do you have to recalibrate the CG5 a few times per session?

Just so as I know I understand you, If I point at a known star using goto, then move the mount manually using the hand controller directional pad, as far as teh mount is concerned, its still pointing at the object. is that correct? Thats a pretty big down point for the mount.
Would it have made the mount much more expensive if it was to know what co-ordinates it was pointing at regardless of if the goto was used or manually via the hand controller? Meh, have to live with it anyway so better just get used to it.Thanks for the workaround technique. It makes sense to me and will prove useful.

No..you're misinterpreting what Dave said....using the handcontroller to move the scope is not moving it manually. Manually refers to the situation when you disengage the clamps and move the scope by hand.

sorry, my terminology is confusing. I did mean moving the mount by hand, not manually. thanks

If its on grass the slightest amount of sinkage on the tripod will throw off your alignment.

See now thats the kinda thing newbies like me need to know. I have a lovely concrete foundation in my garden where a shed used to be. I'm gonna start observing from there and catch things as they move across the sky from east to west.

Your second problem does sound like backlash in the gear train. Some of this will be in the reduction gears, and can't be removed (but might be compensated for in software -- that's what the ETX's train drives procedure does).

But you might also have some backlash between the worm and the worm gear, which in many GEMs is adjustable.

But I've got no experience with the CG5, so I can't help you beyond that. I'd post on CloudyNights -- there are plenty of users there with your specific mount (and many of them like to tinker).

Cheers,
-- Jeff.

If its on grass the slightest amount of sinkage on the tripod will throw off your alignment.

See now thats the kinda thing newbies like me need to know. I have a lovely concrete foundation in my garden where a shed used to be. I'm gonna start observing from there and catch things as they move across the sky from east to west.

Paul
This should only be a problem for goto scopes after they have been aligned where movement of the tripod will shift the alignment out. For manual scopes its not an issue (unless its in a bog )

As Jeff says the second problem is to do with Backlash, you can reduce the effect of backlash under the utilities menu (set-up>anti-backlash) though this seems to take a certain level of expertise and patience ( neither of which I possess in abundance).
When I use th C5G I just try to remember to always centre the object from the same direction used when you carried out your initial alignment. The manual recommends using the up and right Arrows on the Hand controller, though I don't believe the whether you use the up, down left or right makes a difference, the important aspect is to be consistant in which arrows you use. This should avoid the problem you are having.


Regards

Martin