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Subject: Re: Chips.. forward from CSTOM (bounced)
From: Todd C. Gross
Reply To: mapug@shore.net
Date: Mon Oct 16 03:52:23 1995
In article owner-mapug@shore.net writes:
>Date: Sun, 15 Oct 1995 10:00:14 -0400
>From: owner-mapug@shore.net
>Subject: BOUNCE mapug@shore.net: Admin request
>>From CSTOM@stmarytx.edu Sun Oct 15 14:58:49 1995
>Received: from vax.stmarytx.edu by northshore.ecosoft.com with SMTP id AA03464
> (5.67a/IDA-1.5 for <mapug@shore.net>); Sun, 15 Oct 1995 10:00:06 -0400
>On 12 October I wrote to the MAPUG List:
>>Subj: First light with the re-programmed ROMs. WOW!
>>For those of you who wonder how long the turn around time is, I mailed my
>>ROM sets on Monday of last week [since I insured them for the clerk sent them
>>by Priority mail]. They got to Meade on Wednesday and Ron sent me an e-mail
>>on Thursday saying that he had re-programmed and shipped them. UPS delivered
>>them yesterday afternoon and I tested the 8" last night under typical San
>>Antonio lighting conditions. I easily found each object I tried with the
>>exception of M110 and M33. The combination of light polution and an almost
>>full moon wiped those two out. The "Star 903" works perfectly...sure makes
>>the mood easy to find now. :-) Also, yesterday afternoon [I couldn't wait for
>>dark] I asked for Venus and the moon and was told, for Venus "TOO CLOSE TO THE
>>SUN," and for the moon "BELOW THE HORIZON." How about that for hand holding?
>>This Saturday I know it is going to rain because that's when I intend to go up
>>to camp and try out the 12" ROMs.
>>Tom
>It is now Sunday morning and it did not rain last night...but "Murphy" got me
>anyhow! I went to my dark sky site, carefully attached my grounding wrist
>strap and inserted the re-programmed ROM chips in the appropriate sockets.
>Next, I very carefully examined what I had done and I am as certain as I can
>be that the chips were placed in the correct sockets with the notches at the
>end toward the curved edge of the mother board and that there were no bent
>pins, etc. I replaced the cover plate and mounted the 12" scope on a tripod
>outside my cabin, rather than carrying it over the three foot ring wall of my
>"Home Dome." I applied power and the hand control confirmed that the chip
>set was indeed Version 4.34 [L, I believe]. Then the led's went dark as
>the slow blow fuse in the power supply blew! After checking all power cord,
>etc., connections and releasing the RA and DEC clutches, I checked to see
>that the scope could be moved freely in both axes. I then proceeded to
>sacrifice the slow blow fuse in the 18 volt line of the power supply which
>belongs to my 8" LX200. It blew so fast that I did not see anything in the
>hand control window! I opened the power panel of the scope and found that the
>internal 2 amp slow blow fuse had not been damaged. At that point, I packed
>up and returned to San Antonio. On the way home I stopped at Radio Shack
>and purchased a supply of 1.5 amp and 2 amp slow blow fuses. At home, I
>released the RA and DEC clutches of my 8" scope, replaced the 1.5 amp fuse
>in the power supply which "belongs" to the 8" and applied power to the scope.
>I was using the same hand control and cords that I had used with the 12" and
>everything was normal. I then attempted to apply power through the power
>supply which "belongs" to the 12", ie, the earlier style 18 volt supply that
>has an internal but no external fuse. There was no power to apply as I
>found later when I disassembled that power supply and found a blown pig tail
>fuse inside.
>The 12" scope worked perfectly the last time it was used before the ROMs
>were removed for shipment to Meade. Also, it had been stored inside my
>cabin, rather than in the dome, since I had removed it from the domwe and
>made side by side comparisons, on tripods, and photos to be used in a
>magazine article. That night, I verified that the 12", indeed, prodvides
>a sharper and brighter image than the 8". Portability is good but not
>everything. Between that last successful use of the 12" there was no physical
>shock to the scope and it was stored under dry conditions. I would very
>much appreciate any trouble shooting suggestions.
>Tom Mote
>Professor Emeritus
>Department of Physics
>St. Mary's University
-Todd
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Todd Gross
Toddg@weatherman.com
Meteorologist.... Channel 7, Boston (617)725-0805
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