Synscan location

[RobertC]

I have been having real trouble with inputting my location into my synscan handset, i have my geo location but can't find any help on the way it should be inputted into the handset. Would anyone be able to help me with such ?

[jambouk]

Can you just look up your coordinates on google maps, or get a free app for your smart phone which tells you your coordinates, and enter them in a standard degrees, minutes fashion?

James

[knobby]

I use this

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ch.nebsolutions.coordinatetoolsfree

Works pretty well

[knobby]

Use the degrees minutes and seconds not the decimal

[Paul M]

I have the GPS mouse that does it for me but from what I remember, on start up the handset gives the software version number then waffles on about pointing the scope at the Sun.

Next it looks for the GPS mouse and if it's not present will prompt the user to input lat and long using the numeric keys in deg,min,sec format

Be sure to select E or W and N or S using scroll keys (either side of the zero key).

You can download the manual from the SkyWatcher website if you don't have it though it's very weak in this matter!

Beyond that, perhaps you could take us through each step you take and tell us where you hit the buffers?

[RobertC]

Just to clarify, i have had some advice from a friend who has given me some help, these are my coords (53° 30 N) (2° 26 W).  This is how i have it in my handset, it's all completely new to me. I've always used my hands to find things instead of motors.

[Paul M]

Just to clarify, i have had some advice from a friend who has given me some help, these are my coords (53° 30 N) (2° 26 W).  This is how i have it in my handset, it's all completely new to me. I've always used my hands to find things instead of motors.

I think you need to set your longitude to W not E

[RobertC]

I've just changed that to E after being told to from W. I'll change it back now, thought it was a bit funny but listened to the advice

[JamesF]

You need to change the E to a W, but other than that it looks ok to me.

James

[JamesF]

Too slow!  Crossed postings

James

[JamesF]

What is it that makes you think how you have done it is wrong?

James

[Paul M]

I've just changed that to E after being told to from W. I'll change it back now, thought it was a bit funny but listened to the advice

Ok, that should be good to go.

Just press "Enter" and it should move on to time input.

[RobertC]

Start off with when ever i have finished my alignment and i select to go to something i'm always a mile off it. Just a little extra, i've been using an app called 'polaralign' and this gives me the H.A but when i input everything into my handset it gives me a different H.A. Which one would i use ?

[Steve Ward]

In the last photo you posted the location setting in the Polar Align screen is different to that which you are entering into the Synscan handset ... ?

One would assume that they should be the same in order to get the correct alignment . . . 

[RobertC]

In the last photo you posted the location setting in the Polar Align screen is different to that which you are entering into the Synscan handset ... ?

One would assume that they should be the same in order to get the correct alignment . . . 

Which bit is different ? Ignore the E i have changed that back to W.

[JamesF]

I'm confused by the Polar Align app.  At the top of the screen it says your longitude is -2.4488.  But then at the bottom it says "-2 26 55 W", which suggests it's actually 2 26 55 E to me.  It may just be coincidence as I don't ever do things the way you are and I've not thought about it very hard, but if Polar Align thinks you're just under five degrees east of where you actually are, that's just under 20 minutes, which looks to be how much the HA figure is out by?

James

[Steve Ward]

Wot he said ... 

[RobertC]

I'm confused by the Polar Align app.  At the top of the screen it says your longitude is -2.4488.  But then at the bottom it says "-2 26 55 W", which suggests it's actually 2 26 55 E to me.  It may just be coincidence as I don't ever do things the way you are and I've not thought about it very hard, but if Polar Align thinks you're just under five degrees east of where you actually are, that's just under 20 minutes, which looks to be how much the HA figure is out by?

James

I think that has to be a bug as i have gotten the same cords from numerous places but the app tells me different, rather confusing.

[RobertC]

Hmm, actually it has got to be -2 as 2 places me in the North sea, how would i go about putting that into my handset ?

[JamesF]

I'd forget about the hour angle stuff anyhow, to be honest.  I never bother with it.

You've gone out and set up your mount, with the latitude roughly correct and pointing north, and done a three-star align, yes?

How did you do the final alignment?  By eye, or using a cross-hair eyepiece?

Are you certain you've got the right alignment stars?

How far out is the target when you try to slew to it?  Not even in the field of view of, say, a 32mm eyepiece?

Is the target inside the triangle formed by the alignment stars?  Outside that triangle the alignment may well not be so good.

James

[JamesF]

Hmm, actually it has got to be -2 as 2 places me in the North sea, how would i go about putting that into my handset ?

It's just semantics, really.  -2 E would be 2 W (and vice-versa), so the 2 W you have set in the handset looks correct to me.

James

[RobertC]

Firstly at the moment the max i have managed to do is only a 1 star alignment due to my house being in the way of every other single star it suggests i align to.  When i slew to an object might as well not bother using it at the moment. I am using the stock eye pieces currently and even then it's still not in the fov.

I got this earlier apparently M27 according to the goto but clearly isn't. I'ts tracking ok'ish.

[RobertC]

Firstly at the moment the max i have managed to do is only a 1 star alignment due to my house being in the way of every other single star it suggests i align to.  When i slew to an object might as well not bother using it at the moment. I am using the stock eye pieces currently and even then it's still not in the fov.

I got this earlier apparently M27 according to the goto but clearly isn't. I'ts tracking ok'ish.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/robchad/10544511524/

[Steve Ward]

And how accurate were you inputting the time , every minute of inaccuracy will throw it out by 1/4 of a degree .... 

[RobertC]

And how accurate were you inputting the time , every minute of inaccuracy will throw it out by 1/4 of a degree .... 

I put it down to the exact second, i always try to be as accurate as possible. I'f i could i would do a 3 star alignment everytime but i can't.