Re EQ8:
The altitude adjustment has a big helical? gear with the shaft poking out the side.
A short bar handle is placed on the shaft so you can turn it.
It is very hard to turn and the mount can jump past where you want it.
To solve this problem, I found a piece of pipe about 600mm long to fit over the handle. This made it a bit easier to turn accurately.
The azimuth adjustment screws are a very coarse thread. It only takes a turn of a few degrees of the knob to make a big change.
I did get it right in the end, and the tracking error fell well inside the accepted norms.
Did you ease off the locking screws on the altitude axis? I've found the altitude adjustment to be fine on my EQ8. It is also easier to start low in altitude and increase rather than go the other way.
I use PHD 'drift align'. It works just fine.
I am only using the SynScan hand control for Initialisation and Alignment.
Hi Pete
Yes, the locking screws where only lightly applied.
I even used 'nickel anti seize' on all bolts.
In retrospect, I would treat initial polar align as a full nights work, or a job in itself, upon receiving a new mount.
Such that there is no pressure to begin imaging.
I could even consider removing the main scope to reduce weight, leaving only the guide scope in place during this process.
I know they come at a not insignificant cost (Though they do show up secondhand regularly) but I am very sold on the Polemaster or any similar camera based alignment routine, followed if you want to dial it in very finely, a check with the PHD2 drift align routine. Just about everyone I know (Me included) who drift aligns with PHD2 has had one of those nights when you just seem to chase yourself around in circles endlessly, and before you know it, the night is done, the chosen target has gone out of sight or the clouds roll in! (I have most certainly been there)
Camera based polar alignment is literally a godsend. I don't think I would ever go back to drift alignment except in the case of commissioning a permanently installed mount when you know it is worth the time investment to get it really spot on and you should not be pushing to get data first night out.
