Skywatcher SynScan version 3.36

[killswitch (Edison)]

Updated the handset to v3.36. I noticed the setup asks for the elevation now. Cant wait to test it out.

Voltage and temp reading is still quite off. The voltage patch lowers the voltage, i need it to read higher.

[cyberblitz]

What on earth do I put in for elevation on the new fw for Synscan? I have know Idea what this is for.

[Robert9 (Robert)]

Originally Posted by cyberblitz

What on earth do I put in for elevation on the new fw for Synscan? I have know Idea what this is for.

This will be your height above sea-level. The higher you are the more you will see around the horizon. Unless you're not in Brisbane, don't need to worry about it. Put in a nominal if figure if needed, say 25m; that will keep the software happy.
Robert

[SkyWatcherMike (Mike)]

Hi guys,

It would be good if anyone would be able to document the changes in behaviour after 3.27.
I would like to raise these issues with Sky-Watchers engineers and see if we can resolve them.

Regards,
Mike - Sky-Watcher Australia.

[AndrewJ]

Gday Mike

Dunno if it helps, but i was playing with 3.27 and getting really odd behaviour at times when it was applying backlash via the Hbx. ( which may explain why other people also had odd behaviour at times )

I loaded 3.36 and "so far" the lash appears to apply properly but can still take some time. What is Odd ( to me ) tho is it appears they have also changed the commands associated with doing "gotos", and that may have something to do with it???
I am still playing with that tho, as no one i have contacted to date even knows about the new commands, but my mount responds to them.

Andrew Johansen Melbourne Australia
( Using an EQ6Pro )

[rustigsmed (Russell)]

Giving 3.36 a proper go tonight... Have been trying to polar align for 45 mins and not even close to having it sorted, frustrating on a clear night. I would be done in 15 mins tops on 3.35... Not liking this aspect of it as we speak ... When in polar align mode it swings really far away from the star and it does the adjustments in a different order.

[Eden (Brett)]

Hi Russell,

What mount are you using? I've been running 3.36 since November and haven't had any hassles with it on my AZEQ6GT so far.

They did change the polar alignment process slightly a couple of versions back, so that the altitude and azimuth adjustments are broken into separate steps. I preferred it the way it was originally, however Skywatcher are claiming that this method is more accurate.

If the polar alignment tool slews a long way from the star, it's a good indication that your starting point with respect to the pole wasn't ideal to begin with. I recommend adjusting the altitude and azimuth of the mount onto the first star when you do a 2 or 3 star alignment, this will give you a reasonably accurate starting point and should prevent the polar alignment tool from having to make as large a correction on either axis.

[Camelopardalis (Dunk)]

My experiences with 3.36 aren't very positive either, I just couldn't eliminate the drift after several hours of trying with my NEQ6. I rolled it back to 3.35 and last weekend I was getting 3+ minute subs relatively easily again (it takes me longer than 15 minutes though), just like the last half a dozen times at the same site.

[rustigsmed (Russell)]

Originally Posted by Eden

Hi Russell,

What mount are you using? I've been running 3.36 since November and haven't had any hassles with it on my AZEQ6GT so far.

They did change the polar alignment process slightly a couple of versions back, so that the altitude and azimuth adjustments are broken into separate steps. I preferred it the way it was originally, however Skywatcher are claiming that this method is more accurate.

If the polar alignment tool slews a long way from the star, it's a good indication that your starting point with respect to the pole wasn't ideal to begin with. I recommend adjusting the altitude and azimuth of the mount onto the first star when you do a 2 or 3 star alignment, this will give you a reasonably accurate starting point and should prevent the polar alignment tool from having to make as large a correction on either axis.

Hi Eden,
This is with an eq8, yes it does indicate that however in 3.35 it didn't matter how far out you are within a few iterations you were ready to roll - user friendly is the name of the game. As when you were asked to adjust the altitude the mount would only move the altitude, then again for azimuth, not both at once which meant that no matter how far off you would end up going through the cross hairs more or less. 3.36 appears to be wanting to save a step that wasn't really a problem in the first place - I don't like that. I will probably go back to 3.35 and wait for a new update as the cone error feature that was introduced sounds promising.