If its not too late, I would recommend putting it all together
(SCT/GEG/Camera/CCD) and preparing during the daylight.

Bring the film camera to focus on something distant. Using en eyepiece,
adjust the position of the GEG guider tube so that it is positioned such
that a part of the object the film camera is focused on is in its field of
view of the eyepiece. Put the CCD camera in the off guide tube of the GEG
and hook it up to a computer so you can view its images. Pull the CCD camera
in and out until you reach a reasonably good focus. You need to take note of
this position so you can set it up in the dark. If there is enough room you
can use the slip-ring to mark this position, if not you can make a gauge or
measure with a caliper. Getting things working the first time in the dark is
tricky. Much easier if you experiment in the daylight.

At this point I can get set up pretty quickly in the dark. Once the scope is
polar aligned I slew to the object, check that its in the field of the film
camera. With an eyepiece I search for a guide star by rotating the GEG guide
tube and center it. Note the RA and Dec directions in the eyepiece. Slide in
the CCD camera to its focus position and oriented so that up/down/right/left
match the RA/Dec you observed in the eyepiece. At this point, the CCD should
be reporting brightness and position of the guide star on the chip. Due to
the difference in weight between the CCD and eyepeice and/or the CCD chip
being located slightly off-center, the guide star might need to be centered
with respect to the camera. You also might need to adjust the exposure but
I've used it from anywhere between a brightness of 10 to 85. Now just
calibrate and begin the exposure.

I used to guide visually and know how critical it is to do a good job.
Because of this I try to make it as easy as possible for the CCD camera by
picking nice bright guide stars and orienting it to RA/Dec. The 216 may not
need that much "baby-ing" but I've never had bad guiding due to the guider.
Wind, focus shift, and passing clouds but not the guider.

-Glenn

----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, February 17, 2001 6:02 AM
Subject: [M]: RE: Re: Re: 216XT parameters for Autoguiding 12" LX200


> Hello Glenn
> I want to thanks you for the useful information's
> After that it is more clear the settings for the 216XT.
> The GEG guides at the F/10 while shoot in F/6,5 so I will have to
> cut in half in both modes F10 and F6,5.
> I will give a try this evening.
> Thanks
> George Nikolidakis
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> Sent: Saturday, February 17, 2001 5:55 AM
> Subject: [M]: Re: Re: 216XT parameters for Autoguiding 12" LX200
>
> After reading this when it arrived back via the mail list I realized it
> wasn't clear. I changed the Cr and Cd to match the F/10 3000mm focal
length
> I was shooting at (I think I cut them in half). If I was shooting at F/6.7
> 2000mm I would leave them at the factory defaults.
>
> -Glenn
>

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