Houston Astronomical Society
Observatory Telescope
Celestron-14
(Full
Size 296KB
or 355KB)
A special thanks goes to Allen Gilchrist who headed up the project
to update the C-14, Andy Saulietis for doing the machining of the
hardware
and Chuck Shaw for helping integrate the computer into the system.
This page is for information about the C-14 telescope and its
computer controls. New drive gears, motors and electronics have been added to the
telescope. The computer software is from Mel Bartels. You can read all
about his software at
http://www.bbastrodesigns.com
Among the different documents available at the telescope, here is the
Startup and Shutdown procedures that are posted on the telescope pier.
Startup
1. Power up Monitor and PC:
· PC will boot up to DOS6.22 menu, with
Bartel’s
control as the default startup program
2. Respond to Startup Prompts:
· Verify Date and Time are correct (or update
as required)
· Turn on Mount Electronics when Prompt calls
for turning on Motor Power
NOTE: Do NOT turn on motor power unless scope.exe calls
for it, otherwise motor current is uncontrolled and can be
excessive.
If the PC or scope.exe crashes, turn off motor power!
3. Initialize the mount
· Use the Handpaddle or declutch and manually
move/reclutch to slew to a known star, center it in the eyepiece, and
turn
on tracking (hot key “t”)
· Input the Equatorial coordinates of the
star the scope is tracking
· “d” to call up data files, select data
file, select star (Bstars for bright stars, 5Mag for 5th mag and
brighter
stars)
· Verify correct star is in “ File” field
on main menu
· Tweak positioning of star to center of
FOV and hit “r” to reset Equatorial Coordinates of mount.
Tracking can be toggled on/off with a “t”
Mount is now tracking and ready for manual motorized slews via
handpaddle
or via GOTO commands via LX200 interface or from datafiles in
scope.exe.
NOTE: If scope is subsequently de-clutched and manually
moved and re-clutched, step 3 will be required again to have scope.exe
maintain an accurate RA/Dec readout.
To perform GOTO via scope.exe data files:
· “d” to call up data files, select desired
data file (“..b” goes “up” in directory path), then select desired
target.
· Verify Target appears in “File” Field on
main menu.
· “1” to command move to Target
· (If target not perfectly centered, tweak
position and hit “r” to update RA/Dec)
To perform GOTO via Planetarium Program:
· Make sure LX200 commands are enabled in
scope.exe (status at bottom of main menu)
· If LX200 off, then main menu
FILE/LX200/Option
2 and or 3
· Follow Planetarium Program directions as
if commanding to an LX200 mount.
Shutdown
1. Stop Tracking ( “t” )
2. Park Mount in desired stow position manually or
via motors
3. “q” to quit scope.exe
· Turn OFF motor power at prompt
IMPORTANT!!! Do NOT leave motor power
on if scope.exe is no longer running.
· Follow remaining prompts as appropriate.
Normally do not need to save config.dat
Save the input Log (note the file name) for a record
of inputs made to mount
4. Turn off Power to PC and Monitor (DOS 6.22
does
not require a put-away type shutdown like windows does)
To temporarily exit scope and then return:
EXIT Scope:
1. Stop Tracking ( “t” )
2. “q” to quit scope
Turn OFF motor power at prompt
IMPORTANT!!! Do NOT leave motor power on if scope.exe is
no longer running
RETURN to Scope:
1. At the C:\C14 prompt, type: scope
2. Turn on Motor Power when prompted
If mount has not been moved while scope.exe was shutdown, simply
resume
tracking with a “t”
If mount HAS been moved, repeat step 3 of Startup Procedure for an
accurate
RA/Dec readout.
Operations Notes:
Scope.exe is VERY CPU intensive and will NOT run correctly in a
windows environment (including a DOS window). It runs best in a pure DOS
(6.22) environment with ALL power management disabled (bios
also).
Motor performance must be “tuned” to each PC that controls the system
(i.e. runs scope.exe) since the CPU is such an integral part of the system.
If you want to run another DOS (or Win3.1) program on the same
machine as scope.exe is on, you MUST turn off motor power when exiting
scope.exe to run the other program. Otherwise current to the motors will
not be controlled and can be excessive.
External programs (like planetarium programs) can interface with
scope.exe as if scope.exe were an LX200 telescope mount. Use a null modem
cable between the machine running the planetarium program and the machine
running scope.exe. Make sure the LX200 interface is turned on
in scope.exe (Main menu FILE/LX200/Option 2 and or 3)
Periodic error correction comes on automatically, and also
automatically synchronizes itself with the worm position. It does NOT have to
be re-trained once it has been trained and should be transparent to the user.
The Autoguider interface can either be via LX200 commands or by a relay
box that is wired to look like a 2nd handpaddle (both ports are identical
on the electronic box). The RJ-6 connector is NOT the same as any
other mount. Its pinouts are unique to Bartel’s
system….
For autoguiding, the system must be moded to “Guide+Stay” mode BEFORE the
autoguider commands start being sent. Toggle “h” till handpad
mode shows Guide+Stay, then move handpaddle mode switch to the left, and
back to center. To exit Guide+Stay mode, move mode switch to the right
and back to center.