Tracking with HEQ5

[Chubster]

Hi all....Right going to open this one up again..and would appreciate some more comments

Still dont think its tracking, my definition of tracking is to have it set up, press a button on the controller, let go of said controller and the scope will automatically keep whatever im looking at in the eyepiece (assuming my polar alignment is spot on of course) is this right or do I have to keep a button pressed for it to track

I have a brand new powerpack now, that is always fully charged so it is not a power issue

I was told it tracks like it is on rails and Im sure it does.....just dont know how to do it. Please help :?

Cheers Chubs

Edit Found this on the net

"When the Hand Control is turned on and all buttons are depressed, the R.A. motor will rotate at the proper speed to compensate for the earth's rotation." does this mean i need to press all four directions buttons at once to get it to track

[Albireo380]

Hi Chubster,

On my HEQ5, I simply GOTO the object I want to observe, get it centred using the handset (if it is off centre) and then it tracks all by itself - I have only had it tracking on a single object for half an hour or so, but it kept the object in the middle of the FOV.

Not sure what is going wrong with your tracking - sorry mate.

Tom

[Chubster]

I do not have GOTO....dont know if there is anything wrong with my tracking...just dont know how to get in TO TRACK

Does it track automatically until I press a button

Confused

[GazOC]

As soon as you switch the HEQ5 on and plug in the handset then it should start tracking.

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

First thing to do is check that it's polar aligned. If the alignment is close it should be almost perfect for visual use. You need to get to grips with the polar 'scope.

Second thing is to check that you have the correct hemisphere set. All the stars go backwards down under, that would be a bad thing here in UK land.

Third thing is there might be a problem with your mount.

Check 1 and 2 and report back, help is at hand.

Captain Chaos

[GordonCopestake]

Yeah CC is right, if you are not polar aligned then it MIGHT be tracking but just in the wrong direction! You need to at the bear minimum make sure the mount is facing north. The closer you get to polaris the better the tracking will be.

[proflight2000]

Chub, I thought mine wasnt working but after a call from phatt and a chat with steve I did the following. Take a compass outside, find north, mark the floor where north is headed. Grab the mount and put the leg with the N on it on the point marked north. Now raise the latitude to roughly what your area is, mine is 52 degrees. Now wait until its dark and clear, put the scope on the mount with the viewfinder (make sure the viewfinder is aligned with the scope). Now find polaris, on the front of the mount you will see two black screws, these were used to tighten the mount to the tripod. Gently undo one and turn the other, you will notice the mount moves left or right very slightly. Undo and redo this until you have polaris in the center of the scope, may need to adjust the latitude up or down as well.

Once you have it centered, adjust the finderscope so that its also lined up, now turn the scope (not the mount) until you find something, lock the ra and dec clutches once you have something centered. make sure the ra and dec swithes are pushed to the top, put the speed swith to x2 then switch on, hopefully hey presto it will follow. Thats my rough polar alignment and it works a treat.

[Chubster]

Cheers pro flight....tonight looks good for a go....although I think there is a big tree in polaris's way :?

Chubs

[magician]

The Tree has to go!

Cheers Frank

All in cause of science don't you know,it woudn't have stopped Hershel!