AZEQ6-GT Polar Alignment Newbie Question

[scitmon]

Hello all, apologies in advance for a really stupid question but I am confused with the instructions given with my new AZEQ6-GT on how to polar align, they are not very clear.  Nor are any online resources I've looked at as my scope looks totally different to theirs. When my mount is in the home position, this is what my polar scope orientation looks like:

Before positioning polaris on the clock, do rotate the RA axis at all, perhaps to bring 12 to top? I presume some rotation is needed as Octans would be positioned incorrectly.  

[AKB]

This reticule is for the southern hemisphere...  perhaps there was another somewhere in the packaging?  They're fairly easy to change.

 

[scitmon]

No there isn't, and no mention of it in the manual.  This is what the manual says:

 

The polar scope diagram doesn't match mine, bit of a joke.

[scitmon]

I've just come across this thread in cloudy nights which explains the reticle: https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/510804-polar-alignment-with-eqmod-and-the-new-polar-engraving/

So from what I understand, the procedure is:

1) setup in home position, turn DEC axis 90 degrees to open up the polar scope

2) get polaris in the scope, rotate the RA axis so that 12 on the reticle is at the top, then lock the RA clutch.

3) use the handset (or a smartphone app) to get the position of where polaris should be on the clock, and use the alt and az adjustments to place it there.

4) return the DEC axis to home position

5) fine tune the alignment with the handset polar alignment utility

 

does this sound correct?

[kens]

Correct. Except, to be pedantic, that it's a 0 instead of 12 and you should return both RA and Dec to the home position.

Also, the markings with Year numbers show you where Polaris should be located in relation to the 3 concentric circles that make up the clock face. So for 2017 it's between the two outer circles.

[wimvb]

I don't use the ra much for polar alignment. In parked position, I just put polaris at about the right position on the circles (10 o'clock is about upper left). Then I do a 2 star alignment followed by a handset polar alignment. After that I park the mount, "reboot" but don't "start from park". Then I repeat the 2 star alignment and polar alignment with the handset. This gives me a polar alignment good enough for imaging.

[scitmon]

2 hours ago, wimvb said:

I don't use the ra much for polar alignment. In parked position, I just put polaris at about the right position on the circles (10 o'clock is about upper left). Then I do a 2 star alignment followed by a handset polar alignment. After that I park the mount, "reboot" but don't "start from park". Then I repeat the 2 star alignment and polar alignment with the handset. This gives me a polar alignment good enough for imaging.

So without moving the RA axis, you position polaris on the clock, then use the alignment tools in the handset?  That's what I did on my first use which worked.

[wimvb]

Yes. The first alignment can be off by a mile, but after the second time both polar and goto alignment should be spot on. I also use a barlowed 10 mm eyepiece with homemade crosshair for alignment. I find a star with 1) finder scope, 2) 25 mm eyepiece, 3) barlowed 10 mm eyepiece. The 25 is handy to find the first star. After that it isn't needed anymore.