Trouble with goto

[Visionoz (Bill)]

Perhaps try resetting the handcontroller to "factory defaults" - in fact after a firmware upgrade it's always a good idea to do so, IMHO

HTH
Cheers
Bill

[Strawb (Dave)]

Nope - no joy after factory reset and Longitude requires all 5 characters to be inserted in order to continue the setup.Thing I cant understand is that the thing knows where the first star is - the alt/az info on the handset is correct - just the second star is way off

[Liz]

Fingers crossed that it will get a new lease of life when the firmware is updated, see ya about 6.15 Dave, and thank you.

[DavidU (Dave)]

SynScan(TM) EQ-Mode Firmware (Ver.03.27) Release Note
Date: Jan. 6, 2010


TELESCOPE SUPPLIERS - SKY-WATCHER TELESCOPE


1. Fix the bug in the SAO catalog regarding disabling the key-pressed slewing. Problem: Unable to drive and slew the telescope with the directional keys after browsing the SAO catalog. Result: The directional keys are properly activated after browsing the SAO catalog.

2. Fix the bug in the User Object coordinate editing. Problem: In the User Object function, under RA-Dec format, when the user enters an object with a declination angle between 0 and -1 degree the value becomes positive after the coordinates are saved. This causes GoTo pointing inaccuracy. Result: The user-entered coordinates are saved properly.

3. Fix the error in the database of NGC, IC catalogs. Problem: In the NGC and IC catalogs, the coordinates of the objects located between 0 and -1 degree in declination always read as positive. This causes GoTo pointing inaccuracy. Result: The coordinates are read as their true values.

[renormalised (Carl)]

That's definitely a software fault. What it sounds like it's doing is computing Alpha, then when you go to try an alignment on Canopus, the software then seems to think the telescope should be pointing north, so it takes 180 degrees off the alt-az for Canopus and slews the scope around to that point. It's almost like it suddenly forgets where its pointing and then decides it should slew to the north. Try aligning with northern stars only and see what happens. If it aligns OK, then there's something buggy with it recognising the Sth Hemisphere. But if it does the same thing as before, then it must be getting north and south mixed up.

What I'd do is get the firmware previous to the version you now have, wipe the controller chip clean and install the old version, then add the latest version of the firmware, skipping the version that's in there, now. It's obviously screwy to the point of being nearly unusable.

[GeoffW1 (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by Liz

Fingers crossed that it will get a new lease of life when the firmware is updated,

Hmmm, sounds like a good idea for me too.

Cheers

[Strawb (Dave)]

Lined up accurately on Alpha Cent - the machine decided on Vega as the next star so I let it do that - 180 out and then when the machine asked me to centre Vega I did - all 180 degrees back and it accepted this with a quick flash of 'recalculating' and then was all good.Dialed up Antares as one in between the alignment pair and slewed straight to it direct and centred in the EP. Tried it on a few others and all good so back to Antares and tracked for over an hour with no probs.

Still couldnt update the firmware though

[Andy Walters (Andy)]

Please note your 'scope is an Alt/Az design, you should point it level and NORTH before you do two star align.
Andy.

[renormalised (Carl)]

Originally Posted by Andy Walters

Please note your 'scope is an Alt/Az design, you should point it level and NORTH before you do two star align.
Andy.

Yes, but it should have a N/S switch so you can align with the SCP as well, unless it doesn't have one. In which case, you have to align with the N all the time, before you do any star alignment.

[Strawb (Dave)]

Unfortunately I cannot find any such reference method. We had success by the method noted before however we aren't satisfied that we have found the problem. There doesn't seem to be a reference point with which to align to either pole - if you park it at 'home position' and then set up on that it still goes the wrong way. You can park it at zero altitude and the scope is infact 20 deg. All rather confusing.

[Andy Walters (Andy)]

I've used Synscan Alt/Az on my tracking dob, no reference to N/S, just make home position pointed north and level.
Andy.

[Liz]

Have now got the scope back home, so will give it a go tonight, weather permitting.
Will do that Andy.

cloudy + cloudy = cloudy : (