EQ5 Pro Mount with SynScan Goto

[Starglider]

Hi All

This EQ mount is new to me so not sure if I understand it's workings. When set up on an object I can hear the tracking motor 'ticking' away but the mount does not track the object so I constantly have to make corrections for sky motion.

SynScan is set to Sidereal tracking.

What might I be doing wrong?

Thanks, Phil

[dweller25]

Are the clutches engaged ?

[Starglider]

Yes, both clutches are engaged (as tight as I can get them)

P

[knobby]

as far as I know, for it to track you need to go through the alignment procedure , even if you blag it... just tell it where you are and the time/date in U.S. format then select planet ... view object and away it goes.

It will miss as you've not aligned correctly but you can then move the mount to the object and it should track ...

all the best

[dweller25]

As knobby says US format for the date

[oldpink]

I'm on the same learning curve
and still getting a bit of drift but getting better, my biggest issue is getting true polar alignment due to my location
but I'm fine tuning it and getting better tracking by adjusting and fine tuning the mount until I can properly align it properly
I started off by getting my co ordinates very accurate and use this for my software and hardware
next if I slewed to say jupiter and it was way off I'd move the scope manually
then I would try to get at least a one star align (normally Betelgeuse Castor or Aldebaran  or some other easy to find star
after just a couple of weeks and very few opportunity's to do more work but any chance I get I'm out
 

tonight I set up and slewed to Jupiter and had it on the edge of my FOV right off the park settings
a little fine tuning had it centred then locked stellarium on and had a small drift I could cope with

best I can say is to mark your location so your mount is in the exact same spot each time you use it
a few deg off can cause havoc

[edjrgibbs]

Silly question but have you polar aligned then conducted a 3 star alignment?

[Helite]

As above, I would check your polar alignment first, if you are hearing your motors it should be moving. I don't think you need to do the alignment for it to track, the alignment is for the Goto so it knows where its pointing. I cant recall of the top of my head but believe if you skip the alignment it starts tracking. I don't have access to my mount right now so cant check for you.

[Starglider]

Thanks guys. Can't do an accurate polar align due to  house being in the way so all I can do is point north and approx my declination.

Tried the scope indoors a few days ago and it did track so I guess if the scope is properly aligned then the tracking will be easier to see working.

Phil

[Ags]

To accurately align, you might try this:

For visual use, you will only need to do this once if you are setting up on a hard surface. This technique will get mount perfectly poolar aligned, and then all you need to do is mark where the tripod feet go :-)

[Owmuchonomy]

Have you got Synscan v 3.35?  If so you don't need to see the polestar to do your through mount alignment.  You can set up approximately North and then run a 2 star alignment (both stars one side of the meridian) followed by a Polar Alignment routine in the handset menus.  Just follow the instructions on the handset.  Cycle this 2-3 times and you should get superb alignment.  Currently I use Dubhe and Procyon to align this way.  Good luck.

Looks like here we will get good skies tonight.  At last!

[cepheus42]

Hi Guys,

There are some very good videos on you tube but there is one problem I have found. They are all using the EQ6. I have an HEQ5 Pro and  the setting circles are in different places on the mount and do not seem to work the same way as the EQ6. I followed the video exactly. The guy said to lock the RA setting circle and then rotate the mount in RA. His setting circle moved with the mount, mine didn't. I don't know if he forgot to say to unlock the setting circle or if they are different between the 2 models. I wish there was a video tutorial especially for the HEQ5 Pro but can't seem to find one.

[Owmuchonomy]

Hi. Your RA rotation should rotate your setting circle. Do the following. Loosen the RA setting circle locking screw. Rotate the mount in RA until the arrow on the mount body lines up exactly with 0 on the setting circle. Lock the circle screw back in firmly. The setting circle should now rotate with the RA axis.

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