basic setup procedures

[prefetch]

since i'm new, and i'm spending a lot of time reading and trying to understand the process, i thought i'd make a quick list of my understanding of how to use this mount.  i'm wondering if anyone can tell me if this sounds right, or if you use a different method for setup.

 

during the day:

- rough balance

- tune PID via auto and/or manual

- fine balance (multi-position, multi-axis)

 

at night:

- rough polar align

- make 4 star pointing file for polar alignment on east or west side

- calculate configuration

- polar adjust (using the knobs)

- clear configuration

- use sequence, theskyx, maximdl, pinpoint to make an automated big (10-20?) star pointing file

 

and then something about MPLT which i'll figure out after i get everything else working...

 

here are the documents i'm using to figure this out:

david kopacz tutorial

this tutorial i found

the DDM85 manual

 

[Jay]

I would do the balancing as perfect as possible before trying to do the (final) tuning part. Luckily it can all be done during the day...

 

There is a very handy automated 3 star polar align routine in the Autoslew Sequence.You can get a quite accurate polar alignment even with that. 

 

 

EDIT: meant to say Sequence not Autoslew

Edited March 19, 2014 by Jay

[w0mbat]

Hi,

I am pretty new to all this too. I found the ASA document "Autoslew 5.1.0.0, Additional Information" very helpful. Particularly for its description of the "three star same declination" polar alignment routine. I found it easier to do this manually. I thus avoided having to learn/understand Sequence at this early stage.

Ian

[prefetch]

thanks for the tip ian.  here's that doc: http://www.astrosysteme.at/images/Autoslew-News_E.pdf

 

it looks like the 'examples' in the back are really useful.

 

i spent most of the day today messing around with ascom drivers and trying to get sequence, autoslew, maximdl and theskyx all talking to each other and playing nice.  seems like everything is working now, but i won't know for sure for another 5 hours when it gets dark!