rate in DEC. EQMOD is set to 0.9 in both axis?? This seems to have happened when I tried guiding with AA& instead of the normal PHD2? Is there a mount direct command to alter the RA guide rate. Bit like the mount commands to dim the polar scope and set park position. You know one of these serial commands the no one ever uses?? All the best John

Hi, all..I need to change the AZ EQ6 GT pulse guide rate. I know there are direct commands that I can send via EQDIRECT to change the pulse guide rate of the mount. At the moment the max rate I can get is 0.9 x 15arcsec/sec. I am told this is too slow for fast guiding using the new Astroart7 full frame guide system. Does anyone know the mount serial command string to change the guide rate? Thanks John

No and it was evicted..

Well, you know the way you always look down the tube of your astrograph when you remove the cover.. Not sure what I expect to see except a very unattractive view of my face! One day I did this as usual but saw a lot of lines. Scratches on my mirror I thought. Oh no! But on better examination with a light (don't do this as you will see every imperfection and think your mirror needs cleaning which it most likely does not) I could see that it was a spiders web. What to do? I got a short cane and being careful not to hit anything like baffles or mirror I got them out. Job well done. Not that it probably would have made any difference to my observing, but I just felt that my poor scope inside had somehow been desicrated. I did have a few nightmares about looking down the scope one day and not being able to see the mirror for spiders and webs. I had largely got over this obsession and even got used to taking the cover off the scope without shining a torch down it. When it happened again! This time it was war!!! No spider would live in my scope and get away with it. A nice sheltered cosy environment with central heating and even a dehumidifier! So next day I unlocked the dome removed the scope cover and looked in. Sure enough there it was a tiny spider in the middle of a new web. I immediately got a bit of dowel and tried to get it and it's web out. No such luck it took of like a scared rabbit down into the baffles. I was now on a mission. I thought for a couple of days and decided that high technology was the only way. So I made a special adapter for a very poweful workshop vacuum cleaner to allow me to clean in between the baffles. It was made of 5 lens brushes and two short lengths of plastic tube. I also got a large dentist mirror from a mechanic friend and a flex light used for looking in gearboxes. I was ready! Next day came. cover of the scope. There he, or more likely she, was. Sitting on the edge of the very first baffle. slowly slowly I got everything running and pounced. Got ya!! End of one spider. I now still check, but no more so far. I also dont leave the scope cover off when I am not using it. Only damage was what lloks like a mirror scratch but is really a strand of cobweb, just to remide me of the power or insects!