SkyWatcher EQ6-R Controller

[Slslinde]

New to Astronomy, but watched and talk to many on videos .  My Controller is wack, I cannot get my go to mount to even slew to the moon, or Sirus correctly.

 

i was told to reset the controller, is this a good , or send it back and mount head to SkyWatcher!  How do I reset the controller. I do t want to be without it for three weeks

[Cornelius Varley]

8 hours ago, Slslinde said:

New to Astronomy, but watched and talk to many on videos .  My Controller is wack, I cannot get my go to mount to even slew to the moon, or Sirus correctly.

 

i was told to reset the controller, is this a good , or send it back and mount head to SkyWatcher!  How do I reset the controller. I do t want to be without it for three weeks

I think you need to be more specific about the problem.  Have  you entered the correct coordinates, date, time, correct time zone etc. What about your initial star alignment ? Is this good ? Do you have a good power supply to the mount ? 

[Cornelius Varley]

Your coordinates as entered into the handset should be similar to 078 53 W  35 04 N

[serbiadarksky]

I heard a lot of similar problems..at the end of the day the fix is really easy..it is up to the date format..it must be the USA format

[Slslinde]

6 hours ago, serbiadarksky said:

I heard a lot of similar problems..at the end of the day the fix is really easy..it is up to the date format..it must be the USA format

What do you mean USA format

 

[Slslinde]

6 hours ago, Cornelius Varley said:

Your coordinates as entered into the handset should be similar to 078 53 W  35 04 N

It does not allow me to put in 078 only 78

 

[Slslinde]

7 hours ago, Cornelius Varley said:

I think you need to be more specific about the problem.  Have  you entered the correct coordinates, date, time, correct time zone etc. What about your initial star alignment ? Is this good ? Do you have a good power supply to the mount ? 

I  put in correct coordinates, as too date I follow what shows up in controller, correct t time zone is -5 and I put in daylight savings time as yes may need to update power supply but already purchased a good one, to be safe I’m buying a more powerful one

 

[Cornelius Varley]

25 minutes ago, Slslinde said:

It does not allow me to put in 078 only 78

 

You probably entered the number in the incorrect order. Degrees of longitude (how far west or east of the Greenwich meridian) are the first set of numbers to be entered and will be between 000 00 W/E and 180 00 W/E (078 53 W). The second set is the degrees of latitude (how far above or below the equator and will be between 00 00 N/S and 90 00 N/S (35 04 N) . The coordinates must be entered in that order and format for the handset to function correctly.

[Slslinde]

Thank you I will do that. I’ve tried everything.  What about placing my mount in the home position, I don’t know how to do that!  And someone said put in correct US date I put them in order the controller shows me

[david_taurus83]

Have you polar aligned with the polar scope? It doesn't need to be perfect. I'd say for a beginner, if you get Polaris somewhere near the centre should be close enough to start of. The home position is with the weights bar down and pointed north. The scope should also be pointed north. Have you got an android phone? If so you can download the app Synacaninit. It tells you what you need to enter on the handset. Also shows you where to place Polaris in the polar scope. Also, when you start a star alignment, the first star will usually be out a bit. Even the second but it should be closer than the first.

[adyj1]

3 hours ago, david_taurus83 said:

Have you got an android phone? If so you can download the app Synacaninit.

Definitely good advice (it's SynscanInit 2)

[Slslinde]

12 hours ago, Cornelius Varley said:

Your coordinates as entered into the handset should be similar to 078 53 W  35 04 N

 

55 minutes ago, adyj1 said:

Definitely good advice (it's SynscanInit 2)

Unfortunately no iPhone 10

[Slslinde]

I use polar scope pro

[Slslinde]

4 hours ago, david_taurus83 said:

Have you polar aligned with the polar scope? It doesn't need to be perfect. I'd say for a beginner, if you get Polaris somewhere near the centre should be close enough to start of. The home position is with the weights bar down and pointed north. The scope should also be pointed north. Have you got an android phone? If so you can download the app Synacaninit. It tells you what you need to enter on the handset. Also shows you where to place Polaris in the polar scope. Also, when you start a star alignment, the first star will usually be out a bit. Even the second but it should be closer than the first.

I can’t find Polaris at 9 pm eastern time

[david_taurus83]

How do you polar align then?

[Slslinde]

I use Sirius by manually centering then click centered in eyepiece and go to next Alignment SynScan Controller gives me

[Slslinde]

13 minutes ago, Slslinde said:

I can’t find Polaris at 9 pm eastern time

The North Star is not out at 9 pm I guess.  That’s the problem 

[Anthonyexmouth]

1 minute ago, Slslinde said:

The North Star is not out at 9 pm I guess.  That’s the problem 

if its dark, and you're in the northern hemisphere it should be out. 

[Slslinde]

What do I I put for North Star.   Polaris is due east at 9-9:30 pm

[Anthonyexmouth]

polaris is due north ALWAYS. i think you're confusing the polar scope with geographical directions.

watch those videos i posted, it goes through polar alignment

[Slslinde]

5 hours ago, Cornelius Varley said:

You probably entered the number in the incorrect order. Degrees of longitude (how far west or east of the Greenwich meridian) are the first set of numbers to be entered and will be between 000 00 W/E and 180 00 W/E (078 53 W). The second set is the degrees of latitude (how far above or below the equator and will be between 00 00 N/S and 90 00 N/S (35 04 N) . The coordinates must be entered in that order and format for the handset to function correctly.

So does the mechanical part of mount suppose to be at 35 degrees? On the left side of mount head

[Anthonyexmouth]

Just now, Slslinde said:

So does the mechanical part of mount suppose to be at 35 degrees? On the left side of mount head

its a rough guide on the mount. as long as its level. it will get you close for polar alignment but its not 100% accurate. 

your mount has to be pointing true north. 

[Slslinde]

I have a compass app and I place it at 360 North but the side gauge , marker needs to be at 35 right

[Cornelius Varley]

9 minutes ago, Slslinde said:

So does the mechanical part of mount suppose to be at 35 degrees? On the left side of mount head

On the left side of the mount is a latitude scale. Using the bolts at the front and back of the mount adjust the mount until the scale matches your latitude.

[Anthonyexmouth]

are you looking through the polar scope to find polaris?