RE: [M]: Opinions, please!
| Subject: | RE: [M]: Opinions, please! |
| From: | Michael Hart |
| Date: | Sat Oct 18 01:38:14 1997 |
On Thursday, October 16, 1997 10:04 PM, Dave Feldstein wrote:
> So I returned it and ordered an ST_7. The Meade camera is
> well made, but doc and software qulaity leaves something to be desired.
> Also separate guiding through off axis guider with separate autoguider
> is more difficult than a combined autoguider/imager. Meade makes fine
> products, I have an Lx200 8" and many accessories but theyve got a ways
> to go on the CCD. There are many people in this group who have gotten it
> to work and get good images, but it takes much time with tinkering and
> changing software releases. It wont work out of the box.Several people
> on this group also have both. Suggest you get their input.
>
>
You may have trouble with current software for the ST-7 guiding chip
calibration in the alt-az mode using a derotator. This is because
the calibration routine expects the star to move somewhat linearly
across the chip. When it calls for a east-west move, it expects
the star will not move north or south during that move.
I do not know how the ST-7 will work in practice with a derotator.
I would check this out directly with SBIG as Meade derotators are new
to autoguiders. In that way, they can get working on a fix if needed
and feasible. In addition, you will want to figure a way to harness
the wires that come out of the side to work with the derotator.
Finally you may want to modify the female t-threads on the ST-7 with a
setscrew to lock the T-adaper nosepiece in place as the ST-7 has an offset
imaging chip along with offset electronics. This puts the center of gravity
away from the nosepiece, leading to unexpected focus changes and
spoiled images with a derotator if the offset weight and wires loosen the
T-adapter.
Please post your experiences.
--
Michael Hart
Husen Observatory
mhart@netexpress.net
> So I returned it and ordered an ST_7. The Meade camera is
> well made, but doc and software qulaity leaves something to be desired.
> Also separate guiding through off axis guider with separate autoguider
> is more difficult than a combined autoguider/imager. Meade makes fine
> products, I have an Lx200 8" and many accessories but theyve got a ways
> to go on the CCD. There are many people in this group who have gotten it
> to work and get good images, but it takes much time with tinkering and
> changing software releases. It wont work out of the box.Several people
> on this group also have both. Suggest you get their input.
>
>
You may have trouble with current software for the ST-7 guiding chip
calibration in the alt-az mode using a derotator. This is because
the calibration routine expects the star to move somewhat linearly
across the chip. When it calls for a east-west move, it expects
the star will not move north or south during that move.
I do not know how the ST-7 will work in practice with a derotator.
I would check this out directly with SBIG as Meade derotators are new
to autoguiders. In that way, they can get working on a fix if needed
and feasible. In addition, you will want to figure a way to harness
the wires that come out of the side to work with the derotator.
Finally you may want to modify the female t-threads on the ST-7 with a
setscrew to lock the T-adaper nosepiece in place as the ST-7 has an offset
imaging chip along with offset electronics. This puts the center of gravity
away from the nosepiece, leading to unexpected focus changes and
spoiled images with a derotator if the offset weight and wires loosen the
T-adapter.
Please post your experiences.
--
Michael Hart
Husen Observatory
mhart@netexpress.net
