MESU sitech handpad

[kirkster501]

Hello all,

Tried for the life of me to track the moon with just the hand pad.  I can do so fine with the computer but sometimes for a quick observing session I cannot be bothered with the computer.  I can move and slew the scope just fine with the hand-pad but no matter what I do, I cannot seem to get the scope to then lock on and track the object and it drifts out of the FoV.

Any ideas please?  I have RTFM but I must be missing something.

TIA, Steve

 

[Zakalwe]

I'm confused.

How are you Unparking the mount without the SiTech program running?  As far as I know, the mount does not start tracking until it's UnParked.

[kirkster501]

17 hours ago, Zakalwe said:

I'm confused.

How are you Unparking the mount without the SiTech program running?  As far as I know, the mount does not start tracking until it's UnParked.

You just switch the mount on and move it with the handpad.  Simples   Seriously, even if you parked it with the computer you can then move it with the handpad afterwards if the computer is not connected.  I am not sure the "park" is anything to do with the mount electronics, it is a PC facility to put the scope into a known position - when the PC is disconnected the mount then doesn't know about itself being "parked".

In my case I do not have a "proper" park position.  When I'm done I just orientate the scope with the Sitech widget on the PC to a position where the roof will close.

What i am talkign about is to ignore the PC completely, move the scope with the handpad (which I can 100% assure you you can do) and then hit "go" to then get the scope to track.

[Zakalwe]

21 hours ago, kirkster501 said:

You just switch the mount on and move it with the handpad.  Simples   Seriously, even if you parked it with the computer you can then move it with the handpad afterwards if the computer is not connected.  I am not sure the "park" is anything to do with the mount electronics, it is a PC facility to put the scope into a known position - when the PC is disconnected the mount then doesn't know about itself being "parked".

In my case I do not have a "proper" park position.  When I'm done I just orientate the scope with the Sitech widget on the PC to a position where the roof will close.

What i am talkign about is to ignore the PC completely, move the scope with the handpad (which I can 100% assure you you can do) and then hit "go" to then get the scope to track.

I get all of that. I wasn't aware that you could issue a command to get the mount to track from the handset.

 

Looking at the SiTech Operations Manual

it seems like "Equatorial mode" will do what you want (page 21).

 

"2.3 EQUATORIAL MODE
The Equatorial mode is provided for equatorial platforms, or equatorial mounts, both Fork and German Equatorial Mounts. The configuration options allow the Right Ascension motor to start tracking when powered up, at the rate specified. This allows operation of the mount without a PC connected.

2.3.1 Setting Up the Equatorial Mode
Using the ServoConfig software, click on “Edit Parameters”, then “Auto Tracking”. Click on the Equatorial mode radio button. Set up the Equatorial rate. If you know the number of motor encoder ticks for one revolution (360°, don’t add sidereal) of the Right Ascension axis, enter that number on the green text box to the right. After pressing the Enter key, the proper Equatorial rate will be calculated and will appear in the “equatorial rate” text box (this rate will account for Sidereal).
You need to set the direction of tracking for operation in either the Northern or Southern hemisphere. The way to set this is to point the scope toward the west and observe the direction of motion when the handpad buttons are pushed. Pushing the West button (on the right) should make the scope move down, toward the horizon. Pushing the UP button should make the scope move toward the pole (North or South depending on the hemisphere. If the movement is not as described, you will need the reverse the servo direction using ServoConfig software.
You can adjust the tracking rate up and down by pressing a certain sequence on the handpad. The amount it is adjusted per handpad press is in the text box labeled “Equatorial Up/Down Adjust”.
If you have a platform, set the “Tracking Platform Goal” to the number of motor encoder ticks where you want the platform to stop. The SiTech controller will stop at this point, and then you can then perform a re-wind.
If you have an equatorial telescope, set this platform goal to over 10,000,000. This will make it impossible to stop at the platform goal; it will continually track forever (if you don't stop it).
If the motor tracks the wrong way, you can put a negative number in the “Tracking Platform Goal”.

2.3.2 Operation of the Equatorial or Tracking Platform Mode
If using an equatorial platform, before powering up the controller, be sure the platform is fully rewound. This will be its home position.
Upon power up, or after a rewind, the Right Ascension motor will turn at the configured speed, until it reaches the configured goal. To rewind, press both top switches. This is possible at anytime. The servo motor will return to the same location it was when power was turned on; at its programmed slew speed rate.
To Cancel rewind, press any direction key.
If using an equatorial telescope, the above paragraph will not be applicable, as the platform goal will be set for 10,000,000 or greater.
To stop tracking, press the top right key. To start tracking again, press it again, or press any of the direction keys. When the tracking is stopped, both LED's will blink off briefly every few seconds (version 1.6 of firmware and later).
Only the new handpad will allow fine tuning the tracking speed. To raise the tracking speed, press the top left key, and while holding it down (think of it as an ALT key) press the up direction. To lower the tracking speed, press the top left key, and while holding it down (think of it as an ALT key) press the down direction.
The up/down adjustment will not work if you have set up the local search feature (version 1.7 or later of the firmware). To enable the UP/Down adjustments, you will have to enter a value of zero in the local search distance and speed parameters.
To perform photography, it may be necessary to enter the guide mode. This is done by holding down the top right key, then pressing the right key. Now the speed changes by adding or subtracting the guide rate from the current rates. To revert back to the normal mode, hold down the top right key, and press the right key again. This feature only works with the new handpad. This will be un-necessary if you are using a radio handpad receiver, as in this case, the SPD switch on the transmitter will toggle between Slew/Pan/Guide modes. If you are using an auto guider, as soon as the guider commands are sent to the controller, the SiTech is automatically set for guide speeds."

 

 

 

[kirkster501]

Many thanks, I shall take a look at that