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Hey Mike! Long time no hear ... I hope you are doing well.? So - you can use EasyTrack. But that too involves alignment (the NCP).? The best way is to have it set up the night before - if possible. If you are out for several nights if you just leave the AN aligned from the first night - and on - you can continue to do things like daytime finding of Venus (CAUTION re the SUN!) - possibly Jupiter(?).? Otherwise indeed you can do a daytime alignment. I have a procedure to do this - detailed below.? Before you do this you have to
-make sure the encoder signs are correct on the Argo Navis -make sure the encoders are reading properly on the Argo Navis (go to MODE ENCODER, enter, move scope around and confirm encoders always change as you are moving, especially in ALT where it is more often an issue)
-have programmed your location/date/time accurately in the Argo Navis
-have access to a planetarium program that accurately reflects your
location/date/time
-know what your latitude is (roughly is all that is needed)
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Point north and straight up (this assumes the ALT REF value is
+90.0).
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Turn on ServoCAT and Argo Navis.
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Confirm the beep comes from Argo Navis, ServoCAT red DSC led is
blinking
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Push ENTER to get into the mode FIX ALT REF and ENTER again to accept the
value.
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Push EXIT and the turn the dial to MODE ENCODER, ENTER.
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The right hand readout is the ALT and reads +90.00 ¨C move the ALT axis down
until the value equals your LATitude as programmed in your LOCATION
setting
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Push EXIT and turn the dial to MODE ALIGN STAR, ENTER
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Turn the dial backwards until you see Polaris, ENTER
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Push EXIT and turn the dial to MODE ENCODER, ENTER.
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Using a planetarium program that is properly set for your location and your
date and time find a second star? that is up at this time ¨C
a bright one.
Using the program determine what the stars ALT and AZ value is (most if not all
will show you the ¡®info¡¯ related to an object and in that is the ALT/AZ values).
Write this down.
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Now move the scope in AZ and in ALT to give you those positions on the
encoders. A rough alignment is usually fine ¨C i.e. within a degree of each.
Don¡¯t wait too long from when you get the position above and when you go to it.
If it is more than a minute or so you can go back and confirm the ALT/AZ value
again.
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Push EXIT, turn the dial to MODE ALIGN STAR, ENTER
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Find this star, when found hit ENTER.
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Push EXIT, turn the dial to MODE CATALOG, hit ENTER several times until you
get the GUIDE values for this star.?
Confirm the red DSC light on the front panel of the ServoCAT is now solid on. If so it is now tracking.? You can if you want move away from the last (2nd) star by say 10 or 20¡ã in one or both axes .... then with the axes engaged hit the GOTO and it should go back to the same location as indicated in the GUIDE number on the Argo Navis (less than 0.05¡ã).?
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This completes the daytime alignment.?
? ------ Original Message ------
From "mm Bars" <mmbars@...>
Date 9/3/2022 1:04:03 PM
Subject [ServoCAT] Initiate tracking without 2 star alignment? There are time where it would be nice to initiate tracking, for example early evening when viewing the moon, before any alignment stars are visible with my AN/SC setup? ?One method I have thought about is too roughly estimate the position of Polaris then guess the position of another alignment star. ?Even if only fair tracking was achieved, it would still be helpful. ?Does anyone have another method. |
