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HEQ5 Pro Set Up


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Hi,

I have just been watching this, from 3:50m - 8:20m My clock doesn't have the locking screws on it but it does have a locking screw below, am I supposed to use this because when I lock this down because when I do lock it down the clock doesn't move when I turn the RA.

Hope that makes sense ?

 

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Ok ignore that post I have found this http://www.dulcemelos.ca/en/articles/heq5.asp which seems to make it easier BUT I have a brand new mount with the new style polar scope which doesn't have a small circle for polaris it just has a circle with 0,3,6,12 around a cross hair does that mean when following the article I need to rotate my RA until the no.6 is at the bottom ?

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I personally don't use the circles or adjust the RA axis to polar align. I get the current polaris clock position from 'Polar Finder', a phone app, though you can the same info from the handset as described in the tutorials. Then I use the alt and Az bolts to place polaris on the corresponding clock position on the outer ring (the one with the little bubble on).

That seems to work good enough for me though I'm sure using the methods described would give even greater accuracy. 

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1 hour ago, SAW said:

I don't have the bubble on the outer ring, I have the new style polar scope.

 

565adcb971b40_HEQ5ReticleAddendum.jpg.0bf030af96328f4853c751ac8779073b.jpg

Hi. I have the same style reticle in my polarscope, I actually replaced the old one with this because I find it much easier to polar align.

First of all check if the reticle is properly aligned with the mount, you can google how to align polarscope reticle. When the reticle is aligned check that 6 o clock is exactly at the bottom. When your mount is in the home position you can do this by putting polaris right in the center and adjusting the altitude blots move polaris at the bottom of the circle. If it's at 6 o clock on the circle that means the reticle is in the right position and you're done. Look up the PolarFinder app and using the altitude and azimuth bolts place polaris where the app is telling you where it should be.

The reticle in my polarscope wasn't positioned correctly so I had to fiddle with it until I got it in the right position, with the 6 o clock right at the bottom when the mount is in the home position.

The synscan hand controller is telling you where polaris should be on the clock but I trust the app more, they don't always tell you the same position.

I hope this helps.

Emil

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8 hours ago, SAW said:

I don't have the bubble on the outer ring, I have the new style polar scope.

 

565adcb971b40_HEQ5ReticleAddendum.jpg.0bf030af96328f4853c751ac8779073b.jpg

 

So just place polaris, using the bolts, when you are in home position, on the correct clock time. If you can get the polar scope aligned so 6.00 pm is at the bottom, all the better, but if not, don't worry, just imagine the clock positions and place polaris appropriately. I have found that this gives me enough accuracy to get good 5 min plus exposures. It takes a bit of practice but when you get the knack, it is very quick to polar align.

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I set up the mount, level the tripod before fitting the head. I use a compass to point the north leg. Then I fully load the mount with scope/camera/telrad etc. Then check that all is balanced on the axis.

Then I switch on (I have a skywatcher GPS unit connected). While it is fixing the scopes position I the start to roughly set the polar axis. When the  "GPS Fixed" message comes up go through the settings and it will give you the hour angle of polaris. I check this against "polar finder app" to confirm all is well.

I then rotate the scope untill the polar ring corresponds to the hour angle of polaris. Then adjust the screws untill polaris is in the circle. Put the polar axis covers back and then do the star alingment.

Have a sip from a cuppa.....and start viewing

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Just now, Tomatobro said:

I would add that the £100 I spent on a skywatcher gps was well worth it. Its not cheap but if you view from different locations its well worth it 

Yeah I've already bought one.

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8 hours ago, emyliano2000 said:

Hi. I have the same style reticle in my polarscope, I actually replaced the old one with this because I find it much easier to polar align.

First of all check if the reticle is properly aligned with the mount, you can google how to align polarscope reticle. When the reticle is aligned check that 6 o clock is exactly at the bottom. When your mount is in the home position you can do this by putting polaris right in the center and adjusting the altitude blots move polaris at the bottom of the circle. If it's at 6 o clock on the circle that means the reticle is in the right position and you're done. Look up the PolarFinder app and using the altitude and azimuth bolts place polaris where the app is telling you where it should be.

The reticle in my polarscope wasn't positioned correctly so I had to fiddle with it until I got it in the right position, with the 6 o clock right at the bottom when the mount is in the home position.

The synscan hand controller is telling you where polaris should be on the clock but I trust the app more, they don't always tell you the same position.

I hope this helps.

Emil

When my scope/mount is in the home position (scope up/weights down) my reticle is showing 9 almost at the bottom BUT then you can't do a polar alignment because you can't se though the mount, I'd need to turn the DEC movement by 90deg.

So do I need to adduct my reticle so 6 is at the bottom in the home position ?

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1 hour ago, SAW said:

When my scope/mount is in the home position (scope up/weights down) my reticle is showing 9 almost at the bottom BUT then you can't do a polar alignment because you can't se though the mount, I'd need to turn the DEC movement by 90deg.

So do I need to adduct my reticle so 6 is at the bottom in the home position ?

Sorry, I forgot to mention to rotate the DEC axis until you can clearly see Polaris through the polarscope. The DEC rotation doesn't affect the polarscope and the reticle position in any way, only rotating the RA axis will rotate the polarscope.

So:  1-align reticle;

2- home position;

3-rotate DEC axis so you can see Polaris;

4-center Polaris in the reticle;

5-adjusting the altitude, move Polaris to the bottom of the circle;

6a-if Polaris is at 6 o clock, by adjusting the Alt Azimuth bolts move Polaris to where the PolarFinder app is saying it should be;

6b- if Polaris is not at 6 o clock put polaris on the clock acording to what time the clock shows exactly at the bottom; 

For example if instead of 6 o clock you have 5 o clock at the bottom you need to put Polaris on the reticle 1 hour earlier than what the PolarFinder app is telling you. So if the app is saying 3 o clock you need to put Polaris at 2 o clock because the bottom of the reticle is 1 hour earlier than 6 o clock.

7-move DEC back to the home position.

8-finished

I decided to fiddle about with the reticle until I had 6 o clock at the bottom, I find it easier.

Hope this helps.

Emil

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2 hours ago, SAW said:

This is what mine looks like when I have the mount in home position, weights down & scope up.

How do move the piece so 6 is at the bottom ?

polar.JPG

If you wanna have the 6 at the bottom when the mount is in the home position, you will have to open the polarscope and rotate the reticle inside it until you have the 6 at the bottom.

 

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