Please help! (EQ5)

[Piers127]

Hi, I'm trying to set up my new EQ5 SynScan for the first time. I've polar aligned, entered the lat/long and time/date, pointed the scope at Polaris and started the 3 star alignment but the scope will not accept the settings, it either tells me Alignment failed or keeps saying the RA is >45 out.

I've repeated this 4 or 5 times now. I'm tearing my hair out.

Please help.

[Freff]

Check the data you have entered into the handset. Ensure it's the same format as the handset displays, and the daylight saving is correct.

[Piers127]

Tony, I've double checked the Lat/Long and all the other settings. Once I correct the initial slew (Which seems massively out, btw) it accurately finds the other two stars but then alignment fails. I'm very puzzled.

[Freff]

Try a one star alignment first, if successful try two star then 3 if needed.

[garethmob]

when correcting the slew, are you disengaging the 2 clutches and moving it to where it needs to be engage clutches or are you using the arrows to move it?

[Piers127]

Hi Tony, I've given up for today. I keep getting the RA offset >45deg. I have no way of understanding how to correct this when all the settings seem right and the polarscope shows the correct alignment. I think I need to sleep on it! Thanks for the advice.

[Piers127]

Hi Gaz, No, I'm using the arrows. Should I do it clutch free?

[garethmob]

on my eq 3-2 i found for the first star (as long as its all set up properly which for u it is) its ually way out, so i move the mouth maunally once its stopped slewing (undo clutches n then retighten) get it so its in the eyepeice get the star in the middle of eyepeice (wth the arrow) then click ok, on next star it should be alot better! that always worked for me

[Piers127]

Clutch free it shall be! I'm too tired to try this again tonight and as the mount is quite noisy I'll spare my neighbours and go to bed. Many thanks!

[garethmob]

let us no how it goes on!

[bcfcciderhead]

You should only use the arrows on the handset to centre the star on alignment, by undoing the clutches the handset will not know what amount of movement has been done and this will result in the next alignment star being way out....or something like that.

I had the same problems a while ago, double check all your inputs, also try this..

daylight saveing to yes and also set the time zone to 01:00, should'nt have to do this but it worked for me so worth a try.

I also only do a 2 star alignment which seems to work great.

best of luck

[garethmob]

dave does own a EQ5.... so his advice is most likely better than mine........the undoing clutches worked on my 3-2

[bcfcciderhead]

To be honest i have never had to play with the clutches in alignment, it's something i seen on here but it do make sense.

I was way out on my alignments but when i added that extra hour it was pretty much bang on, also i always start from the home postion, which can be set up in the house before hand by marking the mount where the RA and DEC postions should be for home.

[Gunnar]

Hi Piers.

Check this out, might help!

Gunnar

[Freff]

As I said above I'm almost certain its the input data, usually the daylight saving. Set it as Dave said.

[bcfcciderhead]

Hi Piers.

Check this out, might help!

Gunnar

thats what i followed to set up the home postion...some good videos from this guy.

[Black Knight]

I've seen this "Alignment Failed" error many times after performing a 3-star alignment, but have never got to the bottom of why it occurs. Bit of a mystery since everything seemed to be going well with the alignment, without any hiccups at all, right up until the point it fails with that error message.

Initially, I strongly suspected that I was the problem; that I had made some noobish mistake, or input an invalid value somewhere along the way. But after repeatedly getting "Alignment Failed", after going through the process time after time, utilizing exactly the same alignment stars, I began to suspect that actually, I wasn't to blame, and perhaps there was a problem with Synscan.

The workarounds I used to use (I use EQMOD most of the time with my NEQ6 now), were to either:

1. Use different alignment stars, or

2. Forget 3-star alignment, and go for 1 or 2-star alignment instead.

But most of the time, I'd find that simply using different alignment stars used to sort it out. So after a very frustrating few weeks, whenever Synscan repsonded with an "Alignment Failed" error message, I simply chose different alignment stars.

NB: To my mind, one of the main advantages of EQMOD, is the fact that you can choose your own alignment stars completely, and sync as many or as few as you would like.

I've never seen that "RA > 45 degrees" error message before though.

[bcfcciderhead]

Hi BlackKnight, the scope is fine and working well, really like it.

Yes the handset does give a strange list of stars to choose from, many i have never heard of which can be fun.

[Black Knight]

The other thing is (sounds obvious), but make sure you enter date values in American format (MM/DD/YY). Not British DD/MM/YY format.

[Black Knight]

Hey Dave, yeah I know what you mean about the star names. Often I used to have to come inside, go on the computer to find out were the hell in the sky they were! Although that was only a problem for me because (as you may remember), from my patio I have no view eastwards!

Really glad you're enjoying the scope .

[Freff]

The other thing is (sounds obvious), but make sure you enter date values in American format (MM/DD/YY). Not British DD/MM/YY format.

Yes the date has to be in format as the HC shows. I would say the issue was with the daylight saving and hour offset time being entered wrong.

The RA > 45 degrees, I'm sure is due to the timing being out so much the aligning star is not in the 'zone' as far as the HC is concerned.

[Piers127]

Great advice all, I'll try all the methods above tonight, clouds allowing! Cheers!

[Piers127]

Oh, and as for star names, there must be American/English problems, some of the stars the handset suggested even Stellarium blanked.

I'm like Andy, but have no view to the NW/West! Quite frustrating when all the suggested stars are behind my house. I'm hoping the Serial convertor arrives soon!

[Cornelius Varley]

The 45 degree error has cropped up before on the forum, I can't remember how the problem was solved.(you might be able to do a search on the forum for the solution) Try doing a 1 or 2 star alignment and then parking the telescope. Switch off and then unlock the clutches and manually slew the telescope back to point at the NCP.

You can unlock the clutches when doing a star alignment but only for the first star, after that the mount takes its orientation from the first star.

Check your coordinates, Basildon's coordinates are 000 28E, 51 34N so yours will look similar to those in the handset.

Peter

[Freff]

The 45 degree error has cropped up before on the forum, I can't remember how the problem was solved.

Peter

That's correct it was me who posted the same issue a couple of years ago. Here it is. http://stargazerslounge.com/beginners-help-advice/106452-ra-offset-45deg-problem.html

Looking back over that old thread, have you updated the software on the hand controller (HC).