Problem(s) Encountered:

Maxim DL failed to connect to the guide camera, but a restart of mdmikon1 resolved this problem. After acquiring a guide star using JSkyCalc and exposing the frame in the Guide window of Maxim DL, we began tracking. After about 30 seconds, the telescope jumped off the star by precisely 1.5 arcmin in declination.

This behavior consistently repeated every time we attempted to set a guide star. Re-calibration of the guide camera and extensive (but responsible!) fiddling with the settings failed to resolve the problem. Without guiding, we were unable to resolve reliable data frames without trailing, so we attempted to close the dropout shutter to reduce the wind''s impact on tracking.

Solutions:

This may have been due to the high winds, or it may have been due to gain to the motor being too high after setting for hard hand paddle use to previously slew the telescope by hand.