Startrek
25-02-2024, 02:22 PM
As a long time user of Synscan both for visual and imaging , a friend of mine bought a Skywatcher 8” Goto dob a while back which came with a Synscan V5 Handcontroller and manual.
The V5 Synscan menu does not have “Auto Tracking” in the menu nor does the V5 Synscan Manual.
Instead it has an operational feature called Easy Tracking mode where you skip an alignment and allegedly starts a tracking function at the nominated rate , assuming default Sidereal. Easy Tracking is not a sub menu it’s just a feature of the Synscan when you skip the Alignment process.
If you go on the Australian Skywatcher website under manuals , there is a manual for Goto Dobsonian telescopes ( 8” to 16” ) and under Auto tracking Operation is a section which talks about how to set up Synscan Auto tracking. This feature is activated by skipping alignment , go into Set Up menu and find the sub menu Auto Tracking mode. At the rear of the manual is a Az Alt Synscan menu tree which shows where to find the sub menu Auto Tracking feature.
My 12” Goto dob is now 6 years old and I can’t remember whether this Auto Tracking feature is in the menu as I’m not at my dark site at the moment
I think my Synscan version is V3 or V4 , most probably V4.
My question is why doesn’t Skywatcher Australia find the time to update their manuals on their website as it must be very confusing for Newcomers to the hobby
Obviously the later V5 Synscan handcontrollers don’t have the sub menu “ Auto tracking”
They don’t even have “Easy Tracking” in the sub menu , so you have to assume that skipping an alignment causes the scope to start tracking at Sidereal. The only way to check is point to a bright star and see if it tracks the star ?
SW A should really tidy up their documentation or advise the parent company Synta to do the same.
Comments , Experiences , Advice welcome
Martin
The V5 Synscan menu does not have “Auto Tracking” in the menu nor does the V5 Synscan Manual.
Instead it has an operational feature called Easy Tracking mode where you skip an alignment and allegedly starts a tracking function at the nominated rate , assuming default Sidereal. Easy Tracking is not a sub menu it’s just a feature of the Synscan when you skip the Alignment process.
If you go on the Australian Skywatcher website under manuals , there is a manual for Goto Dobsonian telescopes ( 8” to 16” ) and under Auto tracking Operation is a section which talks about how to set up Synscan Auto tracking. This feature is activated by skipping alignment , go into Set Up menu and find the sub menu Auto Tracking mode. At the rear of the manual is a Az Alt Synscan menu tree which shows where to find the sub menu Auto Tracking feature.
My 12” Goto dob is now 6 years old and I can’t remember whether this Auto Tracking feature is in the menu as I’m not at my dark site at the moment
I think my Synscan version is V3 or V4 , most probably V4.
My question is why doesn’t Skywatcher Australia find the time to update their manuals on their website as it must be very confusing for Newcomers to the hobby
Obviously the later V5 Synscan handcontrollers don’t have the sub menu “ Auto tracking”
They don’t even have “Easy Tracking” in the sub menu , so you have to assume that skipping an alignment causes the scope to start tracking at Sidereal. The only way to check is point to a bright star and see if it tracks the star ?
SW A should really tidy up their documentation or advise the parent company Synta to do the same.
Comments , Experiences , Advice welcome
Martin