Mount no pointing correctly.

[FarSide]

Hi guys, further to my problems i had a few weeks ago my mount is still not pointing at what i want it to.

I have the lat and long bang on using an NEQ6, cart du ceil and the EQmod and it's still pointing just below and right of the target - in this case the moon. My balance is also correct. Any ideas guys because i'm tearing my hair out!

Cheers.

Mike

title: not*

[Tinker1947]

There is a thread mentioned the voltage your mount gets could affect the accuracy of the GoTo, needs to be over 12 volts when the mount is slewing, i do believe.....

[FarSide]

I have a 7A 13.8v PSU unit so i don't think it's the power. It slews without problem it just slews to the wrong place, and always only just off.

[ronin]

Since it is only a small error all I can think of is Longitude, it is set to West or -ve ?

I would say you are about 1 degree West which on some systems is entered as -1.

I always have the idea that West should be +ve, just wondering if you have done this. I managed it yesterday checking things out on Heavens-Above so an easy error to make.

This would mean a 2 degree error and close to what you seem to describe.

[FarSide]

The only option i have is west, where can i find ve?

My lat and long inputted into CDC and EQmod is: 57.27.55 N - 0.57.47 W. The coordinates come from Google Earth.

At the moment i have to manually align the scope by pressing the 'South' button on EQmod until the target comes into view; it's just a tad frustrating.

[Cornelius Varley]

Your coordinates are way out (somewhere in the north of Scotland). The centre of Reading is 000 57 W 51 25 N, enter the numbers into the handset in that format and order. If you use this site http://www.satsig.net/maps/lat-long-finder.htm you can fine tune it a bit more. Enter Reading Uk as your location and then pan the map around until you find your site. Read the coordinates, in degrees and minutes, below the map

[FarSide]

that is bizarre as i used Google Earth. i will give this a go. Thanks, Cornelius.

[FarSide]

I just put the co'ords you gave me into CDC and i'm apparently south of the Canary islands. I'm not currently using the handset i'm using the EQmod so the figures may be wrong for their system. This is such a cold night to be messing around with this...=(

[Lorne]

57N 0.5W would put you east of Aberdeen on a North Sea oil platform

[allcart]

try

Lat = 51 degrees, 27.6 minutes North

Long = 0 degrees, 58.2 minutes West

[FarSide]

Hi Allan, just tried that, and it's still pointing just south and right of the target, now Jupiter. Most of the lat/longs ive put in goes to almost the same place. Ether just below or below and right. I've been sitting here since about 6 this evening trying and nothing seems to work. I'm at a loss.

[perfrej]

Just a pointer - mathematically, west is negative longitude and east is positive. The notion of positive west is absurd

Also, always check whether your system want degrees, minutes and seconds or degrees and minutes with a decimal. Like this:

59° 13' 18" = 59° 13.3' or

59° 30' 00" = 59.5°

/per

[Cornelius Varley]

I just put the co'ords you gave me into CDC and i'm apparently south of the Canary islands. I'm not currently using the handset i'm using the EQmod so the figures may be wrong for their system. This is such a cold night to be messing around with this...=(

You entered them in the wrong order. Longitufe 00' 57" W, Latitude 51' 25" N

[FarSide]

Hi guys,

Thanks for your help so far. I've attached a screenshot to show you what i'm dealing with when using EQmod and CDC and perhaps this will reveal what is it i'm doing wrong. I've come to the conclusion it's probably something simple that i'm not picking up on. Those are Allan's coordinates and the ones that i collected from Google Earth are practically the same. Am i writing it in in correctly perhaps? Don't worry about the mistake with the 6 and 9 that was corrected.

Mike

[Cornelius Varley]

Your coordinates look right.

[FarSide]

That's the coordinates (or the ones i was using before which are close) I've been using most of the night and the mount still isn't targeting. Could it be something wrong with the actual mount? I have it polar aligned and balanced.

[Kai]

Do you have the Synscan handset ? , if you do is that accurate ?

Just trying to work out what is at fault.

[FarSide]

Hi Kai,

I have got the handset yes. I had inputted Cornelius' coordinates last night and the mount point just slightly below of the target. I have tried the handset before but it does the same every time.

[allcart]

Strange times we live in.

According to Earth tools your about 0.97.27W

That might be the difference. How can so many map refs give different answers. Have a look. Just slide your location under the cross at the centre.

http://www.earthtools.org/

[FarSide]

Thanks, Allan, i won't be able to try this till i get out again but i will give it a go. I've tried Google Earth; SatSig and now this one so we'll see. Last resort is getting a GPS system but that's alot of money for something that may not sort the problem out.

[perfrej]

Allcart, 0° 97' 27" W ??? Should that be 57'?

On another note; Time!

Every second off in the mount clock equals 15 arc-seconds off in pointing. So, one hour would make... Hmmm... Let me think... 15°, right? Half an hour off 7.5°, and, say, 26 seconds off - which doesn't sound much, would make it point 6.5 arc-minutes off.

Just a thought...

/per

[FarSide]

So i should set the clock on the mount also? The rings on the head of the mount, correct? Or the planetarium clock?

[allcart]

It does seem quite precise. Use the menu on the left to check your elevation. You can zoom in for an accurate reading of your location. Hope you get it sorted.

[FarSide]

I just had a brainwave and checked my GPS coordinates on my Iphone tomtom and actually Allan you are pretty bang on - i'm going to give this a go next time i can get out there (it's raining at the moment) and i'll let you guys know how it went.

[FarSide]

The only problem is the minutes only go up to 59. So that isn't going to work...lol