EQ6 mount SynScan hand controller has frozen

I have got a EQ6 Mount with a SynScan handcontroller. I was using it as
last night and the hand controller stop working.It is just shows a
blank LED that is still lit up. There must be a simple answer?

Secondly
Once I have turned off the power on the hand controller all of the data
except the longitude & lat setting is lost. Is this normal?

"Barking BOB" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have got a EQ6 Mount with a SynScan handcontroller. I was using it as
last night and the hand controller stop working.It is just shows a
blank LED that is still lit up. There must be a simple answer?


The Yahoo EQ6/Atlas G Users' Group,

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EQ6/

is a fantastic resource for everything one would ever need to know about
these mounts, and the membership list is very quick to assist in solving
problems or answereing questions. The files list is a treasure trove of
helps and guides for using the mount:

The blank LED screen is typical of low power to the mount. Either the power
source dropped below the demand of the system, such as low battery, or the
power cord itself became unseated at the mount head (not uncommon; it needs
to be fully set in the socket, and sometimes it can back out a bit), or, if
the cigar/cigarette plug is used at the power source, the one that comes
with the mount has been known to be touchy in getting a good seat.


Secondly
Once I have turned off the power on the hand controller all of the data
except the longitude & lat setting is lost. Is this normal?


Unfortunately, yes. If it is trained in PEC, and the PARK function is used
prior to power removal, it will remember the PEC settings in the hand
controller, but if the power is removed without being in PARK (such as an
unplanned power fluctuation for whatever reason), the PEC training is lost.

Other than PEC save while in PARK, only the latitude and longitude entered
during Setup is remembered if power is removed. If multiple setups are run
without power removal, each of the settings are remembered unless it is
chosen for update during that Setup. This becomes useful if doing an
iterative method of enhancing polar alignment, or improving GOTO accuracy by
using a 1-star alignment on a bright star near the DSO target of choice.
One other unfortunate limitation in the current SynScan controller is the
absence of a sync function, so star alignments are the only way to tell the
controller where the mount is pointed. Sync is one of the improvements
we're hoping for in the new hand controller now in beta testing, promised
for release later this year. Check out the Yahoo group for a wealth of help
and information.

Jim

Skylook123 wrote:
"Barking BOB" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have got a EQ6 Mount with a SynScan handcontroller. I was using it as
last night and the hand controller stop working.It is just shows a
blank LED that is still lit up. There must be a simple answer?


The Yahoo EQ6/Atlas G Users' Group,

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EQ6/

is a fantastic resource for everything one would ever need to know about
these mounts, and the membership list is very quick to assist in solving
problems or answereing questions. The files list is a treasure trove of
helps and guides for using the mount:

The blank LED screen is typical of low power to the mount. Either the power
source dropped below the demand of the system, such as low battery, or the
power cord itself became unseated at the mount head (not uncommon; it needs
to be fully set in the socket, and sometimes it can back out a bit), or, if
the cigar/cigarette plug is used at the power source, the one that comes
with the mount has been known to be touchy in getting a good seat.


Secondly
Once I have turned off the power on the hand controller all of the data
except the longitude & lat setting is lost. Is this normal?


Unfortunately, yes. If it is trained in PEC, and the PARK function is used
prior to power removal, it will remember the PEC settings in the hand
controller, but if the power is removed without being in PARK (such as an
unplanned power fluctuation for whatever reason), the PEC training is lost.

Other than PEC save while in PARK, only the latitude and longitude entered
during Setup is remembered if power is removed. If multiple setups are run
without power removal, each of the settings are remembered unless it is
chosen for update during that Setup. This becomes useful if doing an
iterative method of enhancing polar alignment, or improving GOTO accuracy by
using a 1-star alignment on a bright star near the DSO target of choice.
One other unfortunate limitation in the current SynScan controller is the
absence of a sync function, so star alignments are the only way to tell the
controller where the mount is pointed. Sync is one of the improvements
we're hoping for in the new hand controller now in beta testing, promised
for release later this year. Check out the Yahoo group for a wealth of help
and information.

Jim

Barking BOB wrote:
I have got a EQ6 Mount with a SynScan handcontroller. I was using it as
last night and the hand controller stop working.It is just shows a
blank LED that is still lit up. There must be a simple answer?

Secondly
Once I have turned off the power on the hand controller all of the data
except the longitude & lat setting is lost. Is this normal?

Hi:

Yes, that's normal.

As for the main problem. It could be a number of things, but the first
thing to check is connections, power and hand controller. And you're
using a sufficient power source, right? This mount sucks up batteries
in a hurry.

Finally, yes, join the Yahoo EQ6 group...they will for sure get you
straightened out.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of:
Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope
and
The Urban Astronomer's Guide
http://skywatch.brainiac.com/astroland
The Annual SCT User Imaging Contest is Underway!
http://www.rothritter.com/contest/2006/