Help with an NEQ3 Synscan Mount

[pjcrystal]

Hi everyone, I've been away for a while, and as of today I am a proud owner of an Explorer 150P on an NEQ3 Synscan Mount, finally!!! I've not long finished setting it up in my room (boxes everywhere place looks like a bombs gone off!) as I wanted to get to grips with it first before I though about venturing outside. I'm pretty sure I've set it up correctly, followed the instructions to the letter, it's perfectly balanced, however, I'm having trouble using the hand controller to move the scope, it's all powered up and when I use the directional controls I hear and see the motors turning but the scope does not budge an inch, both axis tightners are loose and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. Any advice from you guys would be very much appreciated. Cheers Phil

[MikeP]

Just a guess but what slew speed is set? At the slowest speed it is difficult to see the mount move.

Mike

[Kai]

The motors run at sidereal rate , this means it turns the same rate as the earth.In practise this is almost undetectable visually.

[pjcrystal]

Thanks guys, I feel like such an idiot, it never even occured to me to check the speed, and you were right it was set to the slowest speed, just messed around and changed it to the highest setting and it is in fact working, doh! Cheers guys.

[Kai]

We know because we have all been there (it took me ages )

[Greg]

Brings back memories...I can remember looking at my first HEQ5 and thinking the same thing...

I watched it for ages... :oops:

[pjcrystal]

Thanks again guys, been playing around with it for a while now and having fun watching it move, can't wait to get it outside and start enjoying the sky, might not be for a few nights yet but so looking forward to it!!! Cheers