Skywatcher EQ5 Pro tracking problems

[SuperG]

Hi All

I recently bought an EQ5Pro mount after years of manual mounts including dobs. I cannot get the mount to track in the RA direction much at all; it's as if the tracking is too slow. I can get 5s exposures without star trailing

The manual is next to useless and what I've done is based on intuition. This is what I do (1) Align the N on the tripod to the south (Sydney NSW) (2) Place the scope (celestron 130 newt) and counter weight on and balance. (3) move the mount position to roughly the park position. (5) Align using Hadar and Antares.

There are two levers that seem to lock the mount position into place. I've tried both locked and unlocked and it doesn't seem to make much of a difference.

Please help.

[Shiraz (Ray)]

you need to polar align the mount as well as synch on stars (assume you mean that you use star alignment in a handset?). Drift alignment is the best method, as in the second part of reference below, but also included is a simple method that may get you fairly close https://www.assa.org.au/resources/eq...lar-alignment/

[SuperG]

Hi Shiraz
The link you have has polar alignment in the heading. Without looking, drift alignment sounds like what I must be missing. Will update.

thanks

[raymo]

Firstly, are you making sure that the tripod is level, and secondly, very
importantly, are you pointing the tripod leg at true South, NOT magnetic
South. From memory, I think the difference in Sydney is around 10 or 11 degrees. I think you will find a more comprehensive user's manual on
the manufacturer's website.
raymo