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JR#8
super member
Reged: 08/31/04
Posts: 191
Loc: Edison, NJ
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Hey all, Well now that the wedge is almost finished. Its definatley usable. I'm going to try it tonight. So Heres my ???, Is all that I have to do is set the scope up with the RA and Dec (pointing to north) set to 0 degrees, and Polaris should be dead center? Right! Now is it, true north or magnetic north? Will that be all?? Will there be a star aligment? I know I have to tell the SMT that it will be set up in the EQ MODE. I'm sure that there will be more questions. But I'll most likely post in a new post. This is fun its like sarting all over.
Thanks
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Meade 10 LX200-SMT GPS
Orion ED 80 APO
Solar Filter
Canon Powershot 80
Canon 20D
Tarmon Lens AF28-80,AF70-300
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Skylook123
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/30/05
Posts: 4785
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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Polaris is about 3/4 of a degree away from the NCP, which is at 0 True North, so you'll need to adjust for your local magnetic effects. The necessity is to align the mount's RA (Polar) axis to the NCP; azimuth=0, elevation=<your latitude>.
Back in the dinosaur age, when I had an LX-5 wedge, I would set up the tripod/wedge and eyeball a bolt hole in the top of the plate for the setup. After I got the rough setting and added the OTA, the Meade finder scope had a reticle in it with a ring for locating Polaris at the appropriate spot when the DEC was set to 90 degrees. It was a WHOLE lot easier to set up than my Atlas is.
Good Luck!
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Jim
A Bad Night With A Telescope
Beats A Good Night Doing Anything Else
Tectron 18" Truss Dob/Sky Commander DSCs, "Derrick"
Meade 10" LX-5 SCT/Atlas-G "Ol' Blue Eye"
Orion 90mm refractor,
Meade 10" Starfinder Newt/JMI NGCMax DSCs,
Celestron 10x50 Ultima Pro
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JR#8
super member
Reged: 08/31/04
Posts: 191
Loc: Edison, NJ
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I've followed the directions to the letter 4 times. When it slewed to arcturus. All it did was point to the ground, like it was pointing to the south pole. I know its something I'm doing but what . I have the setting circles set to 0 degrees both RA and DEC. I have polaris centered. The wedge is leveled. I think I have the longitude set right. So I gave up for the night and hopefully it will be clear so I can try again tomorrow. If you know what I'm doing wrong please let me know.
Thanks
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Meade 10 LX200-SMT GPS
Orion ED 80 APO
Solar Filter
Canon Powershot 80
Canon 20D
Tarmon Lens AF28-80,AF70-300
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jrcrilly
Refractor wienie no more
Reged: 04/30/03
Posts: 25206
Loc: NE Ohio
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Quote:
I've followed the directions to the letter 4 times. When it slewed to arcturus. All it did was point to the ground, like it was pointing to the south pole.
That will only happen if it is set to an incorrect initial position. There's probably a photo in the manual showing what this is. Hint - Polaris is nearly 90 degrees away from 0 degrees Dec.
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John C
Urban Observatory
A&M/Astreya 76mm F/6 APO
TMB/LOMO 80mm F/7.5 APO
Tak FSQ-106N F/5 APO
Meade 178ED F/9 "APO"
Meade ETX-125AT
C14
Teeter 20" F/3.8 truss Newt w/ServoCat
NJP, GPDX/SS2KPC, CG5-GT
ST-10XME, DSI Pro
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Skylook123
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/30/05
Posts: 4785
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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Do you need to set the date, time and/or UTC offset anyplace? The wrong sign on the UTC offset or using a 12 hour clock when it needs 24 hour could put Arcturus below the horizon for this time of year.
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Jim
A Bad Night With A Telescope
Beats A Good Night Doing Anything Else
Tectron 18" Truss Dob/Sky Commander DSCs, "Derrick"
Meade 10" LX-5 SCT/Atlas-G "Ol' Blue Eye"
Orion 90mm refractor,
Meade 10" Starfinder Newt/JMI NGCMax DSCs,
Celestron 10x50 Ultima Pro
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JR#8
super member
Reged: 08/31/04
Posts: 191
Loc: Edison, NJ
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Heres a few more things I remembered. I was reading the directions again it said that when pointing to NCP the DEC should read +90. How do I know if this is right. I know in the past I played with the setting circle. How I get it back to where it should be? There is a arrow on the fork arm. How do I know where the NCP in the DEC setting?
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Meade 10 LX200-SMT GPS
Orion ED 80 APO
Solar Filter
Canon Powershot 80
Canon 20D
Tarmon Lens AF28-80,AF70-300
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CounterWeight
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/05/08
Posts: 1305
Loc: PDX chronoplast
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Not sure about the wedge and pointing problem, but you can use the Kochab clock method to get a slightly better PA without any fuss.
Kochab clock PA method
also look here may find useful info...
one of many good sources of info
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 - 
CGE (Frankenmount mod.)
Onyx 80ED, Tak FS-128 #02058, TEC APO160ED #030
CCD: Orion SSPDSCIv2, SSI3, SSAG
diags, ep's, tubes, filters, Binocs
My CN Image Gallery
Experience is a difficult teacher, it gives the test first, and gives the lesson later
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JR#8
super member
Reged: 08/31/04
Posts: 191
Loc: Edison, NJ
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I finally got the alignment down. Centered on Polaris, Slewed way off to Arcturus. I think I lost the RA LOCK (started slewing and it slipped). Maybe to much weight with the ED80. Pointed like it was I would say lake Michagan. I slewed ot to Arcturus and got the alignment succesful. Tried the GOTO (M13)and was off. Tryied to go back to Polaris and it slipped again. and the DEC bottomed out (hit the hard stops). So I just hit the on/off switch and called it a night. I hope I can adjust the RA lock lever. But I'm happy I got the polar thing working. I think the first slip had something to do with it not slewwing all the way to Arcturus. Tomorrow is another nighgt. But Thanks for all help so far, But I'm sure I'm not finished with the questions
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Meade 10 LX200-SMT GPS
Orion ED 80 APO
Solar Filter
Canon Powershot 80
Canon 20D
Tarmon Lens AF28-80,AF70-300
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JR#8
super member
Reged: 08/31/04
Posts: 191
Loc: Edison, NJ
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Set the scope up again and everything went well up until I tried the goto back to Polaris it hit the DEC hard stops again. Can anyone tell me why?
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Meade 10 LX200-SMT GPS
Orion ED 80 APO
Solar Filter
Canon Powershot 80
Canon 20D
Tarmon Lens AF28-80,AF70-300
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