Dodgy tracking

[Feebix]

I have an LX90, it`s on an equatorial mount, I level it before starting, I know what I`m doing but still, I just cannot get a decent tracking !! I`ve recently bought a DMK 21AU04.AS Camera so my tracking has had to improve but I just can`t seem to do it. I`m doing a two star align, even drift aligning, but when it comes to putting a barlow lense on and seeing say Mars on my computer screen, it leaves the screen in less then ten seconds !! Something can`t be right here, something I haven`t seen or thought of. My handset recently died, or so I thought, it flashed, flashed some more then turned off. I couldn`t get it to turn back on at all, turned out there was a tiny broken wire at the point where plug meets cable. I`m currently looking for a replacement, preferably a nice long one. This got me thinking, could it be possible that a bad connection as the wire was being worn through, could have been throwing my tracking off? After all, the planet was leaving my screen at guide speeds ! AFTER alignment!! lol I`m itching to use my new kit.....HELP !!

[Paxo]

Which Equatorial mount do you have Ryan? There may be a few options dependant on your answer.

Steve..

[Feebix]

A wedge... If that`s the sort of answer you were looking for?

[Paxo]

That's fine Ryan, so it's fork mounted LX90 on a wedge, should have realised from your other post.

Steve..

[Feebix]

That`s right yes Can you help? Someone mentioned tracking rates to me the other day, I didn`t realise you could adjust anything like that on my scope, I certainly don`t know how to do it, but has anyone heard of that? Maybe the scope is over tracking, if you catch my drift...

[Paxo]

I'm not totally sure which Autostar you have on the LX90 but it is usually possible to set various tracking rates. Usually you would run the mount in Sidreal Rate (the apparent rate stars track across the sky), other possible rates you can set are Lunar and solar rates for tracking the moon and the sun respectively.

One other thing that may be worth considering (forgive me if you've done this already), as you have the scope on a wedge, have you changed the handset to operate in equatorial mode and not in the standard alt-azimuth mode in which the unit ships. In equatorial mode only the RA axis moves to track, in alt-az, the controller would move both axes to track, this may cuse the movements you have described.

Steve..

[Paxo]

The mount type and tracking rate are both setup in the TELESCOPE section in the SETUP section of the Autostar menu.

Steve..

[Feebix]

Well that certainly sounds promising Steve !! I haven`t done that no, I didn`t know anything about it actually, but I suppose yes... why would my handset know the scope has been put on a wedge?! I have no idea how to change the settings, I suppose it`s in the menu somewhere or other is it? Well i`m quite excited at the prospect of finally getting it sorted now, that really does sound like it may well be the problem doesn`t it! Huh.... I can`t wait to get my new lead now and try that out. Of course i`ve got to find a new lead first......

[Feebix]

Right then, I`ve plugged my new cable in and I`ve had a bit of a surprise! The writting on the screen was always dim, slow and unresponsive. I plug the new cable in and it`s bright, fast and changes like lightning when I push a button!! Nice one. That can`t have been helping matters eh. So I`ve had a look for mount settings and sure enough there`s a choice between Altaz and Polar, with a fork mount and EQ wedge, which would be right? I`ve never changed that though so that`ll be why I was having problems getting a good tracking, I can`t believe it, after all this time, it was something I neglected to do! Mad... There`s also a whole load of options I never knew were there, tracking rate: sidereal, lunar or custom. AZ ratio AZ/RA percent ALT/DEC percent (currently on 10%) An option to "Calibrate sensors" what sensors? How does that work then?! I really must understand all this, it must have a huge bearing on what i`m trying to do and I didn`t even know it was there!! I sense a milestone approaching........

Do you think you could run through the controls on a handset please? It would be a huge help!

[Paxo]

Ryan,

As you have an EQ Wedge you will need to set the handset to polar mod not altaz. The rate should be set to sidereal (unless you plan on looking at/imaging the moon [btw the custom setting is used for comet imaging etc]). The other settings can probably be left for the moment, see how you get on with those.

Steve..

[Feebix]

Yep, will do, we`ll see if that fixes my tracking problem on the next clear night, fingers crossed. I`m just pleased I have the power to do something about the problem! I was starting to feel a bit helpless, I was doing everything I could but it still wasn`t working ! Now.... Who`s got the power? Feebo`s got the poweeeer !!! lol

I`d love to know what these sensors are though.......

[Paxo]

I'm not sure about the LX90, but the LX200 contains a tube level sensor and a compass North detect sensors (and a gps module), the LX90 will probably have the same, they are part of the start-up alignement routine usually, that's all the sensors I can think of.

Steve..

[Feebix]

Well my scope was sold on the whole LNT thing, yeah that sounds a possibility doesn`t it.....