EQ6 help

[morls]

Hi,

Need some very basic advice about setting up an EQ6....

After trying, with limited success, to do a 2 star alignment, a couple of questions have presented themselves....

1) Before starting to attempt alignment with the hand controller, we spent some time slewing around manually. To do this we loosened the locking handles on each axis and swung the scope around. Question is, do we have to return the mount to where it was before we started slewing, before we power up? i.e. does the mount know where it's pointing when powered up, after being re-directed manually, or does it just assume it is in the same position it was the last time it was powered down?

2) The little dials on each axis that give co-ordinates have moved as well. Is this a problem?

So, I suppose we're just trying to find out how to make sure everything is in the right 'base' setting before we move to 2 or 3 star alignment, especially after jumping in and moving everything around a bit without much of an idea of what's going on (gotta admit this is more my fault than my friend's....:P)

Another quick one regarding alignment....Once we get a polar alignment, and then the first star in a 2-star is reasonably close after initial slewing, if the second star is a lot further mis-aligned are we better to start over, going back and trying to point more accurately at SCP, or would it suffice to do a lot of adjustment with the arrow keys to get the second star aligned?

Cheers

Stephen

[Chancellor]

Hi Stephen
The mount will assume that it is in the same position as last time you powered down. (Edit: Ie parked / home) The best thing to do is to park the scope before powering down, that way alignment is a little easier next time you power up.

After setup / balancing / polar alignment I'll manually roughly point to the SCP, then power on and do a three star alignment using the hand controller. Most of the time the first star is quite far off however the second and third can generally be seen with the 12mm eyepiece. I don't think you NEED to have the scope pointed to the SCP but it does make it easier to setup.

As for the setting circles, I am still yet to use them properly so no, I don't think it matters if they move if all you are concerned about is getting the goto working.

If you are in the Blacktown(ish) area and want someone to give you a hand, let me know.

[morls]

Thanks Jeff....

So, assuming we've moved the mount to a different position between powering down and turning back on, what is the best way to 'reset' so we can be sure the mount is actually pointing to where it thinks it is?

[h0ughy]

you start from scratch again, as you have moved it - nothing is ever the same after you move it, unless you have marks and move it exactly back and dont move a single thing

[Chancellor]

You can use the setting circles however I'd suggest that you will not get it THAT spot on. (At least I never could.)
After a few attempts you will see that a 2 or 3 star align will take about two minutes.

I did find http://eq-mod.sourceforge.net/docs/MountHomePosition.pdf useful to find the initial home/park position after setup but could never get things so spot on that another alignment was not needed.

[OzRob]

You will need to power down the mount and return it to the home position before turning it back on again. The home position is where the counter-weights are pointing straight down and the scope is pointing directly south (or north in the northern hemisphere).

[morls]

Ah, this is what I need to know, great :thumbsup:

Thanks everyone for your help!

Cheers

Stephen

[morls]

And thanks for this link too Jeff.....