the mesu and PA

[Daniel-K]

Hi this is aimed for the mesu owners just a quick couple of QST's

• whats your process to PA the mesu without a poal scope
  
• how to you connect it to you laptop
  
• what software is compatible with it
  

im asking as a friend of mine has bought one and now im trying to help him set it up in a obsy any advice tips or tricks to help get him going please

his scope

Dan

[ncjunk]

Which controller does it have the sitech II?

1. Polar alignment I do using either software and a ccd camera or just using the camera. You can take a 125s image and move the mount for 60 sec in one direction and 60 s back again. you then see if the star returns to the same point. adjust the mount and try again. I can try and find the link explaining it if you want. I hace also used WSC, i think, and that was even easier as you just let it calculate the error as it watches the star for 5 minutes then move the star to the position it indicates. (I need to check if I have the correct software name)

2. If it is the sitech II controller then you use the Ascom platform and their Ascom driver via the usb connection.

3. If its the Scitech then any software thats Ascom compatible. I use Maxim, ACP observatory control and Carte du ciel.

Hope that helps a bit...I´ll check the polar align software I have installed. (its really easy with the mesu)

Regards

[Daniel-K]

Hi neil yes its the sitech II

[ncjunk]

Then for P.A. there's a routine on the sitech ascom driver that handles it. I haven't tried it yet but I will try it when my mesu gets back from having a sitech controller fitted.

[steppenwolf]

As you have the SiTech II controller, I can confirm that the built in PA routine works well but a drift alignment would be better, of course. To my shame, I haven't done a drift alignment on it yet as I just haven't had the opportunities but the built in routine seems to have worked well enough for me and was quick to carry out. You can run this iteratively too to get better and better alignment.

[Daniel-K]

and how do you access the built in routine? its not mine im trying to help a friend to get up and running. do you do as you would with a normal EQ mount face north park scope then access the routine?

[steppenwolf]

and how do you access the built in routine?

You will need to download a lot of stuff but here's a good start:- Page 90 here, section 5.2.1

[Daniel-K]

ahh thanks for that steve

[ollypenrice]

Yves and I drift aligned his mount in about ten minutes. Ridiculously easy becaue this well made mount has no mechanical interactions between the axes. To move one of them is to move one of them, not both. This is, in fact, pretty rare. Also the movements are very fine and consistent. We haven't realigned in 300 hours or so.

Olly