.34" total guiding error!!! I saw it briefly hit .29" for short periods. Later in the evening, after a couple dithers, I started getting spikes in the DEC which increased the total error values to around .8 to 1.2. :( >sigh< I double-checked to see if there were any cable snags and I didn't really encounter any problems or issues so I decided it was a balance issue. Eventually, I had to do a meridian flip. And the strange DEC spikes occurred again which challenges my assertion that it was a balance issue.
It still might have been the USB cables coming from the guider and the camera. The cables do stiffen up as temps drop and though it seemed fine, there might have been just enough tension to cause issues. I really need to place a USB hub on the dual dovetail. I also need to run some power to the hub.
When I pointed the camera/lens combo to NGC 3343 (which is located in the north), I decided NOT to recalibrate and it guided well. The previous session, I had decided to calibrate before shooting north and I got a warning message to not use a calibration that was so far from the Meridian. When I did calibrate, my guiding ranged from .6" to 1.2" which sorta sucks considering I was pointing so far to the north.
So, my working thesis is that one shouldn't recalibrate if shooting to the extreme north. I assume this applies to the south as well.
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