SKYWATCHER SYNSCAN FIRMWARE

[Pluto1948]

Hi 

Can anyone let me know what the latest firmware update is for HEQ5 Pro Synscan controller the one I have has 3.27 on it. 

Just acquired the mount.

 

Cheers 

George

[Cornelius Varley]

The latest is v3.38.09 http://ca.skywatcher.com/_english/05_service/01_download.php

[Starlight 1]

Sound like a odd thing to do, "text taking from page" 1. Add a Daytime Alignment function, which includes selecting the sun as the alignment star for daytime one-star alignment and solar tracking.

[Cornelius Varley]

26 minutes ago, Starlight 1 said:

Sound like a odd thing to do, "text taking from page" 1. Add a Daytime Alignment function, which includes selecting the sun as the alignment star for daytime one-star alignment and solar tracking.

Handy for locating the sun or the moon during daytime.

[Starlight 1]

Yes I can see the advantages ,more concerned that someone doing an alignment on the sun  and forgetting to use proper filter would be a disaster.

[Pluto1948]

Thanks all I new this was the place to get the right answers.

[ronin]

The RA+Dec of the sun alters daily, so to track it the scope needs so sort of alignment performed in order to have an initial position and so apply the appropriate movement - more applicable to Alt/Az. However I also think that without at least some "alignment" for the goto aspect the software may well do almost nothing. One of the problems of software that requires alignment is that some form of alignment needs to be done.

Sun RA+Dec is here: http://astropixels.com/ephemeris/sun/sun2016.html

Makes interesting reading to see the annual (even daily) change that occurs. So Synta have either added a similar table as a look up or there is an equation from which to calculate the position daily and they have added that.

Concerning accidentally viewing the sun I suppose that at some point you have to make the presumption that the perspn has the intelligence to have some idea what they are doing. Small Meades have simply decided that there is no such object as the sun, no solar rate and no way to "accidently" point at it. Makes solar viewing a bit more involved as I have to enter Sol as a custom object, enter the RA+Dec for that day and then Level and North the mount. Then tell it to goto the custom object I called Sol. Tracking is then totally reliant of the Level+North set up. Equally on an Skywatcher EQ everything is reliant on the polar alignment and Polaris is difficult to align on at 2:00pm in the afternoon on a clear sunny day. Have to admit that solar viewing has some interesting aspects.

 

[Starlight 1]

Now I got to update.

[Pluto1948]

Hi 

I have done a firmware update on my Synscan hand controller  to the latest update  and I am now getting an error message when I do my alignment wether it be 1 2 or 3 the hand reads 

CAUTION: Prev. NPE applied  does anyone know what this means  the mount is HEQ5 Pro and works fine and all objects show in the FOV when slewed to.

Any help much appreciated

George

 

[almcl]

NPE = Non Perpendicular Error, occurs when mount's two axes are non-orthogonal, according to my version if the Synscan  manual.  Can be set to 0 via  Setup/Alignment/ NP Error unless 'superior pointing accuracy is required'.

HTH