Polarscope basic alignment

[Stub Mandrel]

It doesn't matter which way up the dial as as long as one line of the cross is horizontal, so you should never need to turn it more than 45 degrees...

[SXBB]

You have a very good point there.... 

[EMFLOCATER]

Hi Folks. Hope I can shed light on this and maybe get some back in return. Here is what I have done, as I just received this mount a week ago. Yeah the reticle (new style) threw me off.

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1) First I most importantly leveled my tripod with a level very precisely. Next I found my home position by using a level for the RA & Dec axis...again as accurate as I could get. Now that my mount is in its home position I marked both axis with lines (I used electrical sticker tags and used the letter "V" to act as a pointer. Now I can easily align my RA & Dec axis to home position once my tripod is leveled.

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2) While the tripod and mount are in home position, I decided to adjust the position of the reticle in my polar scope. First I made sure that the polar scope was good snug in the mount. I noticed the Longitude Index Marker Line was not centered with the Date Scale Indicator (silver metal arrow with 2 screws mounted to the mount) ... no prob, I simply loosened the single grub screw on the Index Marker Ring and turned it till it was lined up with the Date Scale Indicator Metal Arrow. All good now...

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3) Next I unscrewed the polar scope out. I then loosened the 3 grub screws so I can turn the reticle so the "0" - "6" o clock line is vertical by lining it up visually with the Longitude Index Marker Line right above it. You can turn the reticle easily once the 3 grub screws are loose and I used a broken Q-Tip stick to turn it. Then I equally tighten the grub screws just enough to hold the reticle snug.

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4) I then screwed the polar scope back in the polar axis bore and snugged it up. Now the reticle "0" - "6" o clock line is vertical and in line with the Longitude Index Marker Line & Date Scale Indicator Metal Arrow. All in the Home Position.

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5) Next I will align the Polar Scope using the 3 grub screws so it is aligned with my polar axis. I can use the star Polaris or during the day use a distant terrestrial object. Once this is done I believe its just a matter of setting up at night by leveling tripod, then putting RA & Dec in home position using the marks I made on the mount, then simple find where Polaris is at my time and position on Earth and just using my Altitude and Azimuth bolts, put Polaris on the correct spot of the reticle circle which has lines every 10 minutes. I should be pretty close at this point to Polar Aligned. I think I would center Polaris on the outer circle for 2016 according to the etching in the right side of reticle. Those itty bitty lines are hard to see for where 2016 is pointing.

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Anyways that's as far as I have done. Does this seem and or sound right to you experts who have figured this new reticle out? If so any other hints or tips?

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Lastly....I will review the EQMOD video for doing Polar Alignment and hope I can use the EQMOD Polar Alignment routine with this reticle, since it shows in the video using the reticle with the small Polaris Circle instead. I know there must be a way it can work. Has anyone done it with EQMOD and this new reticle? If so can you walk me through the basics please.

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Cheers & Happy Holidays

Don