PC Control

[malc-c]

Following on from http://stargazerslounge.com/beginners-help-advice/149759-drift-alignment-1st-time-2.html thread I've just been playing around with the mount and various connection cables.

I can now use CdC to control the scope direct using the ASCOM driver for the Synta mounts, or put the hand controller into PC direct mode and use the EQDIR driver, still through the serial cable, or can remove the handset completely and use the DIY EQDIR USB cable as before.

I'm trying to work out where in my setup the alignment / tracking is going wrong, so here are some questions (hopefully Chris might help out on this one too)

1) - I assume the ASCOM drivers for EQDIR and SYNTA will be different. Is it these drivers that handle the sending of the control codes to the Synscan unit, or is it a case of the astronomy program sending the instructions in a fire and forget fashion, ie "goto M31, here are the co-ordinates, away you go" or do the drivers play some part in sending the control signals and handling feedback from the mount?

2) - Will there be any advantage in placing the handset in PC direct mode and using EQMOD (and thus the EQDIR driver) with the serial cable over using the SYNTA driver and driving direct (other than the lack of EQMOD facilities such as to park and polar align the mount?

3) - the EQMOD and EQDIR driver seem to be geared to HEQ5 and EQ6 scopes, could it be that when using an EQ5 mount the control is such that this is causing the slow tracking or mis-goto alignment ?

Comments please

[RogerTheDodger]

From this page EQMOD Pre-requisites it would seem to know the difference between the EQ5 anf HEQ5.

[wuthton]

I use CdC and Eqmod through an eqdir interface to my Eq5 and goto/tracking works perfectly.

My suggestions to check would be:

-Double check your polar alignment.

-Double check your mount is perfectly level.

-Check clutches are tight.

-Check all connections.

The only time I have had major trouble was a loose connection from the motherboard box to the mount. Which caused a whole nights frustration and I didn't notice until the following morning.

[malc-c]

-Double check your polar alignment.

-Double check your mount is perfectly level.

-Check clutches are tight.

-Check all connections.

-Double check your polar alignment - Yes, PA I think PA might be the cause, but then again you would expect the same goto / tracking issues with both EQDIR and the handset if that were the case.

-Double check your mount is perfectly level - Have done, using a normal spirit level and the inbuilt bubble - both check out.

-Check clutches are tight. - As tight as I can get them

-Check all connections. - Will do. I had some strange interfearance issues with a web cam when using the 7 port USB hub at the scope - I might try swapping over some cables to link the EQDIR cable direct to the PC rather than via the hub. No you mention it, It's the only thing that I can think of that could be causing the tracking to slow down and the goto to keep missing