Synscan GoTo issues

[Jarvo]

Hi All, has anyone ever purchased the Synscan EQ5 conversion kit.

I purchased one last December and its never worked from day one correctly.

It tracks perfectly and I'm convinced mechanically its sound. 

Theres no issue with the setting up , tried one, two and three star alignment, polar accuracy is ok.

Wondering if theres a glaringly obvious fix someone knows about because sometimes the scope is pointing to the floor

Thanks for looking.

Jarvo

[happy-kat]

The date is in American format, mm dd.

I'm not very good with coordinates so I use the synscaninit app on my phone.

[david_taurus83]

I had one and it worked perfectly. At what stage does it point to the ground? During star alignment or during a goto command?

[Jarvo]

Goto David

[david_taurus83]

So it does a successful alignment? Does it get any goto targets correct after alignment?

[jambouk]

"It tracks perfectly and I'm convinced mechanically its sound."

So the RA motor side of things is fine.

 

"Theres no issue with the setting up , tried one, two and three star alignment, polar accuracy is ok"

So communication between handset and motors OK, power must be OK, and Dec motor must be OK too.

 

This doesn't leave a lot else.

If you have successfully done a three star alignment, then for this particular use of the mount the date, time and location details are not an issue (these are only needed to help suggest alignment stars, and also useful if you are subsequently parking the scope and then wanting to wake it up again another time without doing any further alignment).

Things I'm thinking:

• If your polar alignment is WAY off, and there is a delay between doing a star alignment and using the GOTO the targets could have moved.
• What is the focal length of your scope? If it is over 1000mm, and/or you are using a high power eye piece, then it isn't uncommon for the target to be out of the field of view.
• How accurately are you doing your star alignment? Are you using a high power eye piece to really centre the target stars and ending with an up and right move on the key pad to do the final centering? Are you 100% sure you are centring on the stars the handset is suggesting?
• How bady off is the GOTO accuracy?
• Have you turned on the advanced filter on the handset for alignment stars? I would do that and I would only ever do a three star alignment.
• Are your clutches tight?
• Is the balance on the kit as good as you can get it?
• What scope is it? Is there mirror flop?
• Are you adding any kit to the set up after you have done a star alignment?
• Daft question, but are you using the same scope to do your alignment and to use your GOTO?

We really need to know exactly the issue before we can help further I think.

James

[Jarvo]

2 hours ago, jambouk said:

"It tracks perfectly and I'm convinced mechanically its sound."

So the RA motor side of things is fine.

 

"Theres no issue with the setting up , tried one, two and three star alignment, polar accuracy is ok"

So communication between handset and motors OK, power must be OK, and Dec motor must be OK too.

 

This doesn't leave a lot else.

If you have successfully done a three star alignment, then for this particular use of the mount the date, time and location details are not an issue (these are only needed to help suggest alignment stars, and also useful if you are subsequently parking the scope and then wanting to wake it up again another time without doing any further alignment).

Things I'm thinking:

• If your polar alignment is WAY off, and there is a delay between doing a star alignment and using the GOTO the targets could have moved.
• What is the focal length of your scope? If it is over 1000mm, and/or you are using a high power eye piece, then it isn't uncommon for the target to be out of the field of view.
• How accurately are you doing your star alignment? Are you using a high power eye piece to really centre the target stars and ending with an up and right move on the key pad to do the final centering? Are you 100% sure you are centring on the stars the handset is suggesting?
• How bady off is the GOTO accuracy?
• Have you turned on the advanced filter on the handset for alignment stars? I would do that and I would only ever do a three star alignment.
• Are your clutches tight?
• Is the balance on the kit as good as you can get it?
• What scope is it? Is there mirror flop?
• Are you adding any kit to the set up after you have done a star alignment?
• Daft question, but are you using the same scope to do your alignment and to use your GOTO?

We really need to know exactly the issue before we can help further I think.

James

Hi James - answers below

• If your polar alignment is WAY off, and there is a delay between doing a star alignment and using the GOTO the targets could have moved. Polar alignment is pretty goo - go a polar finder scope in the EQ5
• What is the focal length of your scope? If it is over 1000mm, and/or you are using a high power eye piece, then it isn't uncommon for the target to be out of the field of view. It has been a Mak i.e. 1400mm .Aligned with an illuminated Reticle. I see what you are saying but no the scope doesn't even point in the right area of the sky 
• How accurately are you doing your star alignment? Are you using a high power eye piece to really centre the target stars and ending with an up and right move on the key pad to do the final centering? Are you 100% sure you are centring on the stars the handset is suggesting? Yep and yep
• How bady off is the GOTO accuracy? as I say its not even pointing in the right direction - sometimes its starts aiming at the floor
• Have you turned on the advanced filter on the handset for alignment stars? I would do that and I would only ever do a three star alignment.- Haven't come across the advanced filter option on the handset - will take a look
• Are your clutches tight? Yep - Scope tracks perfectly
• Is the balance on the kit as good as you can get it? Yep
• What scope is it? Is there mirror flop? It the Mak 150mm from Skywatcher
• Are you adding any kit to the set up after you have done a star alignment?nope
• Daft question, but are you using the same scope to do your alignment and to use your GOTO? No such thing as a daft question but yes same scope.

Jar

[jambouk]

OK.

This test can be done in the day time, in a garage etc and doesn't need a clear night.

Point the polar axis roughly to the north. Make sure the scope is in the home position. Lock the clutches. Turn the mount on and enter the date and time and location. 

Do a three star alignment. How far out is the scope roughly (as there are no stars) from the first star? Move the scope with the handset to where you think the first alignment star would be in you could see it. Accept that position. Go to the second star. How far out roughly is the scope now? Again roughly slew to where the second star would be if you could see it. And now the third star, how far out is that roughly?

If stars two and three were pretty close to where you think they should have been accept the alignment. Now what happens when you use the GOTO to go back to the first alignment star?

James

 

[Jarvo]

Thanks James. I’ll come back to you

Steve

 

[Thalestris24]

Hi

Just wonder where you are in the world? Northern Hemisphere?

Louise

[michael8554]

Random GoTo scope behaviour is often due to low volts, and/or not enough amps, or poor/intermittant connection from the power supply.

Michael

[Jarvo]

On 07/12/2018 at 16:42, jambouk said:

OK.

This test can be done in the day time, in a garage etc and doesn't need a clear night.

Point the polar axis roughly to the north. Make sure the scope is in the home position. Lock the clutches. Turn the mount on and enter the date and time and location. 

Do a three star alignment. How far out is the scope roughly (as there are no stars) from the first star? Move the scope with the handset to where you think the first alignment star would be in you could see it. Accept that position. Go to the second star. How far out roughly is the scope now? Again roughly slew to where the second star would be if you could see it. And now the third star, how far out is that roughly?

If stars two and three were pretty close to where you think they should have been accept the alignment. Now what happens when you use the GOTO to go back to the first alignment star?

James

 

Hi James. Apologies for the delay coming back to you on this but I’d like to resurrect this and replicate you test this weekend. 

Think im being a bit dim here but how do I do the 3 star alignment during the day without the stars ?

Steve

[Jarvo]

Been unable to look into this recently but wondering if it is worthwhile reinstalling the firmware  on the handset?

Steve

[jambouk]

Either set the time in the handset to the actual time, and use planetarium software to work out roughly where the stars would be in the sky and see how accurately the scopes movements are (if it says Vega is high and south, but the scope goes north and low, there is a big error); or aet the time to 9pm and try and remember where the current stars are.

[Jarvo]

Thanks for the prompt reply. I’ll feedback. Wish me luck

 

 

[Jarvo]

Ok so I’ve done two things now. 

Added the additional counterweight tit eg EQ5 and balanced it and the telescope. 

I did a 3 star alight in the late afternoon using Vega first followed by Deneb and finally Capella.

They all seemed to be pointing in the general area of where the Stars should be. 

I then went back to Vega and the scope looked to be pointed back in the same direction. 

I’ll need to do another alignment in the night. 

Wondering if the additional counterweight may be the answer. 

Jarvo

[dannybgoode]

Are you resetting your scope to home position before turning it on each time. If you turn it on first then put it in to the home position it sometimes thinks the original starting position is home. 

Then, when you try to slew or align it gets all confused and points to the wrong position. 

The other thing that is easy to do is mount the scope upside down so it points the back of the scope to the target.