[big-blue]

I have tried out ver 3.36 with my EQ6 a few times now over the past week and I like it.

I had previously tried Ver3.35 but Polar Alignment (PA) seemed erratic and did not converge on multiple re-tries during a night. (noting I pack my gear away every evening hence start from scratch each time) Also the erratic to-fro slewing at the end of go-to annoyed me too much, so I reverted to the reliable ver3.27 and made-do without PA. Until now. The latest 3.36 seems to give me the reliability of 3.27 plus star-based PA.

I also like the way this new 3.36 release seems to have separated cone error correction from PA. Conceptually, 2-star alignment on the same side of the meridian should provide an accurate figure of PA error, which then becomes the target for the software-assisted PA routine via handbox. Then the 3rd star on the other side of the meridian works out the cone error & consequent correction required, but leaves PA error unaltered. I tested PA using 2 vs 3-star alignment in 3.36, and the results were much more consistent for the reported PA error to correct. Though of course only 3-star provided the additional cone error correction.

I am a visual observer and appreciate accurate go-to to find the faint stuff. Ver 3.36 seems more consistently accurate for go-to, maybe because cone error is better handled.

Once I go thru a full PA routine, I also find tracking to be much better than before. I have left an object tracking in a 20' eyepiece field, and found it still there after 3 hours. Which tells me the ver3.36 PA routine now resolves much more accurately than with the prior ver3.35.

Hopefully it all continues to work as well as the seasons change, and different alignment stars are used...

cheers