Ian, you might like to review this thread also :
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=20072
In particular thread #8.
I too can not see the SCP from where my scope resides. A three star align on its own will not serve you well. You will need to be reasonably close to the SCP even if you can not see it, for a three star alignment to be of any particular use. Use the goto feature of your mount to allow you to set it to the SCP, you will find that you need no compas or protractor or anything else; Just a knowledge of your Latitude, Longitude, the date and siderial time and be able to both see and Identify the object you sellect for your goto. It works and it works well. The EQ6's goto is as accurate as the polar alignment. It follows that its goto can therefore give you accurate alignment.
Hope this helps you out as it has helped me.