Drift alignment.

[alan potts]

I had a decent polar alignment a while back then I kicked the mount tripod leg and that was out the window, I would really benefit from a single pillar arrangement. I tried using drift in PHD2 a number of times and have never really got on with it. it seems to offer me varying degrees of which way to turn the Alt to start off with, it appears things are getting better, then a bit better again then off come the wheels. I leave it about 2-3 minutes each time to get an idea of trend of which way the Red line is moving but don't seem to have much luck nailing it down any more. It did work as far as I could see a few months back when EQmod was working well with PHD2.

It seems to have got worse since the EQmod guide pulses have given up, a thing I tried again last night but it is still the same, I am going to try a re-install of PHD2 and EQmod, just need to pluck up courage to do so, I really do not see how it can be the EQdir cable as everything else works fine, so it's ST4 for the moment.

Being fed up with going backwards and forwards on the Alt adjustment I had mind to check the polar scope and a little program I have telling me where Polaris should be, it was a good way out, so I corrected it as best I could and tried again, still no luck though, the same could really see which way was correct to turn.

Giving up I had a go at Polar Drift alignment, that told me I needed a train ticket to get to where I was required to be, first attempt telling me I was 248 minutes out, which was of course utter rubbish. So 25 minutes later I got within 3 minutes according to the program, I assume it works, so next time out I am going to look at the polarscope to see where it places Polaris, as I feel this could well be a mile off. I knew something was not right as when I was selecting stars for position there was a fair gap between map position and measured, however PHD2 did still guide via ST4 with 1 second up and down, most of the time better.

BTW isn't the Altitude adjustment on the AZ EQ 6 ridiculous, why such a course thread.

Alan

[michael8554]

I think we've been over this before....... 

PHD2 Static Polar Alignment SPA to get close, then the drift of the line in the graph in PHD2 Drift Align, ignore the circle in the star window. 

Allow the direction of drift to settle before adjusting. 

5 arcmins is easily guided out by PHD2, waste of imaging time and patience getting it better. 

Reinstalling PHD2 and EQMOD.? Don't bother, these aren't the cause of your problems. 

Michael 

[alan potts]

8 hours ago, michael8554 said:

I think we've been over this before....... 

PHD2 Static Polar Alignment SPA to get close, then the drift of the line in the graph in PHD2 Drift Align, ignore the circle in the star window. 

Allow the direction of drift to settle before adjusting. 

5 arcmins is easily guided out by PHD2, waste of imaging time and patience getting it better. 

Reinstalling PHD2 and EQMOD.? Don't bother, these aren't the cause of your problems. 

Michael 

Maybe we have been over it before, it was just frustration I guess but was only pointing out what I had done, seem to waste a great deal of time on this aspect.

If reinstalling is not the issue, I didn't see that advised as to what was, it's an odd one as I see it, FLO have agreed to send another cable for the EQdir, which they don't actually feel is the problem.

Alan. 

[newbie alert]

A polar scope method is classed as  a rough polar alignment...but good enough to get you close enough providing the polar scope is collimated.. when drifting in phd2  let the graph settle down, as the star may well be drifting..half to 3 quarters of the graph grid should be ok.. you should be able to see which direction you need to go as moving the knob in or out should shift the box with the guide star up or down..once you find out what way is up or down, make yourself a little note for that axis..

You're starting in the south if northern hemisphere yes?

[alan potts]

16 hours ago, newbie alert said:

A polar scope method is classed as  a rough polar alignment...but good enough to get you close enough providing the polar scope is collimated.. when drifting in phd2  let the graph settle down, as the star may well be drifting..half to 3 quarters of the graph grid should be ok.. you should be able to see which direction you need to go as moving the knob in or out should shift the box with the guide star up or down..once you find out what way is up or down, make yourself a little note for that axis..

You're starting in the south if northern hemisphere yes?

I don't believe you can collimate the polar scope in the AZ EQ 6, it just screws into a threaded sleeve. I sat and had a very good go at it last night with the Polar Drift, even with this after 4 minutes settle and then adjust following the instructions to the letter is ended up further out than it was before I started, if the 2nd drift check is to be believed. Messed with it for over 40 minutes and got it down to a steady 1 arc min allowing 6 minutes without it moving. Oddly though I didn't get there by following the instruction, I just moved the start a little of the to the circle and just kept checking, can't say I'm impressed, unless I am doing something very wrong, which I don't feel I am.

On the Drift align, I know exactly where to slew the scope to.

Alan

[michael8554]

Don't know if you've seen these tutorials by the author.? 

https://openphdguiding.org/polar-alignment-tool-video-tutorials/ 

Michael 

Edited August 5, 2019 by michael8554

[Annehouw]

Hello Alan

For mobile use, I have been very happy with a Polemaster. Works as advertised.

For my yearly polar alignment in my observatory, I have been very happy with the following in Phd:

1) A classic drift alignment for Az only, Does not have to be perfect, although I tend to wait more than 3 minutes when I am getting closer.

2) After that is done (again, does not have to be perfect), a Phd polar drift alignment. At first it wanders around a lot, but it does settle down. Now only change your Alt! Get the marker at about 2/3 where it tells you that you should be. You should be a lot nearer, which makes things easier. Now let it run again and adjust both AZ and Alt to get really near to the circle. Let it run again and finish with a perfect hit in the circle. It took a little time (as it was the first time doing so), but it got me real close. No dec corrections needed in exposures shorter than 10 minutes.

Hope this helps.

 

Anne

[alan potts]

21 hours ago, Annehouw said:

Hello Alan

For mobile use, I have been very happy with a Polemaster. Works as advertised.

For my yearly polar alignment in my observatory, I have been very happy with the following in Phd:

1) A classic drift alignment for Az only, Does not have to be perfect, although I tend to wait more than 3 minutes when I am getting closer.

2) After that is done (again, does not have to be perfect), a Phd polar drift alignment. At first it wanders around a lot, but it does settle down. Now only change your Alt! Get the marker at about 2/3 where it tells you that you should be. You should be a lot nearer, which makes things easier. Now let it run again and adjust both AZ and Alt to get really near to the circle. Let it run again and finish with a perfect hit in the circle. It took a little time (as it was the first time doing so), but it got me real close. No dec corrections needed in exposures shorter than 10 minutes.

Hope this helps.

 

Anne

Thank you Anne, not seeing you post I did exactly that you describe, in stages and in the end got to 1 arc minute, checked 3 times. That's good enough, straight after I slewed to Antares and it was almost bang on the centre so I hope I have it now. In the day I took the mount apart and found the metal peg that is a stop for the AZ adjustment was moving freely, tighten every thing up, this can't have helped I am sure.

Thanks,

Alan

[alan potts]

Almost died last night, as the moon was out and too bright for my liking I thought I would play with Polar Drift Alignment, almost died when I got the same result from 3 different stars, 1 arc minute, guess that is good enough.

Alan.