meade etx 90 ec & autostar = problem
Tim Campbell
> I just bought the autostar for my "etx 90 ec".
> I am trying to do an easy alignment. So every setting I can think of
> (telescope model, type of alignment, date, hour (this is fiction, since I am
> testing overday, with the cover stil on), site,...) is right. But every time
> I ask the scope to align, he rotates correctly - I think - over the R.A. but
> also over the dec until he's pointing straight up, until he can't go further
> and stil the scope is trying to go even behind this point.
[snip]
You might want to do a full reset (forces the Autostar to pretend it's brand
new -- erases all
previously entered setup information). You can find the menu option under
"Setup -> Reset".
You can then switch it off and then back on. It should behave as though this
is the first time it
was ever used (fresh from the factory) which includes:
1) Initialization process (it always does this, even after the first time)
2) Lanuage selection (first time only)
3) Sun Warning (it does this every time)
4) Self Calibration (the RA/DEC motors should briefly move) (first time only)
5) Getting started message (press enter to bypass tutorial)
6) Date / Time / Daylight saving time questions (it does this every time)
7) Telescope site (it needs to know where on Earth it is located) (first time
only)
8) Telescope model (ETX-90EC) (first time only)
The initialization process wont ask you how the scope is mounted (I *think* it
defaults to Alt/Az).
By the way... which mode are you using? Make sure you set the mode correctly
(the menu option
is found under "Setup -> Telescope -> Mount")
Next you'll want to perform the "Train Drive" (not the same as "Calibrate
Motor" which was
performed the first time it was turned on). This is under "Setup -> Telescope
-> Drive Train". This
is not one of the things the scope forces you to do as part of initialization,
but it must be done or
the scope wont target objects correctly.
Lastly you need to make sure the scope is in the proper "home position".
Release the RA axis
lever and the Declination knob. Spin the scope counter-clockwise as far as it
will go (till it hits the
hard stop), then rotate it the other direction (clockwise) until the LEFT
fork-arm is over the control
panel (above the power switch). Tighten down the RA lever. If you are in
alt/az mount mode then
set the tube parallel to the ground (the Declination setting circle should read
"0"), if you are in
Polar mode then point the tube straight up into the sky (the Dec. setting
circle should read "90").
Tighten the "Dec" knob.
The scope must now be physically oriented for alignment. In "polar" mode in
the northern hemisphere
the scope needs to be pointed at Polaris (it must be pointed there without the
aid of electronics --
in other words, move the tripod, don't move the RA/Dec axis on the scope). In
"alt/az" mode in the
northern hemisphere it must be pointed due north (true north, not magnetic
north), except the tube
is level with the ground (if you pointed the scope at Polaris, then moved the
declination down to the
horizon without changing the RA axis, this would give you the proper "home"
position for alt/az mode.
The manual that comes with the Autostar does NOT explain this, in fact it's not
a very good manual
at all. A much better guide can be viewed online at Meade's website:
http://www.meade.com/manuals/autostar/index.html
(see Appendix A for an explanation of the "home" positions).
Assuming you are now in the proper home position, and the scope has gone
through all the
initialization exercises, it should align for you without trouble.
Regards
Tim
P.S. Although I've been happy with Meade's telescopes, I think their
documentation and software
quality is abysmal. I have the impression that someone who knows absolutely
nothing about
professional software development, software quality testing, and documentation
is in charge of this.
If you're not completely convinced of this yet, then just wait until you decide
to put the Autostar
software update program on your PC so you can load new celestial objects or
upgrade the
ROM version in your Autostar.
--
---------------------------------------------------
Timothy S. Campbell / tcam...@concentric.net
"Very funny Scotty... now beam down my clothes"
---------------------------------------------------
JEG
I got apparently exactly the same problem with a brand new ETX 90-EC with
autostar which I bough last summer.
The ETX, when trying to align, would "go mad" and rotate far beyond expected
position, and sometimes display "motor failure" or something like that.
In fact, I suppose it was a technical problem with the sensor that feeds
back the R.A. information to the autostar, misleading the autostar and
leading to incorrect rotation.
After trying tens of times to find a solution, I finally decided to return
the equipment to the shop where I had bought it.
They merely exchanged it against a new telescope + new autostar.
The new ones work perfectly well.
Good luck
JE G
Terje a écrit dans le message <89b2h5$4fi$1...@news1.skynet.be>...
>I just bought the autostar for my "etx 90 ec".
>I am trying to do an easy alignment. So every setting I can think of
>(telescope model, type of alignment, date, hour (this is fiction, since I
am
>testing overday, with the cover stil on), site,...) is right. But every
time
>I ask the scope to align, he rotates correctly - I think - over the R.A.
but
>also over the dec until he's pointing straight up, until he can't go
further
>and stil the scope is trying to go even behind this point.
>
>So I decided to try the other types of alignment. One star and two star
>alignment.
>And every time the scope go straight up (the lenscover makes a turn of +90°
>and wants to go even further, witch is physically not possible).
>
>Now I am not that experienced in astronomie (or english for that matter).
>But I know that not every star stands in the zenit.
>
>Terje Hansen
>
>You can mail me at terje....@skynet.be
>
>PS. Normally I only have internet-acces in the weekend, so any answers on
>your questions might take a few days.
>
>
roy_a...@my-deja.com
apparently a bug in the Autostar software or firmware, which went away
when I upgraded Autostar versions (from 1.2 to 2.0). Give that a try
before giving up.
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.