PoleMaster Problems??

[issdaol]

Hi All,

Recently purchased PoleMaster to assist with Polar Alignment of Takahashi EM400.

I have followed many of the instructions shown on another thread on the forum but cannot seem to get a template match for Octans.

Tripod and Mount are as close to perfectly flat as can be measured with a quality bubble level.

Did a rough alignment with compass and digital inclinometer and with Kunama's help got to a close alignment using the PAS.

Attached Polemaster with USB port on right hand side (seen when facing the mount from the front).

With some trial and error worked out that the Mac version does not work properly for Retina and the screen does not refresh. QHYCCD are working on a fix so borrowed a windows 10 laptop.

Connect to the Polemaster set Exposure to 200 and gain to 90.

With the mount already so close to alignment expected to see stars around the pole region very easily from my dark site.

However very few stars appear and none that conform to the Template Match that is in the PoleMaster routine.

In fact Kunama can make out more visually (including Octans) than show up on the PoleMaster App.

Is this perhaps a faulty PoleMaster Camera ...that is less sensitive than others??? Or too much stray light from Laptop Screen ???

Any Help/Pointers would be appreciated !!!

Or perhaps if someone close to Canberra has a PoleMaster they can bring out for a comparison to confirm a faulty Camera!?!?

Cheers

[Atmos]

I can bring one up in Feb :) I use one in Melbournes northern suburbs and I can see the Octans in the south. Sometimes I think it may be easier with more light pollution as the Octans stand out more :)

[Rigel003]

Is it possible that you are seeing only hot pixels rather than stars? If you make a manual adjustment to your dec or ra do they move in the field?

[Atmos]

I've also always had the USB port on the left had side when facing the mount. Not sure how much difference it makes but I've had no problems with it.

[issdaol]

It could very well be just hot pixels....as the positions did not seem to move......although when we directed a green laser at Octans you could see the beam .....so perhaps there is a problem with this camera??

How clear is everyone else getting star images with their pole master ?? Under what lighting/seeing??

[RKenning]

Focus. I had the same problem. Heaps of pixels and no stars. Unscrew the lens barrel and cap. You will find a grub screw that needs to be loosened-focus the lens- then tighten the grub screw.

[glend]

Return it if you recently purchased it and ask for your money back based on it being defective, Don't put up with it. There is now a no cost alternative - Sharpcap PA which is software only and works with just about any camera and takes just a few minutes to align with a few arc seconds based on internal plate solving - no internet connection required as it contains an internal star map.

[DJT]

Hi Phil

You should be able to see clear stars with those settings. I didn't have any issues with mine and could see Octans clearly. As Robert suggested, try the focus grub screw

[issdaol]

Looks like a good tool.......unfortunately it will still cost money.....as I don't do any AP work so would have to invest in a Cam which is likely to cost more than Pole Master anyway!!

[issdaol]

Thanks gents.....will try focus and see if that makes a difference.

Now I just need to borrow another windows laptop again !! LoL

Also looks like it's going to be cloudy over Xmas so may have to wait anyway!!

[glend]

For visual only users, it will work with any usb webcam that can be inserted into your focuser and where you have a 2 degree field of view, cost would probably be less than 1/3 the cost of Polemaster (which is about $268 USD, or $370 AUD).

But if you are keen to persevre with Polemaster fair enough, but it makes sense for some readers.

[issdaol]

Thanks :-) Will try the focus on PoleMaster first and if that does not work then will look into this.

[dpastern]

Have you seen this video tutorial?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_LgUFZLqIM&index=23&

Dave

[issdaol]

Have not seen this particular video.......but I can certainly say that my "stars" are no where near showing like that screen .....if they were I would have been done very quickly.

Also my PoleMaster seems to be a different looking Camera than what is in that video.

[NorthernLight]

I tried my Santa delivered Polemaster last night and had the exact same issue. Good that I read this post beforehand ��. Focusing took me 30sec and it worked beautifully. That is until the clouds rolled in....
They shouldn't write it on the box though that every unit is properly focused at the factory. Mine was out by a million miles. But due it's large FOV I could hand hold it pointing at Canopus and focus on that. Easy.

[issdaol]

Wouldn't you know it........Clouds...Rain....Clouds.. ......grrr will have to wait to test this out now !!

[Kunama]

NYE is the first clear evening at the Yass Astronomical Observatory !!!!
But then you might not be in a fit state to operate a telescope............

[issdaol]

Happy New Year All ! :-)

So a quick update.......Cloud Free Nights showed that it was going to be a clear night last night so Matt and I went out to test the focus theory with a borrowed Mac Book Air (thanks Jen ! :-) )

Connected up ok and loosened of the grub screw changed focus a fair bit and no improvement.....all we were seeing were hot pixels.

However Matt continued to adjust the focus and then a very blurred image showed up.....the focus was so far off that it was virtually at the extreme end of adjustment !!

Finally got a good clear image and immediately Octans was clearly & easily identifiable !! :-)

Locked down the focus and followed the Polemaster instructions....it was very easy and quick to complete both the rough and fine polar alignments :-)

Fired up the mount and synced on a star and away we went.......big difference from then on.....

All GOTO's were centre of field (using Tak EM400 and SkyFi with SkySafari 5) and I could walk away to look through Matts Big Dob and come back 15-20 minutes later and they were still centre of field :-)

So all is good and the PoleMaster worked very well....

Only thing of note is that we could not believe how far out the Focus was.......supposedly they are focused at the Factory then shipped out??

Given the way the focus is locked down and the packing its hard to see how this could have been so far out?? unless they are not focused at the factory at all or mine way one that was missed.....

But now haps yo say the PoleMaster is Highly Recommended as it does the job as advertised (in fact easier than the instructions imply).

Also support from Theo locally was excellent so recommended to buy from him in Melbourne and thanks to other IIS members for all the help and suggestions along the way ! :-)

[Atmos]

Glad you got yours working, I've found that I can walk away from my mount for an hour at 200x and it'll still be in FOV even with my lowly HEQ5 :P No idea why yours was so far out of focus though, maybe focused on the ceiling in the factory instead of the stars :lol:

[Fernando]

Dear all,

I am in Brasil and just got a Polemaster that I may be (depending on clouds and rain...) using for the first time this coming weekend. I am kind of antecipating that mine may be also out of focus.

Can someone attach a picture where on the Polemaster I have to do the focus ajustment? My mount is in the countryside and I do not have internet out there.

Thanks in advance,

Fernando

[Kunama]

Hello Fernando,
Once you have installed everything and turned on the camera, point it at a bright star and watch your computer screen. You may see a few hot pixels.
if the stars aren't in focus you will need to adjust the focus. We just handheld the camera while pointing it at Sirius to focus it. Once your focus is close you can refit it to the mount and fine tune the focus.

There is a small grub screw on the side of the lens part, loosen this with the allen key provided with the Polemaster and turn the knurled rings around the lens counterclockwise if looking at the lens from the front. We needed at least ten full rotations to get the focus correct.

[dpastern]

Ah I'm glad it's sorted out, and OOF camera duly noted for when I get a qhy polemaster in the semi distant future.

Dave

[Fernando]

Thanks Matt. I will follow your instructions (depending on the sky conditions...)

Regards, Fernando