Hi Debbie: --- astrodeb@charter.net wrote:
That is why I got a GEM mount. It is much easier to balance. I have one question for Chuck. When you say the gears should be working uphill, do you mean towards the telescope side or towards the counterweight side?
If you can't achieve precise balance: Telescope side should be slightly heavy when looking west of the meridian, counterweight side when looking east of the meridian. The load should always be against the direction of rotation. When the telescope isn't "working" against the gears, it's acting as a governor, not a drive, and it was not designed to do this. The result can be erratic tracking if the mount is loaded to near it's limit or was designed poorly from the outset. _______________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Express yourself with Y! Messenger! Free. Download now. http://messenger.yahoo.com