GOTO on my EQ6

[orion f6.3]

upgraded to GOTO on my EQ6. first time i used it the 3 star alignment all seamed ok, since then the first star you pick (no matter which one) is way way out! once you manually go to it then do the next two all is ok? any ideas. it is version 3.4 when i get the cable i will upgrade to the 3.12 on the skywatcher web page it does mention more parking and improved 3 star alignment has is any one using 3.12? thanks orion

[Greg]

A couple of questions..

Make sure you "Park" The scope after every session..

Have set daylight saving time correctly..?

Have you got the time accurate..?

Mount level..?

Scope pointing at Polaris..?

Fully charged power pack..?

If yes to all the above then the mount is learning it's position ..I use a 40mm ep to start with, it's usually in the field of view..

I then bump up the power and center the star in the field of view..

HTH..

If it's any consolation 99.9% of faults with these Skywatcher mounts is pilot error

I've done some right daft things with my setup...Even had the mount point the scope at the floor.. :shock:

[orion f6.3]

yes to all, no way will the first star be in a 40mm more like a 150mm but slew to it and second/third are ok the it GOTOs fine? its like ive entered SOUTH instead of NORTH but all the dater is ok Orion

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

Daylight saving (should be on) then?

Location set East instead of West, or vice versa?

Kaptain Klevtsov

[orion f6.3]

nope all ok just set scope up and used Vega it pointed to just south of Cygnus! set to the next to and the sky tour was all center of the eyepiece this is all ok for me but a first timer who doesn't know their stars would be a problem Orion

[steppenwolf]

I use this very same mount and it does sound to me like a wrong 'PARK' position. This might at first appear to be pedantic but it is important - The correct PARK position is not pointing at Polaris - rather it is with the weights pointing straight down and the telescope pointing as straight up as possible as in this photograph:-

[Tinkerbell]

If in the picture above the mount is polar aligned then the scopes are pointed at Polaris if viewed by sighting along the tubes, then that is the normal Park position

[steppenwolf]

Sighting along the tubes in the photograph above, the telescopes are pointing at Polaris but this does not mean that they will be 'viewing' Polaris through the eyepiece and this was the point I was making as adjusting the telescope so that Polaris is in the centre of the EP will result in the mount NOT being in the correct 'Park' position for starting the alignment process.

[Tinkerbell]

Sighting along the tubes in the photograph above, the telescopes are pointing at Polaris but this does not mean that they will be 'viewing' Polaris through the eyepiece and this was the point I was making as adjusting the telescope so that Polaris is in the centre of the EP will result in the mount NOT being in the correct 'Park' position for starting the alignment process.

True on the first point and true on the second point but if it is in the general area of Polaris to start with jobs-a-goodun unless David is into imaging then he will have to learn the dark art of drift aligning :?

[steppenwolf]

The problem here is not so much one of polar alignment, more one of obtaining a 'start position' in accordance with the manufacturer's requirements for the first 'star align' to work well. Assuming that polar alignment has been carried out to a reasonable accuracy either using the built in circular slide rule process (that I use ) or by drift alignment (which is better!) the next requirement is to align the mount in the 'PARK' position in readiness for issuing the 1 star align' command. If the user has aligned the main 'scope with Polaris through the eyepiece, there is every chance that the RA axis will be rotated so that the weights are NOT pointing downwards and having the weights pointing downwards is an important part of ensuring the correct 'PARK' position on this particular mount. If the RA axis has been rotated by, say 15 degrees to align Polaris in the 'scope's eyepiece then when the user issues the '1 star align' command, the mount electronics will assume that the mount has been 'parked' according to the manual and will slew to what it believes is the correct location of the alignment star only for the user to discover that he/she is 15 degrees out!

It is also important to remember to issue the 'PARK' command at the end of the session before switching off so that the mount is back in it's correct start position as this acts as a 'mechanical memory' for the next session provided the RA and DEC clutches are not released before the next session - although in reality, this latter requirement only really applies for a fixed location as the very act of a subsequent Polar Alignment by either slide rule or drift methods will involve rotating the mount in RA!

[Tinkerbell]

Clear, concise and very workable instructions Steve.

[orion f6.3]

I think I may have cracked it. What I did was :- 1. Turn on 2. Polar aline 3. 3-star. and it should be 1. Polar aline 2. Turn on 3. 3-star. The way I did it manually moves it from its home after its initialized! Orion

[Tinkerbell]

Sorted then jobsagoodun