Basic error - Finally sorted :-)

[timfuller]

Yippeee Finally sorted the GoTo and got it to actually go to where it was meant to........

Step back a couple of weeks.....

I have a Bresser MON2 mount (manual). Looking on this forum some kind person (Cant find the post now) mentioned that Bresser do can do some pretty good "Ex-Display" sale items. So off I trot to the website and there it is..... The Bresser GoTo upgrade kit £100 cheaper than anywhere else. So I duly place the order, the package arrives a couple of days later.

Initial impressions are a little cautious as the box looks battered and covered in tape and mud ! Open the box and all my doubts disappear. Does not look very ex-display to me, looks brand new.

GoTo installed in about 10 mins as per instructions. 

Go through the step by step set up instructions and then wait till it gets dark.

Once outside I go through the 1,2 and 3 star align but every time it is MILES out on the align stars and even after correction is way off when navigating to a chosen target. FRUSTRATING.......

Another couple of attempts over the next few nights but still no joy.

Yesterday whilst it was [removed word] with rain I decided to design and 3D print a holder/clip for the handset so connected everything together in my office. Just having a browse through the menus and setting and then there is was......

Site Location  - Longitude E 8'0''16........ Brain finally kicks and sees the error. My location is E 0'8''16

Take the mount out this morning, quick polar align, 1 star GoTo align and then off it goes. All targets where pretty well in the center of the field of view first time :-)

Moral of the story - If its not working, check, check and double check EVERY detail.

Now just guiding to try and crack ;-)

Bring on some clear skies.

 

[Dr_Ju_ju]

Well done Tim, its always the simple things that trip me up...

[groberts]

Congratulations - it never ceases to amaze me how easy it is to overlook a simple procedure, something you are very familiar with and then when it goes wrong can't find the presence of mind to figure it out at the time. Then at some point thereafter, usually the next day when the night has been wasted, the penny drops. 

After an enforced absence of 6-months last year following an operation, on my first night back the scope kept slewing to exactly 90^o off the correct location - I couldn't figure out why and packed up.  It was September and using the Synscan handset I had forgotten that the date input was American format or 09/06/15 rather than 06/09/15  i.e. 3-months out = 90^o!  Only the other day after a further absence due to cloud and Xmas, I forgot to change the year from 2015 to 2016, doh!

I do use a check list to try and overcome this problem but there are so many things to remember and it is always the simple stuff that somehow gets overlooked.  I know it'll happen again, it's just part of astronomy.     

[Knighty2112]

As an engineer that works on equipment I usually find that a good chunk of issues always in the end turn out to be something relatively simple to cure. Glad you got you Goto working as it should.  

[kens]

Glad to see you got it all sorted! These days I normally assume that any problems are caused by the thing that attaches to the handset/eyepiece

[laudropb]

Glad you finally cracked it. All you need now is some clear skies.

[Peter Drew]

That "Eureka" moment is always a good one!  

[Astro Imp]

Great you're now sorted.

The problem with resolving issues like this is the brain doesn't see what the eyes are seeing but what it thinks is there.

Good luck an clear skies.

[timfuller]

Thanks everyone, it was certainly a Homer Simpson style Dohhhhhhh moment......