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Russell
Set up your mount in this order
1/ level tripod
2/ tripod front leg centre axis facing True south
4/ install mount
5/ Set home position on mount
6/ Balance mount
Here’s procedure 5 and 6 below
How to set Home Position on your Telescope Mount
1/ Level your tripod pointing to the SCP
2/ Install the mount head and ensure the counterweight shaft is pointing down towards the south tripod leg
3/ Set you Altitude on the mount using the altitude adjusting bolts to the latitude of your current location
4/ Ensure the Azimuth bolts are equally spaced each side of the mount and tighten ( finger tight only )
5/ Do not install the counterweights yet
6/ Stand behind the mount looking south , release the RA clutch and rotate the mount anti clockwise until the counterweight shaft is level . Use a bubble float level to check and then lock the RA clutch
7/ Release the RA clock ring and rotate it anticlockwise until the pointer reaches 6.00 (18.00) don’t tighten up yet
8/ Unlock the RA clutch and rotate the RA axis back to the home position and lick it when the pointer reaches 12.00. Lock the RA clutch
9/ Unlock the Dec clutch and rotate the Dec axis until the saddle is exactly level .Check with a bubble float level then lock the Dec clutch
10/ Release the Dec clock ring and rotate it until it lines up with the pointer at 90 deg. Don’t tighten up yet
11/ Unlock the Dec clutch and rotate it anti clockwise until “0” on the Dec lock ring lines up with the pointer then lock the Dec clutch
12/ The Mount should be now in the “Home Position”
13/ Rotate both RA and Dec clock rings so the pointer lines up with “0” and screw down the clock rings
14/ You are now ready to install your counterweights and balance your telescope
Balancing Your Telescope
Ensure telescope is set in the “Home Position” before you balance
Also ensure all equipment and cabling is installed on your telescope and mount ready to observe or image
Start with balancing Dec axis first
Dec Balancing
1/ Release the Dec clutch and rotate the telescope so it is horizontal and parallel to the ground, then carefully see which way it tilts.Telescope should sit level if balanced
2/ Adjust if necessary by locking the Dec clutch, loosen the tube rings and slide the telescope forward or backward as required and retighten tube rings.
3/Check Dec balance again by releasing Dec clutch and rotate telescope to the horizontal position to check if it sits level.
4/ Repeat adjustments until telescope is freely sitting level then return to home position and lock Dec clutch
5/Release the RA clutch and rotate the mount so that the counterbalance shaft is level and parallel to the ground then lock the RA clutch
6/ Unlock the Dec clutch and rotate the telescope so it is level and parallel to the ground then lock the Dec clutch. If you viewed from above you would see the letter “T” formed by the mount and telescope
7/ Now unlock the Dec clutch while holding the telescope and see if it tilts to one side or the other.Lock the Dec clutch and loosen the tube rings and slide the telescope forward or backward as required then retighten tube rings
8/ Repeat adjustments until the telescope is freely sitting level and parallel to the ground and then retighten Dec clutch. Dec is now balanced in horizontal position.
9/ Now release the Dec clutch and rotate the telescope in the vertical position whilst holding it. If it falls one way or the other you must balance in the vertical position by locking the Dec clutch , loosening the tube rings and rotating the telescope clockwise or counterclockwise , tightening the tube rings and then unlocking the Dec clutch until it remains stationary in the vertical position
10/ Repeat adjustments until the telescope sits freely in the vertical position then rotate the telescope to the horizontal position level or parallel to ground. The telescope should now be balanced in Dec at both horizontal and vertical position
Leave the telescope locked in the horizontal position ready for RA balancing
RA Balancing
1/ Unlock the RA clutch whilst holding the telescope to see if the telescope falls down or lifts up
Move the counter balance weights up or down the shaft as required to ensure the telescope is balanced level parallel to the ground. Adjust as required and lock the RA clutch
2/ Now you need to make the telescope slightly “East Heavy” by moving the counterweights down the shaft a bit so the balancing is slightly in favour of the counterweights. Lock the RA clutch
3/ The telescope should now be balanced in Dec and RA so unlock the RA and Dec and return the telescope to the home position and lock both clutches
Cheers
Martin
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