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Help with synscan handset

Charlie_132

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Charlie_132

Charlie_132

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Thanks for all the replies!
Certainly seems the solution to my problem.

I m slightly confused about how I connect it to my laptop though, because the lead that connects  my handset to the mount has the connection on it that you have in your home landline connection.


Edit:
i ve just managed to connect the handset to the computer by swapping the ends of the wire, but on the handset it says

No link to mount stand alone mode

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Cornelius Varley

Cornelius Varley

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Thanks for all the replies!

Certainly seems the solution to my problem.

I m slightly confused about how I connect it to my laptop though, because the lead that connects  my handset to the mount has the connection on it that you have in your home landline connection.

Edit:

i ve just managed to connect the handset to the computer by swapping the ends of the wire, but on the handset it says

No link to mount stand alone mode

Don't do that ! To connect the handset to the computer you use the centre socket on the handset and the serial data cable.  Read the manual before you do anything else. Hopefully you won't have damaged the handset or your laptop.

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Cornelius Varley

Cornelius Varley

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Sorry, I may of written that slightly wrong, I used the middle socket on the cable and put the other end into my laptop, but the handset just says no link to stand alone mode

The only way to connect the handset to a computer is through the center socket and the correct serial data cable , not using the handset to mount cable switched around plugged into the computer's rj45 Ethernet socket. You could damage something. The computer won't see the handset and the handset will not be communicating with the computer through the Ethernet socket. Also, if the handset is not put into the correct mode for firmware uploading it will try to connect to the mount and fail. Hence the error message. The manual shows you how to put the handset into firmware upload mode.

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Lonestar70

Lonestar70

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The cable that connects the handset to the mount is not the one you need for updates.

The update cable should have a telephone type socket on one end (which plugs into the centre socket on the handset) and the other end should have a larger 9 pin (D type) RS232 socket.

The RS232 socket end should be plugged into a USB/RS232 adaptor and the usb side of the adaptor then goes into one of your computers USB sockets... you may need to install a driver for the adaptor.

What did you plug the cable you used into on your PC?... it would appear you may have plugged it into the computers LAN socket which is for network connections via a router/modem. 

Hopefully this has not damaged your handset.

As Peter say's... read your manual and obtain the correct cable and adaptor.

Best regards.

Sandy. :grin:

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Charlie_132

Charlie_132

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The cable that connects the handset to the mount is not the one you need for updates.

The update cable should have a telephone type socket on one end (which plugs into the centre socket on the handset) and the other end should have a larger 9 pin (D type) RS232 socket.

The RS232 socket end should be plugged into a USB/RS232 adaptor and the usb side of the adaptor then goes into one of your computers USB sockets... you may need to install a driver for the adaptor.

What did you plug the cable you used into on your PC?... it would appear you may have plugged it into the computers LAN socket which is for network connections via a router/modem. 

Hopefully this has not damaged your handset.

As Peter say's... read your manual and obtain the correct cable and adaptor.

Best regards.

Sandy. :grin:

Oh I feel so stupid now! I plugged it into the LAN socket on the side of my laptop

Hopefully it hasnt affected the handset

I dont want to sound too thick, but how does the larger pin fit into the RS232serial/usb ? the connection looks completely different to the socket on the side of my laptop, which it fits perfectly into, but is clearly the wrong part.

thanks for the link to the wire I need Pyrodave

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Pyrodave

Pyrodave

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If you go through the instructions on updating the handset and just do everything step by step it is quite daunting first time but should be easy enough 

Just be sure to read the instructions before attempting anything 

you'll also find that the usb/serial adaptor will need to install the drivers 

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Charlie_132

Charlie_132

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From reading the instructions on the skywatcher document, it seems far too simple... One thing I've learnt a lot lately is that nothing is as simple as it seems......

Are there any videos on youtube of how to do it ?

I had a look but couldn't find any.

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Pyrodave

Pyrodave

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Hi Charlie , glad you managed to update your handset to the latest software with no trouble .

But I can't help with your other issues as I'm not familiar with your mount  Sorry.

Hope you get it sorted soon 

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Mr TamiyaCowboy

Mr TamiyaCowboy

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Forget polaris and try this ( own an ALT-AZ synscan goto)

sit your down and release clutches, 

Now point scope to NORTH and ALT to horizontal.

Now lock the clutches. ( we call this PARK-HOME in synscan alt-az we dont use polaris we use north and level )

plug in power and boot up the system 

enter your details , date - time - location - DTS saving.

once entered your asked if you want to align, press 2 to say no.

Now click the Utility (button 3) scroll down to PARK-HOME and select it.

now click enter again, scope should make minor adjustment and beep, then tell you to power down.

so power down and then power back up. 

enter date- time location-dst and run a star align. once star aligned. press button 3 again

select Park-home and enter.

scope should move back to north facing and horizontal. when it beeps just click ESC to return out, and go back to goto viewing.


this is what i have learned after flashing and problems with my multifunction goto, 

there is also another thing you need to know, WHEN aligning you MUST ALWAYS end the alignment with UP and RIGHT.

(dont ask me why, im still trying to figure these backwards synta instructions myself lol ). 

EDIT ...... 

here we go this is a link to skywatcher synscan handset , you really have to read this a couple times

to start to understand things and how the handset/goto works and functions. ( you ned to take note of the ALT-AZ areas ;) )

http://www.skywatcher.com/downloads/SynScan_HandControl_web_280313V3.pdf

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Charlie_132

Charlie_132

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Thanks, I just tried that and had no luck /: (I got told that mars is below the horizon....)

I'll read the link to the handset and see if that helps

I'm really starting to think I'm going to have to email flo and see if I can get a refund then maybe buy a decent tripod and just go back to manual viewing which would be a pain being as I wanted to start imaging planets without the planet drifting across the screen...

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ronin

ronin

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Just a couple of questions or point to consider:

A previous post said to say No to DST being on, that is wrong, DST is On at this time, the internet will have taken that into account. Easier just use your watch and DST = On.

That would I think have put Mars an hour behind so below the horizon, also the scope horizon may be at 10 or 20 degrees above the real horizon. Maybe a setting in the software for this.

The Alt/Az start position is Level and North for an Alt/Az mount.

I see that before it displays the software version that the handset displays the mount type Alt/Az or Eq and you can select - does yours as I didn't read it.

After that it is Time, Date etc and then align.

This could be useful: The Manual

Alignment and everything is page 7 but read carefully, they mix Alt/Az set up and alignment with Equitorial set up and alignment. As said it starts at P7 and ends at P16 and is a right mixture.

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  • 2 years later...
happy-kat

happy-kat

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I know this is old but I have this virtuoso mount now and have learnt two things deffinately stop it tracking.

I'll assume the mount is already setup for the local latitude.

The two tracking killers are.

1- low batteries

2- the clutches being too tight. I've found the mount only needs the gentlest of tension on the clutches to be able to track, any tighter and tracking is off it can't keep pace.

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