Telescope Reviews: Improving SkyScout Accuracy

I've scanned a couple of pages of posts, and couldn't find anything on this topic, but forgive me if this has been covered.

I have had a SkyScout for about a month now. Sometimes it's dead on accurate, sometimes it is inaccurate to where the object is just out of the FOV, sometimes it is way off. I had a running email conversation and have come up with a few things to make using it more consistently accurate, and it probably addresses most of the complaints I've read about the SkyScout.

There are two references that the SkyScout uses to find the location of an object. One is the magnetic reference that determines the direction and angle the device is pointed, and the other is GPS to determine the location.

Making the first reference happy is the easiest. Avoid any metal objects that will throw it off. And, pay attention to the warning on the device screen.

The GPS issue is a little bit more complicated. The GPS is used for location AND time. It turns out, the unit does not have it's own internal clock, so time freezes when GPS signal is lost. Also, the device likes to have a GOOD GPS signal. I have not determined the specifics, but it appears to me that it wants 12 sats in view.

Now, this can be somewhat "fixed". You can put your location in (look it up on Google maps), and the time. When inputting the time, put your local time/date, then the offset from UTC, and it'll calculate for you (adjust for DST as needed). Now, you should be close to accurate. There will be rounding errors, since you only get to put in degrees and minutes, and hours and minutes, AND (at least I can't find it) you can't enter elevation. Those will cause an error, and is probably the quoted accuracy of the device. BUT, before you use it on the next object, IF you don't have GPS signal, update the time. Also, use as accurate a time source as you can (cellphone).

If the device goes off, it remembers the last location, and maybe the last time, so all you should have to do is update the time, unless you move to a new location.

Hope this helps anyone who has been frustrated in using the SkyScout. I find it to be a fascinating piece of equipment. I use is as a go-to guide.

David

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Sky-Watcher GreatStart 114N-EQ2
Galileoscope
Stellar diagonal w/ helical focuser w/ OPT Barlow
OPT diagonal (w/ Barlow)
20mm OPT Plossl
Sony P71 w/OPT Camera Adapter
Photo tripod
Nikon Action 10x50 binoculars
Dakota 8x32 binoculars (focus is now broken)
(Old Edu-Toys scope to use for something else -
well, now it's just a tube!)