Pickup SRA - starting from a 500x microscope


I am not sure if my Lyra Atlas has the right SRA. Can other owners contribute? I have bought a 500x usb microscope, but it remains hard to find the exact angle. It is easy to get the angle of the record (or platter - I use a mirror), but very hard to get the angle of the stylus. I use the Cooling Tech software but it does not solve my problems. Trying to estimate the angle I cannot set the crosses sufficiently exact, and end up with values like 88, 90, 94 - varying all over the place.
I have only taken a few pictures so far, and could perhaps improve them. Tips and info welcome.
o_holter

Showing 2 responses by smoffatt

I have a Dino-Line AM3013T that i use to set up SRA for an XV1's and A90 and encounter the same difficulties as the OP using the software (DynoXcope) that came with the scope to determine the angles. If it was a matter of just pointing the scope at the platter/styli and and getting the rake angle with one "click" that would be easy.
I have a Sota Cosmos IV and getting the scope as close to the platter as possible to take a perfect picture is difficult to begin with (due to the plinth).

Once you have done that, using the DynoXcope software, you have to draw an horizontal and vertical line thru the centre of the styli to determine the rake angle. I had sent a few pictures i thought were at 92 degrees to Wally and he estimated one to be at 89d and the other one at 94d when i was convinced that i had hit the 92d mark. I found this exercise very frustrating.

Adjusting VTF, AS, Azimuth, overhang, zenith, is quite easy versus setting 92d SRA accurately with a scope. Unfortunately, for me using this scope and/or software gives me a rough estimation at best.
Thanks for this Phil. Can you calculate angles with Pixelstix as well or do you just import your image into Pixelstix, correct the image to 180 degrees and then move it to ImageJ to calculate the angles? I will download ImageJ.

Indeed, for me getting a perfect 180 degree image to start with is very difficult.

Thanks for the link too.
Sly