Hello everyone!
I tried to do guiding with my first EQ mount (iOptron CEM26) and from very beginning PHD2 was showing me pretty bad graph.
First thing I did was asking for help in several forums. I did everything they advised me:
- leveling with external bubble levels
- balancing
- cables management
- higher exposure for guide camera
- I did PA as good as I can by using drift alignment (Polaris is behind the wall)
- dew is not an issue. I just don't have it. Maybe because shooting from my balcony
- wind is also not an issue because setup is surrounded with walls
- tried guiding assistant and applied suggestions
All this was done several times from the beginning and I think it didn't change anything.
Also I tried to reduce the backlash on DEC by loosing and tightening gear meshing. Nothing changed.
Last 6 months hobby gave me more headache rather than fun so I'm close to the point where I would like to sell my setup and forget
about it.
My scope weights around 12 lbs with DSLR and guide scope. Maximum load capacity for this mount is 26 lbs exclude counterweight.
At first I was thinking that my scope is too heavy for this mount but one of the owners of cem25p said that his scope is 17 lbs
and I saw his graph and pictures. They are fine.
Another example. The guy is shooting from balcony like me. He just took his mount and placed it on the same spot without doing any PA.
And even with such rough approach his "target" window was showing that star is always within 0.5.
I'm asking to take look at my logs and give me your opinion. Is this mount dead on arrival and I should do refund or everything is fine ?
My thoughts. It has periodic errors on RA and backlash on DEC.
Logs:
Since I have limited field of view maximum session length is 2 hours.
Thank you very much for your time!