Ken,
It's a real shame you aren't enjoying success with your DSLR. I know what it's like, have only just started getting back to somewhat successful imaging myself. All I can suggest is to start at the basics of basics and move up from there. After 8 months of no CCD imaging I jumped in to where I was back in January before my scope died, and didn't have any fun. Now having started back at a more basic level of expectations and method I have started enjoying it again and started getting some average results again.
Having said that, your images aren't so bad if you consider what they might have been 5 years ago. Take
this shot from 2003 for example. I had one (can't find it now) of NGC 253 which looked about the same or worse from the same time. Don't be too hard on yourself.
Roger.