turn a manual control motorised mount into a computer contro

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hcaceo
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turn a manual control motorised mount into a computer contro

Post by hcaceo » Fri Dec 18, 2009 2:49 am

I have a BOSMA EM10 mount (made in China, where I live) a good equatorial mount , motorised, with a manual control, no interface for a computer link,
I am happy to cannibalise the hand controller. Can your controller drive the switch contacts to control the scope ?
best regards
david manion

dpanderson
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Re: turn a manual control motorised mount into a computer contro

Post by dpanderson » Fri Dec 18, 2009 8:19 am

If the switches are normally open, then it is relatively easy to modify the handcontroller to control the scope. This document:
http://store.shoestringastronomy.com/do ... idance.pdf
describes how to add relays in parallel with the switches.

Keep in mind, this will only do the same types of movements that the handcontroller itself would do. So, if the handcontroller only provides small, slow movement of the scope, this is all you will be able to achieve with the computer control. Also, there is no way to feedback the position that the scope is pointed to with this method. If you are looking for a way to make a complete GOTO mount, this will not work.
Doug Anderson
Shoestring Astronomy
http://www.ShoestringAstronomy.com

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