CG5 GT polar alignment

[Pip]

Hi peeps

I'm having a nightmare getting properly polar aligned, sometimes it's not bad but other times it's nowhere near and I can't work out why. There's a polar scope in the right place, I followed the set up instructions, the tripod is level and after much grovelling on the floor and a crick in the neck I start. When I go to the alignment stars it's either very close or way off and I just can't suss out why it changes. I've even remembered to put the date in the right format (a minor miricle in it's self)

Any help, hints or tips would be greatly appreciated.

cheers Pip

[thing]

Have you made sure the Dec cable is in the right way? I've done that before and had it pointing at the grass. Other than that, if you have had it pretty close before it suggests that the mount is OK and it might be finger trouble on your part. I still put the date in wrong occasionally, I even check it and still can't see what I've done wrong. I wish they would ship the hand controllers so that they read the date correctly IE day/month/year instead of the quite frankly barking US version of month/day/year.

[ottUp]

Hi peeps

I'm having a nightmare getting properly polar aligned, sometimes it's not bad but other times it's nowhere near and I can't work out why. There's a polar scope in the right place, I followed the set up instructions, the tripod is level and after much grovelling on the floor and a crick in the neck I start. When I go to the alignment stars it's either very close or way off and I just can't suss out why it changes. I've even remembered to put the date in the right format (a minor miricle in it's self)

Any help, hints or tips would be greatly appreciated.

cheers Pip

A possibility and a couple of suggestions:

• 
  [li]The CG5 is notorious for having the alignment marks (the little arrow decals that you use to initially set the mount to its rest position) in the wrong place - they are applied rather hurriedly in the factory, it seems. If they are off, this will affect the accuracy of your first alignment go-to (but not, as far as I can figure out, the final result assuming you align well on the chosen stars). So you might check whether the alignment marks correspond to a good initial position (which should be counterweight shaft vertical, OTA pointed to NCP). If they don't, use some masking tape and a pencil to make better alignment marks, and try those.[/li]
  [li]I don't remember what the modes are called, but there are two alignment options on the CG5/GT: one where it picks the alignment stars, and one where you pick the alignment stars. You are much better off using the second option, so you can select stars you are certain you can identify. Then, if the initial go-to is off, it won't matter at all; you can still slew to the proper star and correct the alignment.[/li]
  [li]If your go-tos are off even after alignment, check your alignment technique: when centring the selected alignment stars, make sure you always approach the star using the RIGHT and UP arrows on the keypad - never the DOWN or LEFT arrows. Overshoot and come back if necessary. This way you are always sending alignment info to the mount that has a consistent treatment of the backlash in the drive gears. If you freely mix UP/DOWN and LEFT/RIGHT inputs, the backlash in the gears causes you to be sending inaccurate alignment info. This habit will substantially improve your go-to accuracy.[/li]
  

Hopefully some of these ideas may help... good luck.

Regards

Richard

[Pip]

Hi folks

thanks for the responses so far, I think it's possible that your last point Richard could be a possibility i.e. alignment technique. I will try that next time I get a chance to go out, at the moment it looks like we've got cloud, cloud and more cloud for the next few days. I will also check out the alignment marks as you suggest just to make sure.