EQ5 Setting Circles

[Cypher]

I've read a few reports on the setting circles being next to useless on the EQ5, but I thought this was just down to their small size.

Mine not only seem to be very small but also very poorly constructed so much so that I'm wondering if my mount is actually faulty. I'm trying to sort out Polar alignment and trying to set the reticule in the polar scope to the correct position. When I try to lock the RA setting circle its like its actually also locking the RA axis preventing me rotating the mount about RA.

The EQ5 isn't a cheap mount so I did expect better quality than this. So do I have a faulty one or is this what people meant by next to useless.

[Bizibilder]

There is a small chromed thumbscrew that is used to lock the RA circle - it should still allow the axis to rotate freely. The axis lock is a black plastic lever. Hope this helps.

[Cypher]

On mine when I lock up the thumbscrew on the setting circle it seems to also be preventing the mount spinning about RA. It will spin through part of its arc but then it seems to jam up and the only way to get the mount to spin is to unlock the setting screw.

BTW I'm not confusing it with the black plastic lever, it is the screw for the setting circle thats doing this. The setting circle has a slot in it at the "0" position and I can lock it there without any problems, but locking it else where causes it to jam the main mount. I'm wondering if its jamming on the polar scope which did come pre-fitted with the mount

[Peter_A]

I have just bought an EQ5 last week and have exactly the same problem, jamming of the RA axis when the thumbscrew is tightened. I think it is quite likely I will be making some kind of replacement circle myself, the supplied item seems fairly rubbish.

[Bizibilder]

Sounds as if the supplied thumbscrew is too long and is able to reach the axis and lock it?

[Carl83]

I can confirm the same with my EQ5!

I have given up tinkering with it for now and am going to go back to the shop with my mount. As soon as the screw is nipped up, it locks the motion and the circle jams when rotating.

Carl

[Peter_A]

Carl,

Please keep us posted, what they say in the shop.

Thanks,

Pete.

[Cypher]

Thanks for the reply's.

I noticed if you remove the screw and then set the setting circle to ZERO there is a hole in the back plate of the circle. The screw can be inserted into this hole to lock it up and the RA axis of the mount will still spin freely. However if you lock it up anywhere else on the setting circle the screw just pushes on the thin metal of the circle and seems to lock up the RA Axis as well, even when its not fully tightened. Maybe that screw is just a little bit to long

[badboybubby]

Same problem here, totally confused me when it comes to polar alignment.

if anybody comes up with an answer I'd be grateful.

[Carl83]

I will do!

I'm going to pop in over the Easter weekend. Ill post on here what gets said. It seems there is a lot of us who are having the same problem!

Carl

[Cypher]

Same problem here, totally confused me when it comes to polar alignment.

For Polar alignment I gave up trying using the setting circle and instead switched to using the Free Polar alignment software - Polar Finderscope by Dr Jason Dale

This lets you print out the various positions of Polaris for your location at various time intervals. As I don't have a printer I just do 6 images at 10 minute intervals and then save the result as an BMP and convert it and copy it to my iPad to use at the scope. Its much easier than messing with the setting circles on an EQ5

[pel]

Well done Phil, I'd forgotten what that software was called.

[Jerry Cornelius]

Did anyone ever get a resolution to this issue? I've just bought one of these and spent a confusing hour or so trying to work this out...

[PorkyB]

Have a look at this http://www.astro-baby.com/HEQ5/HEQ5-1.htm.  I followed these instructions to setup my EQ5.  I now use the dials and get a far more accurate alignment than I could do visually.  You will need details of Polaris transit times (just for the one-off setup) and you can get these from the US Naval Observatory www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astronomical-applications/data-services/mrst-us

[Jerry Cornelius]

Thanks for that link PorkB, its in my bookmarks. But my problem was just as much to do with the thumbscrew fouling the shaft when the RA circle is locked in any other position than zero. In order to clamp the setting circle firmly enough to stop it moving when the mount turns in RA I seem to have to do it up so that it it now won't turn smoothly. Am I doing something wrong here? Is my mount faulty?

[DRT]

Apologies in advance but I am a complete EQ Newbie.

I am in the process of buying an EQ5 for my Evostar 120. When I read all this stuff about Polar alignment, setting circles & stuff I am bemused as I have no idea why you would have to accurately align a mount that is entirely manual.

Is it possible to use these mounts at all without going through the rigmarole?

...and does anyone know of a good book or internet reference guide to what all this stuff means?

[PorkyB]

... my problem was just as much to do with the thumbscrew fouling the shaft when the RA circle is locked in any other position than zero ...

I have never needed to lock it in any position other than zero.  For polar alignment zero is where you need it.

... I have no idea why you would have to accurately align a mount ...

If you are only using your mount for visual observation then you don't have to be too accurate.  Setting the latitude with the scale and pointing the north leg towards Polaris will do it.  For imaging, however, you will need to be as accurate as possible.

[DRT]

Good to know, thanks.