The KISS principle
I've been fiddling with my scope(s) for years, trying this and that, never really happy with the result, that's if I got as far as checking for a result! Usually I'd be half way through one idea when another idea would rise from the depths and take priority over everything else! A shed full of half finished mounts, equatorial tables, and who knows what else. The money I've wasted! If I'd stuck with the original 8" Dobsonian, everything might have worked out fine, but not this idiot!
I've had the dream of hooking my scope up to the laptop with stepper motors, bought Mel Bartels system, couldn't get the motors to go fast enough without stalling (yes, I tried flywheels). Motors screaming when tracking! Never finding the object in the eyepiece after slewing. I've tried the Bartel system over and over without any real success. I gave up the drink years ago, so thank God I never got to the point of sorting out PEC problems!
But today, this idiot tried something different!
Months ago I visited Rob Willet's website
http://settingcircles.robertwillett.com:8000/ and managed to produce some setting circles with verniers, got them printed and laminated, and then, of course, sat them on a shelf while I pursued other ideas! Today I ripped the stepper motors off the 10" dob, all the cables and other bits and pieces, and fitted the setting circles and verniers. I also installed some red LED lights to read the verniers by. Set up the laptop by the scope, running HNSKY, and waited for dusk to fall.
As soon as I found Venus I calibrated the setting circles, and started to look for stars in the twilight.
Amazing! Every single star I looked for finished up in my new 18mm eyepiece! I was finding stars that were still invisible because of the twilight. When it got dark, the results were spectacular! Dialling up object after object, always in the eyepiece. I've seen things I've never seen before, just by using a simple system of setting circles. I've checked out NGC objects that have just been numbers until now. M1 clear as a bell, center of field, first time.
I didn't have to re-calibrate once. The LED lights need some re-positioning and some guards to reduce glare, but essentially, it's all systems go.
I now have one Bartell system for sale! I'll hang on the finder scopes, but I didn't use them once tonight, no need!
And for anyone thinking high tech is the only way to go, think twice! Setting circles are going to be a new way of life for me. Keep It Simple, Stupid! Save a lot of money, save a lot of time, do some actual star gazing!
Chris