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Ray,
I don't use the PA assist anyway - I do a 2 star, let it tell me my mean alt and az errors, adjust the mount and keep trying (this is after I use a compass on a 1 metre oak dowel to get CLOSE south, minus the magnetic declination of course - you being in WA would need to add that declination).
I keep doing the 2 star until I get sub-minute alignment. Guiding will usually take care of the rest (especially with a GOOD guide algorithm like MaxIM uses - much "stronger" than PHD's). SOMETIMES I will keep going till I get around 5 seconds out - which is accurate enough for me and PHD will guide that easily too. On average, with the NEQ6 I take 1 iteration (because I can fit the oak dowel through the polar scope hole in the shaft - made a special centring jig), the GPD2 around 4.
Then, I will slew to an opposite horizon star, realign it, use the PAE function, hit enter, and it recomputes the error etc.
NEVER have I used the Polar realignment function since trialling it, because when I did, it was telling me to slew the OPPOSITE direction to what was correct (they still have not remedied this apparently).
I believe either your motor control board is going U/S or the HC is. If it is under 5 years old, and was bought from someone OTHER than Andrew's, Tasco will cover the warranty on it. I have never had an issue with Tasco replacing parts - needed a Dec motor replaced on an HEQ5 and a board on an NEQ6 - all gratis. If it is through Andrew's, I believe you have to send to them, and they deal with it.
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