NEQ6 Synscan Help Please....

[PGA-64]

So after 8 days of waiting it seemed clear enough to venture out with the new scope and mount (first goto one). I'd done as much set up as I could in the house following 'Astronomyshed's' you tube videos.

If nothing else it taught me basic set-up  - just about managed to polar align... balanced etc . So I finally put power to the mount

1. How can you dim the red light when looking through the polar scope? Polaris was only just visible!

Then started synscan set-up. 

Entered all the basic info and went to do a 2 star align. I chose Regulus and Pollux to start.

First attempt - scope didn't move anywhere - Fixed this by making sure mount was switched on before synscan controller

Second, third and fourth attempts: although it moved roughly in the right longitude area it was pointing approx 10 degrees below the horizon! As I tried at least 3 times I'm certain I entered info correctly..

Having decided to give up for the night I then went to Park the scope.... it ended up pointing Northwest about 20 degrees above the horizon.

Been scratching my head as to what I may have done... any ideas?

Thanks

[knobby]

Hi, its generally... Time / date / location or the format of the info are the main culprits

[PGA-64]

Thank you

[oldpink]

sounds like you have the date settings or location the wrong way round
check you entered the date in US format MM/DD/YYYY also check you have LAT & LONG the correct way round as they are normally backwards to us in the way they are input

[oldpink]

you can test during the day roughly if you use something like stellarium to approximate star locations

[PGA-64]

I hadn't thought of that .... great idea... prevents the frustration setting in too )

[Tinker1947]

When you get the direction roughly right, you can on the first star release the clutches and move the scope to centre the chosen Star, this makes up for any defect with pointing at polaris (you can dim the red light in the polar scope via the handset)  the second Star needs to be slewed to and then use the handset to align the Star, after this is successful you will get a polar align option (you don't need to use polaris for this)  in the handset, if you can mark where the tripod feet sit so you can place it back and be aligned a lot better every time you set-up....

[oldpink]

I do a lot of testing during the day, safes frustration at night when the sky is clear and you get into a routine
esp if its clear as from mid afternoon I can see Jupiter which makes a good target

[oldpink]

When you get the direction roughly right, you can on the first star release the clutches and move the scope to centre the chosen Star, this makes up for any defect with pointing at polaris (you can dim the red light in the polar scope via the handset)  the second Star needs to be slewed to and then use the handset to align the Star, after this is successful you will get a polar align option (you don't need to use polaris for this)  in the handset, if you can mark where the tripod feet sit so you can place it back and be aligned a lot better every time you set-up....

pretty much what I do as polar align is almost impossible from my garden

[Gomtuu]

How can you dim the red light when looking through the polar scope? Polaris was only just visible!

On the Synscan handset, go to Utility Func/Polar Scope LED - you can adjust it there. If you don't have that option, you may need to upgrade the handset firmware.