Frustrations in setting up EQ5 GoTo system

[NickW]

Hi All

Well last night was my first real attempt at getting my EQ5 set up.... I gave up being able to get the scope pointing to where I wanted i the end.... Sooooo frustrating

I set the tripod up with N pointing North

I pointed the head using the elevation and azimuth screws to Polaris as best I could (see below)

Then fired up the electronics

Entered my location, time, daylight saving setting etc

Did a one and two star alignment

tried driving the scope and was always way off

So now to the questions:

1. Adjusting the head using the elevation and azimuth screws to Polaris was very difficult.. should the head adjustment be this tight/stiff (requires quite a lot of effort even with screws almost taken out). How can I loosen this???

2. When you balance the scope you release the locks. Does it matter where the scope is positioned when the locks are put back on i.e. is there a zero position kind of thing?

3. If when you navigate to Vega for a one start align and it is significantly far away is it OK to unlock the scope and swing it to the right position and then do minor adjustments using the electronic nudge?..

4. During the setup of the sync software there is a screen that says Polaris HA=13:44 Clock=11:07 whats this doing? Do I need to change these values (assumed I didn't and pressed OK)? If they need changing what are they changed to?

5. Can you turn off the beeping.... neighbours must have been getting very annoyed!!!

Many thanks

Nick

[Cornelius Varley]

Hi All

Well last night was my first real attempt at getting my EQ5 set up.... I gave up being able to get the scope pointing to where I wanted i the end.... Sooooo frustrating

I set the tripod up with N pointing North

I pointed the head using the elevation and azimuth screws to Polaris as best I could (see below)

Then fired up the electronics

Entered my location, time, daylight saving setting etc

Did a one and two star alignment

tried driving the scope and was always way off

So now to the questions:

1. Adjusting the head using the elevation and azimuth screws to Polaris was very difficult.. should the head adjustment be this tight/stiff (requires quite a lot of effort even with screws almost taken out). How can I loosen this???

2. When you balance the scope you release the locks. Does it matter where the scope is positioned when the locks are put back on i.e. is there a zero position kind of thing?

3. If when you navigate to Vega for a one start align and it is significantly far away is it OK to unlock the scope and swing it to the right position and then do minor adjustments using the electronic nudge?..

4. During the setup of the sync software there is a screen that says Polaris HA=13:44 Clock=11:07 whats this doing? Do I need to change these values (assumed I didn't and pressed OK)? If they need changing what are they changed to?

5. Can you turn off the beeping.... neighbours must have been getting very annoyed!!!

Many thanks

Nick

1. Adjusting the screws is easier if you don't have the telescope or counterweights attached. This reduces the load on the bolts and reduces the risk of bending the bolts.

2.. After balancing the telescope on the mount return the telescope to the home position. Counterweights pointing down, telescope pointing at the North Celestial Pole.

3. It can be done like that is you wish.

4.. This is where Polaris should be is the polefinder scope. If you have successfuly aligned Polaris this is where it should be in the finder.

5. There is a function in the handset menus to reduce the volume of the bleep.

Peter

[NickW]

Thanks for the reply Peter.

I had to pretty much use brute force with the adjustment screws. I will try removing the scope first as you suggest... I guess it will be lighter to carry outside too!!!

In point 4 you say "this is where Polaris should be is the polefinder scope. If you have successfully aligned Polaris this is where it should be in the finder.".. So this is saying these are the co-ordinates of Polaris now you have set the scope to point at it... so I dont have to do anything and the scope wont move etc... its just a statement of fact.

What type of alignment do you usually do ...1,2 or three star? Is there a huge difference?

Nick

[Cornelius Varley]

Thanks for the reply Peter.

I had to pretty much use brute force with the adjustment screws. I will try removing the scope first as you suggest... I guess it will be lighter to carry outside too!!!

In point 4 you say "this is where Polaris should be is the polefinder scope. If you have successfully aligned Polaris this is where it should be in the finder.".. So this is saying these are the co-ordinates of Polaris now you have set the scope to point at it... so I dont have to do anything and the scope wont move etc... its just a statement of fact.

What type of alignment do you usually do ...1,2 or three star? Is there a huge difference?

Nick

I have never bothered using the HA info given on the handset. I stand behind the mount and observe where Ursa Major and Casseopia are in the sky. Then I look through the polefinder, unlock the RA clutch and rotate the mount so the two asterisms are in the same orientation. Normally I use either a one star or two alignment to get the telescope onto the moon.This is my main interest so an ultra accurate alignment isn't necessary for me. If I can't find the moon with a two star alignment I must be doing something seriously wrong . Which I have.

Peter

[NickW]

Makes me feel slightly better about my efforts knowing its possible for experts to miss the moon!

Love the shots of the moon by the way.

[Cornelius Varley]

Makes me feel slightly better about my efforts knowing its possible for experts to miss the moon!

Love the shots of the moon by the way.

Even though I knew that I had put the date into the handset in the correct order mm/dd/yyyy I managed to enter the wrong date (24 instead of 25). The star alignment was good but I kept missing the moon, took ages for the penny to drop.

Peter

[NickW]

Yes I spent a little time trying to put the date in the correct way too before I realised a different format was required last night ;-)

Just found a nice little orientation to the sky web page here... helps one locate Polaris etc.. http://www.synapticsystems.com/sky/learnsky.html

[bobgunnis]

My advice is to remove the scope and weight before you carry the scope outside. It makes it much more manageable and also, have these removed when doing your "rough Polar alignment". You shoud search for the programme called Polar Finder which is free and once you have set your location in Polar Finder software, you should be looking through the polar scope to get the pole star wtihin the circle in the same position as in Polar Finder. Adjustment of thte RA axis will set the polar scope to the same as Polar Finder and don't forget to move the Dec axis so you can see through the Polar Scope. Adjustments are made using the Alt and Az bolts and you are alignin the mount and not the scope which should be in the HOME POSITION. Hope this helps.