Jump to content

Narrowband

skywatcher 300p auto not tracking


Recommended Posts

Hi everyone

Please could you let me know if I'm doing something wrong, I can't get my 300p auto to track.

First set up I pointed the tube North & level, then I switched on, slewed the telescope (using the controller) to 53 1/2 (approx my latitude) pressed the slow & fast buttons together (the whole keypad lit up) then I powered off.

Next, I pointed the tube North & levelled, switched it back on then manually pushed the tube to the moon, then pressed the guide & slow buttons together.

But no tracking, I tried this a few times and sometimes the guide button would stay on, sometimes it would flash and I've also seen the slow button stay lit.

Is there something that I'm doing wrong? how long should I be holding the buttons down?

Any ideas will be gratefully received as last night I was having to nudge the scope (at 300x mag) quite a lot to keep Saturn in view and it was a pain.

Thanks Steve

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 66
  • Created
  • Last Reply

The correct procedure for setting up the mount is as follows

1. Power up the mount and point telescope using the direction keys to North and latitude set to zero. Switch off mount and power back up.

2. To set the local latitude move the telescope using the direction keys to your local latitude (53.5 degrees). Then press the fast and slow buttons simultaneously to store the local latitude in the handset.

3. To track at sidereal rate press the track and guide buttons simultaneously. To cancel tracking press the track and guide buttons again.

"Next, I pointed the tube North & levelled, switched it back on then manually pushed the tube to the moon"

I hope you meant that you pushed the telescope using the handset and not by hand. When the mount is powered you should only control it using the handset. You could damage the gears by physically moving the mount when it is powered.

Peter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This particular mount can be "pushed to" manually even when it is in tracking mode. All you then need to do is center the object in the eyepiece using the arrow keys and it will carry on tracking :)

(at least it says so in the instruction manual and Paul Money agrees lol)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the replies guys

Has anyone got a link to the correct manual?

It looks like I'm doing everything ok apart from the manual slewing bit!

I am not sure that you are setting the telescope correctly. If you compare your procedure to the one I gave (taken from the Skywatcher Auto tracking mount manual) you will see that you are not doing the same.

Your procedure:

"First set up I pointed the tube North & level, then I switched on, slewed the telescope (using the controller) to 53 1/2 (approx my latitude) pressed the slow & fast buttons together (the whole keypad lit up) then I powered off."

From the manual:

Setting the local latitude is not required to track an astronomical object but it greatly

enhances the tracking accuracy. It requires that you know the latitude of the

observing site. To set the latitude for the Northern Hemisphere, use the directional

buttons to adjust the telescope tube until the latitude scale reads 0. Turn off the

power and turn it back on again. Now use the hand control to move the telescope

tube until the latitude scale reads your local latitude. Press the "Fast" and "Slow"

buttons simultaneously to store the local latitude into the system

This is a link to the manual for the Skywatcher Auto Tracking mount Skywatcher auto tracking manual. The set up procedure for the mount is on pages 6 and 7.

Peter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK - slight mix up here - I've tried to find the correct 300P auto tracking manual but without success - the SW site doesn't seem to have it either.

The manual kindly indicated by Cornelius is for the A/Z tripod mount - not the dob mount. I have both mounts and manuals and honestly they are quite different.

The 300P is a dobsonian so first thing you need to do is get the base perfectly level and pointing North. Then mount the tube on it perfectly horizontal. Use either a wixie, or a spirit level, to confirm this - or set the altitude pointer to 0 degrees on the side guage. This should be near enough if base is level and pointing North.

Switch off for 20 secs or so, then switch back on. The scope now knows its level and pointing North. Now, using the arrow keys, elevate the tube to your latitude. If everything's accurate you should see the pole star at least in the finder - even better - in a nice wide angle low power eyepiece (E.g. 40mm or 32mm Swan or equiv).

Then hit buttons 2 and 3 together and the hand control should light up like a Xmas tree. This sets the altitude.

To switch on tracking hit buttons 1 and 2 together. This toggles tracking on/off each time they are pressed together. The speed will be shown by button one flashing (sidereal rate).

You can now move around the sky to an object using either the arrow keys or manually and it will automatically track said object. To change the speed press 2 or 3 for 4x or 8x sidereal rate respectively (when tracking). Use these rates for centering finder and eye piece

When tracking is off then buttons 1, 2, 3 give slew speeds of 32x 64x and 600x sidereal respectively and are mostly used for large slews.

Hope that clears it up for you Steve :rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for all the replies guys, that definitely helps, I didn't realise it was tracking when it was flashing.

I've probably been switching the tracking on & off again :-/

I'll give it a go later and let you know how I get on (fingers crossed)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Brant

Sorry, I've not had a chance to test yet, although I noticed the scope was slewing up&down ok but intermittently when I was slewing left/right, I've put some new alkaline batteries in and this is ok now, so fingers crossed!

Thanks for all your help

Steve

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd recommend a field battery for the scope - you'll get a good 17ah one in Maplins for around £35. Much better value than branded power tanks which are around the £100 mark - you want a 12volt tip positive one :rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

It found all of em M51/101/97/81/82/45/31/33/double cluster/M27/M57 (and about 20 people watched it!)...all night long, and tracked on Albeiro for 45 minutes (again witnessed by several people)..quite amazing and Iain Melville and Richie both agreed it was on about a 10 degree slope...

That was the GOTO version..

The auto track, this thread will be useful for Robin Durant who is having problems with his..

Last time I saw the auto version was a long time ago now, so if someone can help him that would be great

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi NickH

Thanks for guiding me to this thread, which is better guidng than my Flextube 250 (joke)

Last night I finally found a way of making it guide by using the right & up arrows to centre the object. If I use left & down the object shot out of view. ( facing east) I believe you can use the down if facing west.

I does say in the manual that right & up enhances the guiding but did not mention that it was essential !!

I would be interested if anyone else has found this out or am I the 1st.

Robin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.