Home

SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide

Contents

1. L eee 59 5 2 1 Seek Specific Locations While Not Tracking 59 5 2 2 Seek an Absolute Position ei 59 5 2 3 Operate the Lateral Actuators Lecci 59 5 2 4 Operate the Vertical Actuators eci 59 5 2 5 Seek Specified Locations i 60 5 2 6 Center the View While Tracking vci 60 5 2 7 Seek the Index POSition cece eee e 60 5 2 8 Change the Audio Alerts ccccceeceeeceeeceeceeeeeeeeeeeeeees 61 5 2 9 Adjust the Tracking Rate eri 61 5 2 10 Compensate for Polar Misalignment L eee 62 5 2 11 Measuring Misalignment sees eee e eee ee eee eeeeeeees 62 5 3 Astro Photography With AUtOgUIdiNg ccc ece cece eee e ricer 64 Chapter 6 Troubleshooting sccsecseccsscesscccscesccesccess 65 6 1 Drivetrainiz ituci i web te tel aa Lene nare 66 6 1 1 Carriase Jammino siria i aaa 66 6 1 2 Drivetrain In Rewind 0 66 6 2 Display the Position of Actuator Motors veci 67 6 3 Operations irritare er aa Vate 68 6 3 1 Platform Stops MOVing c eee e nce e eect neeetceenseeteeeeeees 68 6 3 2 Main Controller Does Not Respond to Actuator Commands 68 6 4 AUCIO MUtin gica ia niente earn 69 6 4 1 No Sound is Audible ce eceeeeee eee ee cece eeeeeeeeeeeeseesees 69 6 5 TRACKING ai rane ne 70 6 5 1 Stellar Trackin
2. SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 83 Glossary Glossary Terms 84 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Index Index SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 85 Index 86 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Index SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 87 Index 88 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 89 Ekasilicon Technology Ltd 3384 Guildwood Drive Burlington ON Canada L7N 1L5 905 333 6472 www skystopper ca
3. 2 Pocket Reference SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Pocket Reference Setup 2 1 Setup Your SkyStopper equatorial platform is ready to use right out of the box It has been designed to fit your telescope and calibrated for the preferred observing latitude Home Latitiude you specified when ordering For more information on your Home Latitude see Leveling and Aligning on page 25 To setup SkyStopper for observation 1 2 3 So po Oe 22 Place the SkyStopper base on the ground Locate or estimate North Align the center axis of the base with North as shown Due North O O O Due South Figure 3 SkyStopper Polar Alignment Loosen the wing nuts on the adjustable legs and level the platform as indicated by the bubble level If you are not at the preferred observing latitude specified when ordering after levelling with the bubble level turn the apex screw the required number of turns for your actual position calculated as latitude calibrated latitude degrees per turn turns of the apex screw If you are north of your preferred latitude lower the south end of the platform the computed number of turns If you are south of your preferred latitude raise the south end of the platform the computed number of turns Place the SkyStopper rocker onto the base Stabilize the rocker with the L blocks Place the base of your telescope onto the rocker If you are using the
4. Code 43 Middle tone is very low The guide actuator was not left in a known state at power off See Error Code 21 for more information Code 12 Code 28 Middle tone is high Middle tone is medium Undo is not supported for certain situations This was a request to undo the initialization Similar to Error Code 24 but the request was made to adjust the declination via the guide actuator and was out of range Code 45 Middle tone very low An attempt to adjust the platform was made while the limit switch is sensed The command was ignored See Error Code 10 for more information Code 29 Middle tone is medium Similar to Error Code 24 but the request was made to adjust the declination via the guide actuator and was out of range Code 30 Middle tone is medium An attempt to reprogram the Infra Red remote codes was received but the protocol has not been followed The command is ignored This is an advanced function for use only when the original remote control has been lost Contact Technical Support for details of the process if the remote is lost to get another or to reprogram the SkyStopper control to accept codes from a new remote you already have Code 47 Middle tone matches last tone Contact Technical Support Code 31 Middle tone is medium An IR input was sensed which cannot be found in the table The input signal received was not understood Align the
5. Astro Photography With Autoguiding on page 64 5 1 8 Stopping All Motion Although this procedure requires that you press the red Power button it does not power down SkyStopper The only way to power down SkyStopper is to disconnect the power cable To stop all motion e Press the red Power button on the remote controller Use this procedure if e The platform starts moving while the L blocks are still in place e Something is blocking the limit switch and the motor is struggling 56 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Operations Basic Functions e To terminate normal actions such as slewing or finding the Index position Note You must successfully index SkyStopper once in each power cycle before it will track celestial objects or seek specific positions 5 1 9 Pausing the Motors Pause Button To pause the motors e Press Pause The motors immediately pause in their current location 5 1 10 Resuming Tracking Use either method to resume tracking e Press Yellow to resume tracking and compensate for lost time e Press OK to resume tracking from the current position without compensating for lost time 5 1 11 Undo Action Yellow Button Use this procedure to undo actions including e Power cycle e Seek position request e Centering request e Pause When you undo any of these actions SkyStopper compensates for lost time resuming its previous tracking activity where it would have been had the action
6. SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Version 1 01 May 2 2014 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Published by Ekasilicon Technology Ltd Printed in Canada This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matters discussed It is provided with the understanding that the reader will keep personal safety in mind at all times and that Ekasilicon Technology Ltd is not responsible for any personal injury or equipment damage related to use of the SkyStopper Equatorial Platform Throughout this publication the SkyStopper Equatorial Platform is referred to as SkyStopper for convenience and enhanced readability Any reference to SkyStopper indicates the SkyStopper Equatorial Platform This publication may not be reproduced stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in whole or in part in any form or by any means electronic mechanical photocopying recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of Ekasilicon Technology Ltd 3384 Guildwood Drive Burlington ON Canada L7N 1L5 905 333 6472 smrg cogeco ca The scanning uploading or distribution of this book via the Internet or any other means without the express permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law Please purchase only authorized paper or electronic versions of this work and do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials electronically or otherwi
7. Rewind to the Start Position eee 24 251 2 What To Do Next an 24 Chapter 3 Leveling and Aligning cssccsccescccsccsseeeses 25 3 1 Using SkyStopper At Home cceeceecc ence eeceeeceeneeeneeeeseeeeeees 26 3 1 1 Leveling At HoMe ccecccesceeeceenceeeceeesesesessseesseseees 26 3 1 2 Observing From Home ccecceecceecceeceeeceeeceenseeeseeeees 26 3 2 Using SkyStopper Away From Home cceeceecceecceeceeeseeeeeees 27 3 2 1 Compensating For Being Away From Home 27 3 2 2 Leveling Away From Home L eci 27 3 3 About Leveling Precision 0 ebete cirie rice 29 3 4 Aligning Laterally on the Celestial Pole 2 20 30 Chapter 4 Controlling SkyStopper scecsscessccccessceeees 31 4 1 Operating From The Main Controller cec ceri 32 4 2 Operating From the Remote Controller e etto 35 4 2 1 Remote Controller Functionality veri 35 4 3 Emulating Guide INputs L erre ri reiezione 39 4 3 1 Adjusting the Tracking Speed L rei 39 4 4 Using the Options ccerccerrrerireeieericenie ee iene cere niericeneno 41 4 4 1 Using the Optional Remote Infrared Receiver 41 4 4 2 Using the Optional Speaker L Lee 42 4 4 3 Speaker Muting Levels better 42 4 5
8. The rate can only be tuned when SkyStopper is tracking 2 Code 18 Middle tone is medium Indicates garbled Infra Red input was received Reposition the remote and enter the command again 3 Code 35 Middle tone is low Internal software error detected while accessing stored settings Contact Technical Support 3 Code 3 Middle tone is very Occurs when a command to seek Center or End high is given before the platform has been initialized Use a short OK press to force the platform to find the limit switch Once the limit switch has been located all Seek commands will work 3 Code 19 Middle tone is medium Indicates that the remote button is being held but the main controller did not receive the initial part of the IR sequence and therefore does not know which button was pressed Ensure the remote controller is pointed directly at the receiver and enter the command again The Infra Red remote sends a special code for each button When the button is held it sends a same button again repeat code 10 times per second The same repeat code is used for all buttons SkyStopper needs to know which button is being repeated at the beginning of the command SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 75 Troubleshooting Error Codes Display Code Number Code 36 Tone Middle tone is low Description Internal software error detected while accessing stored settings Contact Technical Su
9. adjustment Press Blue gt 2 to display the current numeric position of the main drive motor Holding Blue cancels the effect of rate changes learned when using Green If you adjust the polar alignment you should first cancel this rate There is a scale factor which is used to take into account the dimensions of your telescope and the action of the guide actuator This factor is calculated at the factory accurately tuned so that the number of arcminutes is correct Pressing Up Arrow and Down Arrow while showing status causes the current item to step to the next or previous item and to circulate continuously Pressing Blue again cancels the circulation and stops the status display SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 49 Controlling SkyStopper Displaying Status 50 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Operations SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 51 Operations Basic Functions 5 1 Basic Functions Basic functions are available from both the control button on the main controller and the OK button on the remote controller Each function has a unique beep sequence to acknowledge the command 5 1 1 Indexing the Platform SkyStopper must find the Index position before it can accurately track celestial objects If you initiate tracking when the Index position remains undiscovered in the current power cycle the main controller is unaware of the absolute position of the motor and begins this procedure SkyS
10. guide software to correct for this For example at the eyepiece the Ring Nebula which is about 1 4 arc minutes in diameter even at very high magnification will only shift by 1 4 of its diameter in 90 minutes SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 29 Leveling and Aligning Aligning Laterally on the Celestial Pole 3 4 Aligning Laterally on the Celestial Pole At least one star near the meridian near the celestial equator must be visible to complete this procedure If SkyStopper is laterally misaligned on the pole you will see a gradual drift of the stars in the eyepiece SkyStopper remembers the amount of motion required to keep a star centered in the viewer In conjunction with the configured calibration of motion and the factory supplied distance over which the motion acts the distance between the feet of your telescope the platform reports the angular drift of the star in arc seconds per 240 seconds of time which can be directly translated into arc minutes east if the star moved north or west if the star moved south of the celestial pole Use this procedure to quantify that drift and then apply a one step correction to align SkyStopper accurately To laterally align on the Celestial Pole 1 Selecta visible star within 10 degrees of the meridian at an altitude that puts it near the celestial equator 90 degrees minus your current latitude For example use a star near the zenith if you are at the equator Set up
11. platform 9 On the triple axis platform only lift the northwest foot to allow it to sit in the channel It may be necessary to lift the entire north end of the base so the northeast foot can sit on the Teflon pad When the northwest foot is in the channel the northeast foot will automatically be centered on the Teflon pad 10 Assemble the components of the optical tube assembly onto the telescope s base Avoid dropping heavy items onto the platform with high impact as it could potentially dent the surface of the arc boards 14 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Getting Started Setting Up the Telescope and Platform 11 Complete the assembly of your telescope 12 Complete any collimation process which does not require star tracking 13 Remove the L blocks 14 Ensure the telescope is stable without the linkage attached If this is the first time you have assembled your telescope on to the platform ensure the telescope is stable without the linkage attached Verify that when the telescope is on the platform without the linkage attached the platform can be tilted toward either extreme and will either balance in the new position or gradually move back towards the Center position Maintain a firm grip on the telescope when performing this test and ensure that the telescope does not accelerate towards the end points 15 Attach the linkage to the platform and tilt the platform if necessary so that the linkage can conn
12. telescope you may also receive wooden Foot Grabbers which positively lock the feet of your telescope in the ideal position If the Foot Grabbers are used complete the balance and tip resistance tests to determine the attachment points which yield optimum stability Use double sided tape to adhere the Foot Grabbers to the platform Foot Grabbers can be made to fit the feet already on your telescope if measurements are provided at the time of ordering 12 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Getting Started Setting Up the Telescope and Platform 1 5 Setting Up the Telescope and Platform To mount your telescope on the platform 1 Place the SkyStopper base on the ground 2 Loosen the wing nuts then level the base using the levelling knobs as indicated by the bubble level 3 Tighten the wing nuts again to lock the feet preventing them from wobbling 4 Ensure the linkage is not connected to the base or platform SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Getting Started Setting Up the Telescope and Platform 5 Mount the SkyStopper platform onto the base Positive stop bolts prevent the arcs from falling off the bearings at the end of travel if the linkage is not connected 6 Place the L blocks under the platform to prevent it from moving 7 Place the base of the telescope on the SkyStopper platform 8 On the triple axis platform only place the south foot of the telescope base into the actuator on the
13. triple axis model lock the feet into place If you are using the single axis model center the base of your telescope on the mark SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Pocket Reference Setup We recommend that you mark the position of the outer edges of your telescope on the platform once you are satisfied with its location For more information see Step 14 on page 15 Construct and align your telescope as you normally would If you are setting up your SkyStopper for the first time only complete this step e Carefully remove the L blocks e Hold your telescope firmly e Manually tilt the base left and right e Verify that your telescope does not start to tip at any angle e Verify that your telescope seeks the Center position when you release your grip e Manually tilt the platform all the way to one side e Stand on the low side of your telescope and pull it gently towards you e Verify that your telescope does not tip Tilt your telescope towards the southeast or sourthwest to determine the direction that is most likely to tip e If you are now satisfied that your telescope is safe and will not tip release the platform and allow it to settle back to the Center position If you have set up your SkyStopper previously resume here Apply the magnetic linkage to the rocker carriage as shown in Attaching and Detaching the Magnetic Linkage
14. 00 percent lateral Then PR will move the view north and PR will move the view south If you reposition your telescope to due west the same 100 percent lateral results in the opposite motion of the telescope when PR and PR are used For west use 100 percent lateral For this reason the percentage lateral ranges from 100 to 100 44 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Controlling SkyStopper Activating The Guide Motors Manually 4 6 Activating The Guide Motors Manually Four buttons around the periphery of the navigation buttons on the remote control manually activate the guide motors Guide Controllers Each time you press the button the main controller the moves the associated stepper motor at its full speed for 0 1 seconds If you hold the button down continuously the motor continues moving until you release the button By default the buttons activate the guide motors as indicated Button Motor Activation Motor Control Tracks towards the Index position 0 1 seconds or continuous Tracks away from the Index position 0 1 seconds or continuous INFO Lowers the apex south end of the 0 1 seconds or continuous platform rotates southward EXIT Raises the apex south end of the 0 1 seconds or continuous platform rotates southward SkyStopper s guide actuator can change the orientation of the telescope by approximately 1 degree laterally vertically or any combination of the two directio
15. Adjust the apex foot the number of turns computed in Compensating For Being Away From Home on page 27 3 Recalibrate the bubble level as shown in Recalibrating the Bubble Level Away From Home on page 71 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Troubleshooting Telescope Issues 6 7 Telescope Issues 6 7 1 Telescope is Rotating on its Own Axis If your telescope is rotating on its own axis due to being tilted by SkyStopper check these conditions e Telescope counterweights may need to be adjusted Counterweights for items at the eyepiece should be located diagonally opposite on the mirror box to avoid producing a torque at different altitudes e Rotation lock may be required Adding a weight to the base will compensate for rotational asymmetry of the base material making it heavy on one side Caution Do not exceed the telescope weight listed on your Build Sheet SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 73 Troubleshooting Complete Setup 6 8 Complete Setup The Complete Setup procedure is included for diagnostic purposes and completeness It should be used only in rare circumstances where the Quick Setup procedure does not provide accurate tracking These circumstances could include The bubble level has lost calibration You are observing from a different latitude than the bubble level is calibrated for and would like to recalibrate to avoid manual compensation at every setup To setup SkyStopper for o
16. Motor Control The Double Arrow buttons provide fine motor control which allows precise motion of the most recently slewed motor by a user specified number of steps This function is useful during calibration and evaluation The motor that will be activated is the one most recently slewed e Lateral motion if FAV MENU was most recently slewed e Vertical motion if INFO EXIT was most recently slewed e Right Ascension direction if Triangle or Triangle was most recently slewed To use fine motor control 1 Specify a number of steps for the accelerator function on the numeric keypad of the remote controller 2 Press PR to register the value 3 Activate the most recently slewed motor by pressing Double Up Arrow or Double Down Arrow buttons The number of steps is retained in memory and can be re used by pressing the button again Fine motor control provides precise motion according to the user input therefore the Continuous mode is not implemented for the Double Up Arrow or Double Down Arrow keys 46 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Controlling SkyStopper Seeking To Position 4 7 Seeking To Position When the carriage is not tracking you can command it to move to any position relative to the current position or to an absolute position To seek a relative position 1 Enter a number 2 Press the required direction button Triangle and Triangle located to the left and right of OK on the remote controller The to
17. Moving The Telescope In The Declination Direction 44 4 6 Activating The Guide Motors Manually Licei 45 4 6 1 Fine Motor Control cece eee etere 46 4 7 Seeking To Position ccceeceenceeeceenceesceesseessessseesseseseeases 47 A T1 JOS TO POSION ii sine Ha tec eta aie daa oa Saves c queia or 47 4 7 2 Seek To Absolute Position 2 eci 47 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 4 8 Displaying Status renano n 49 Chapter 5 OperationS sessssesssseeseccecssseseesecossseseceeesoo 51 5 1 Basic FUNCHONS lisi 52 5 1 1 Indexing the Platform 2 viene 52 5 1 2 Seeking the Start Center End Positions 0 0 53 5 1 3 Setting Tracking On or Off L Levine 54 5 1 4 Selecting the Display Status Blue Button 54 5 1 5 Adjusting the Display Brightness ie 54 5 1 6 Selecting the Tracking Rate OK Button 00000 55 5 1 7 Adjusting Motion for the Declination Axis Red Button 55 5 1 8 Stopping All MOtION ccc cece eee eee eec ence eee E EEEE Ea 56 5 1 9 Pausing the Motors Pause Button L vece 57 5 1 10 Resuming Tracking eee cece eee eine ceri iene 57 5 1 11 Undo Action Yellow Button i 57 5 1 12 Rewinding To The Start Position L0v0 eee eee 57 5 2 Additional COMMANdS
18. actuator which takes several minutes to complete When idle pressing Pause causes the display to show the currently entered numberic parameters so you can double check them before issuing a command TV RADIO Pressing TV RADIO when entering a numeric value specifies that the number entered is a negative number Pressing TV RADIO a second time when entering a numeric value toggles the sign back to a positive number lt PR Enter 38 i R Pressing Enter concludes the number keys and sign which have been input and pushes them onto the argument stack Argument stack capacity is four arguments Some commands require arguments which have been put onto the stack SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Controlling SkyStopper Emulating Guide Inputs 4 3 Emulating Guide Inputs When the carriage is tracking in Lunar speed mode adjusting Right Ascension tracking using the Green button precisely adjusts the tracking rate of each step effectively compensating for the moon s path You can send an input signal to the guide pathway using the IR remote control Pressing the remote button simulates a 0 10 second pulse on the guide input Holding the button strings these pulses together approximately ten times per second The guide port responds to various inputs including Faster Slower Up and Down The precision alignment of SkyStopper requires only short amounts of guide signals for astro phot
19. ate When the tracking rate is changed the main controller beeps to indicate a new tracking speed and displays a symbol indicating the tracking rate There are four available rates e Star e Sun e Moon e Half solar To adjust the tracking rate 1 Press OK for one second while tracking 2 Release OK Fine Tune the Moon Rate To fine tune the moon rate 1 Confirm that SkyStopper is currently tracking at the Moon Rate the main controller will display c Locate and center the lunar crater of interest Press the Green button Press Triangle or Triangle to adjust the centering UT Aa W N After approximately one minute when the crater is centered press the Green button again The platform will now track at the adjusted rate Moon rate is remembered for the rest of the evening You can return to moon rate and the adjustments will still apply regardless of pole tuning and other adjustments you make in other rates sidereal solar etc Cancel the Moon Rate To cancel the moon rate adjustment while tracking at moon rate SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 61 Operations Additional Commands e Press and hold the Blue button for five seconds The main controller beeps to acknowledge the Cancel procedure When tracking at the moon rate this Cancel procedure does not clear pole tune settings For more information see Compensate for Polar Misalignment on page 62 5 2 10 Compensate for Polar Misalignm
20. atform is operated without sufficient weight on it and it came off the bearings while rewinding Remove the linkage manually spin the carriage several turns to get it back in range re connect the linkage put some weight on the platform and rewind it again If this error persists check the cables and call Technical Support if damaged 9 Code 25 Middle tone is medium A Code 10 Middle tone is high The Triangle or Triangle button was used with a previously entered numeric argument An attempt was made to slew the platform position beyond the range of permitted travel The command was ignored Indicates that the limit switch is still detected after the motor has moved far enough to be clear of it Try initializing one more time very long OK press If this fails inspect and determine if e The platform is rewound past the End position e The cables are connected properly e Nothing is jammed in the limit sensor SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 77 Troubleshooting Error Codes Display Code Number Code 42 Tone Middle tone is lower than the first tone Description The software has detected that the programmed settings for the Tracking Tables are corrupt Contact Technical Support Code 11 Middle tone is high An unsuccessful UNDO command was attempted Indicates that UNDO is not available based on the current state and position of the platform
21. bservation 1 Mopo opoe 74 Place the platform on the ground with the base pointing north and the apex pointing south as shown in lt X Ref gt Figure 3 on page 22 Make all electrical connections to the main controller including e Optional remote receiver For more information see Using the Optional Remote Infrared Receiver on page 41 e Optional speaker For more information see Using the Optional Speaker on page 42 e Main power Always connect main power last following the speaker and IR receiver Level the platform using the knobs on the leveling feet as indicated by the bubble level The axis of the platform will now match the altitude of the celestial pole Lock the platform in the center position by supporting it with the supplied wooden L blocks Place the telescope on the platform locking the telescope s feet to the guides Remove the L blocks Ensure that the telescope is stable and well balanced SkyStopper is designed to have a small amount of built in stability The axis is designed to sit slightly above the center of gravity of the entire platform and telescope which moves Due to the main controller being mounted on one side of the platform your telescope will not be perfectly vertical when it seeks toward the center This is a normal condition However the telescope must not accelerate towards the outer limits where it could tip due to gained momentum To confirm that the required amount of s
22. compensate for latitude 1 Determine the latitude of Home and your current Away From Home locations 2 Calculate the latitude difference between Home and Away From Home 3 Calculate the number of turns The actual figure will be on your build sheet as well as some precompensated turns counts for locations you provided The function is not linear so for large amounts of travel calculate lt number of turns gt tan latitude difference in degrees feet separation from build sheet 1 75 mm 4 Adjust the legs as required see Leveling Away From Home on page 27 For information about leveling precision see About Leveling Precision on page 29 3 2 2 Leveling Away From Home SkyStopper has three feet each with a significant amount of travel By setting all feet at an approximately equal height and adjusting the apex foot you can very effectively compensate for observing Away From Home Leveling At More Polar Latitudes To level SkyStopper at a more polar latitude 1 Setall feet high 2 Level SkyStopper according to the bubble level as described in Leveling At Home on page 26 3 Lower the apex foot the number of turns computed in Compensating For Being Away From Home on page 27 Leveling At More Equatorial Latitudes To level SkyStopper at a more equatorial latitude 1 Set all feet low 2 Level SkyStopper according to the bubble level as described in Leveling At Home on page 26 Sk
23. degree Therefore SkyStopper allows the declination axis to be selectable between lateral and vertical effects To adjust the mix of vertical and lateral motion for the declination axis during guided operation 1 Enter a number between 0 100 2 Press Redto select a mix of vertical and lateral motion percent lateral Declination Guidance Example The platform enables changing the mix of vertical and horizontal travel that happens when declination guidance signals are received If the amount of vertical and lateral motion is known 1 Enter the percentage lateral factor on the numeric keys 2 Press Red If the amount of vertical and lateral motion is unknown the recommended method of setting declination guidance is to use the eyepiece view If the amount of vertical and lateral motion is known 1 Focusonastar in the direction you intend to photograph 2 Press Pause The star will drift rapidly eastward as the earth rotates 3 Press Yellow to restart tracking and compensate for any lost time Now you must select the correct lateral factor so that PR moves the telescope at right angles to the direction you observed when paused 4 Press PR and observe the direction of stellar motion 5 Press the number keys 0 100 then enter lt PR 6 Press Red 7 Press PR again to see which way the star moves now When you are satisfied with the direction you are ready to begin guiding For more information on Auto guiding see
24. dereal Rate SkyStopper was accurately levelled and aimed approximately northwards No physical objects are impeding the forward motion of the platform SkyStopper has not reached the End position and is waiting for a rewind command SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Troubleshooting Latitude 6 6 Latitude If you want to use SkyStopper at a different latitude than the original design latitude ensure the altitude of the axis is correct for your current location For more information see Using SkyStopper Away From Home on page 27 The leveling process is designed to be quick and easy so the bubble level would not normally ever need to be adjusted If you expect to be observing Away From Home for many setups 10 or more you can optionally recalibrate the bubble level to the current location The bubble level gimbals might not have the range to bring it to level far from home Note If you recalibrate the bubble level to the current latitude you will have to perform the adjustment procedure each time at home until you recalibrate again for Home Consequently recalibrate the bubble level only when you expect to be Away From Home for a significant period of time such that adjusting the apex foot after leveling outweighs the effort to recalibrate the gimbals twice 6 6 1 Recalibrating the Bubble Level Away From Home If you expect to be observing Away From Home for a period of time you can recalibrate the bubble level to the cur
25. e infrared receiver and extension cable if used e Confirm the remote infrared receiver is aimed towards your observing position e Confirm that the remote infrared receiver connector has not been damaged by erroneously plugging the speaker in when powered up 68 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Troubleshooting Audio Muting 6 4 Audio Muting 6 4 1 No Sound is Audible If SkyStopper does not provide any audio signals check the conditions in this topic Mute Level Set Too High Pressing Mute a few times until the mute level cycles back to zero Watching the main controller display for mute levels Speaker is Not Connected Confirm the connection between the speaker and the connector on the main controller with the white ring closest to the ST 4 connector Erroneously plugging the speaker cable into the infrared remote receiver connector causes a protection device within the controller to burn out and a replacement is required to use the infrared remote controller Speaker is Burned Out Contact the manufacturer at smrg cogeco ca for replacement speakers Any standard computer speaker can be used SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 69 Troubleshooting Tracking 6 5 Tracking 6 5 1 Stellar Tracking Rate Incorrect If the stellar tracking rate is incorrect confirm that these conditions are operating correctly 70 SkyStopper is powered up and main controller has finished initalizing Tracking in Si
26. e phase beep which happens each time the drive rod rotates a full turn once per 30 seconds Eliminates the beeping sound when a button is first pressed and the command is properly recognized Eliminates the beeping sound for basic functions centering Eliminates the beeping sound when travel limit is reached Eliminates all sounds except command acknowledgements and error sounds Eliminates all sounds except acknowledgements of advanced commands NI oO oy BR Ww Eliminates all sounds except error sounds 42 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Controlling SkyStopper Using the Options Optional Speaker SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 43 Controlling SkyStopper Moving The Telescope In The Declination Direction 4 5 Moving The Telescope In The Declination Direction To move the telescope in the declination direction 1 Move the telescope as required e Press PR to move the telescope northward e Press PR to move the telescope southward 2 Enter a number between 0 100 3 Press PR 4 Press the Red button speaker LR to specify a percentage of lateral motion associated with declination motions Note Depending on the direction in the sky that the telescope is pointed a mixed declination figure might result in northward motion for PR or for PR Guide software can compensate for this For instance if your telescope is pointing due east you would set the declination to 1
27. ect to the base It will snap into place as the magnets engage For more information see Attaching and Detaching the Magnetic Linkage on page 15 1 5 1 Attaching and Detaching the Magnetic Linkage Magnetic Linkage The SkyStopper base connects to the movable carriage on the platform with a magnetic linkage The magnets enable the platform to move slowly and accurately and are designed to release without damage if force exceeds the amount required to move the platform The linkage may also disconnect if the telescope is improperly balanced The linkage functions include e Preventing the carriage from rotating freely on the threaded shaft e Holding the carriage precisely in the plane of the pedestal e Transmitting force precisely to the carriage enabling the rocker to move accurately The linkage is arranged to be almost parallel to the rod Consequently lateral wobble in the rod is cancelled geometrically and the motion of the platform is determined only by the advancing of the carriage along the rod SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 15 Getting Started Setting Up the Telescope and Platform Magnetic Linkage Connected The linkage has a profile which is thinner than the spacing between the magnets in case it becomes caught between the pedestal and the carriage This prevents the weight of the telescope from being exerted laterally on the rod which could bend the rod If the platform is assembled and the l
28. ellation of the speed adjustment If you change to sidereal or solar speed for a period of time the moon tune speed will not be applied When you return to Lunar rate to see the moon again SkyStopper uses the previously set tuning again SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 39 Controlling SkyStopper Emulating Guide Inputs Compensating For Further Residual Drift If you detect more residual drift than can be detected in the one minute window used in setting the Moon Tune you can fine tune the tracking even more effectively compensating for tiny amounts of drift To compensate for further residual drift 1 Set the Moon Tune as shown in Applying a Moon Tune on page 39 2 Press Green a third time 3 Over the next few minutes make any gradual centering adjustments required to remain focused on a lunar feature 4 Press Green a fourth time to commit the compensation If you press Green again without making any intervening adjustments the Lunar tracking rate remains unchanged While in Green tuning mode SkyStopper beeps once every 20 seconds to remind you that your adjustments will be remembered and used To discard Green tuning in progress press Pause After resuming tracking SkyStopper will not be in tuning mode Previously set committed tuning will still be remembered when tracking is resumed To cancel all committed rate tuning press and hold Blue for 6 seconds 40 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Gu
29. ent This procedure only works when tracking at Star Sun or Half solar rates To compensate for polar misalignment 1 Center a star Press the Green button Press any combination of Triangle Triangle FAV EXIT MENU or INFO Press either PR or PR to re center the star UV a WwW N Press Green again SkyStopper now make the adjustments you entered continually This procedure helps deliver crisp unblurred Astro photography images SkyStopper calculates compound guide commands freeing the guide controller to only compensate for periodic errors To cancel polar misalignment pole tune settings 1 Verify that the platform is not tracking at Moon Rate 2 Press and hold the Blue button for five seconds 3 The main controller beeps to acknowledge the Cancel procedure 5 2 11 Measuring Misalignment To measure misalignment 1 Follow the pole tuning procedure provided in Compensate for Polar Misalignment on page 62 2 Press the Blue button The main controller displays its current status 3 Press Blue 4 Note the number displayed on the main controller This number indicates the number of arc minutes SkyStopper is tracking right of the pole If the number is negative the SkyStopper axis is left of the celestial pole The number is shown with two decimals of precision implied For example 5625 means 56 25 arc minutes of adjustment is required 5 Adjust the SkyStopper position by moving it a computed nu
30. epresents the three feet of your telescope The darker shaded square represents the possible positions of the center of gravity as you track from east to west depending on your setup at various latitudes During tracking the center of gravity moves along a lateral line in the diagram The position of that line is determined by your current latitude The telescope if it begins to tip will not tip laterally It will tip onto two of its three feet Therefore the tip safety margins are computed in the direction perpendicular to the two closest feet North Calculating Tip Resistance This section explores tip resistance during travel assuming equilateral placement of feet on the telescope e Design duration in minutes number of minutes from Center to End 35 minutes e Design latitude in degrees 49 73 degrees e CoG height 498 22 mm e Home Latitude 49 73 e Northward travel 4 degrees e Southward travel 6 degrees Legend Description Value Measure A Southward motion of CoG above triangle due to northward travel 34 84 mm B Northward motion of CoG above triangle due to southward travel 52 36 mm C Maximum lateral displacement of CoG due to tilting while tracking 49 56 mm D Lateral safety margin at northernmost latitude 33 73 mm E Lateral safety margin at southernmost latitude 77 33 mm F Northward safety margin at south limit 97 75 mm G Southward safety margin at north limit 225 16 mm J Half width of triang
31. equipment damage Ekasilicon Technology Ltd is not responsible for personal injury or equipment damage due to misuse of SkyStopper Your SkyStopper has been custom made for your telescope based on measurements you provided when ordering During normal operation the platform will tilt your telescope up to 8 5 degrees in either direction We have analyzed the dimensions and weight of your telescope and designed the platform to remain within safety margins in all operating conditions Any telescope can be blown over in a strong enough wind regardless of tilt from a platform However when the telescope is already partly tilted in high wind conditions tipping becomes more likely In windy conditions consider a sheltered location or restrict the platform to only small tilts near center When you first mount your telescope onto SkyStopper complete the test shown in Testing For Tip Resistance on page 18 Without the linkage attached your telescope should not accelerate towards the outer extreme angles The platform is designed to make the telescope seek the center slightly For more information see Attaching and Detaching the Magnetic Linkage on page 15 1 1 1 Using this Guide Ekasilicon Technology Ltd recommends that you read the required chapters before operating the platform and read the optional chapters as required Number Title Status Condition 1 Getting Started Required Before using the fi
32. ess is changing Two equal tones indicates that the display is at its limit To adjust the display brightness e Press and hold Zero for gt 10 seconds 54 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Operations Basic Functions The display brightness setting continuously cycles brighter then dimmer then brighter as you hold the button Keep holding Zero and release it when the display brightness is acceptable 5 1 6 Selecting the Tracking Rate OK Button The Moon s rate of travel in the sky relative to the stars varies from its average during the month by 12 percent The moon travels approximately one degree in the time the SkyStopper can complete one tracking cycle 90 minutes At the end of the 90 minute cycle the Moon Rate may vary by as much as 5 minutes of arc compared to the stars When the platform is tracking at the Moon Rate you can the adjust speed by the Moon Tune factor All steps taken by SkyStopper will be scaled appropriately In all other modes you do not need to adjust the tracking rate unless the platform is not properly aligned In case of misalignment you can set gradual guiding to be synthetically generated within the main controller It will only be effective in the general direction the telescope was pointing when guiding was set however it will keep an object visible in the eyepiece for an extended period Available Tracking Rates SkyStopper cycles through the four available rates in sequence emittin
33. ewing the guide s motion center it and hold 1 again to lock in the correct center position Code 23 middle tone is medium same as code 21 Triple axis error only Indicates that an attempt to control the guide actuator was initiated but the guide has not been centered since power up and was not left in a centered position when powered off Press and hold 1 to release the lock then while viewing the guide s motion center it and hold 1 again to lock in the correct center position 76 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Troubleshooting Error Codes Display Code Number Tone 8 Code 24 Middle tone is medium 9 Code 41 Intermediate tone lower than first tone Description The Triangle or Triangle button was used with a previously entered numeric argument An attempt was made to slew the platform position beyond the range of permitted travel The command was ignored Indicates that the platform has detected an overload or a jam The motor is not responding to the main controller s command to move The main controller removes all power from the motor for 2 seconds and then tries again This is to prevent possible overheating of the motor which might happen if the power is not removed Determine the cause of the jam and correct it If the platform has rewound past 0 and missed the limit switch sensor it will jam and produce this code This can only happen if the pl
34. g Rate Incorrect sees ec eeeeeeneeeneees 70 G26 Latitude mt aa ia a id s Whale aaa E ss destaca 71 6 6 1 Recalibrating the Bubble Level Away From Home 71 6 6 2 Recalibrating the Bubble Level At Home 71 6 7 Telescope ISSUCS 05 050220 rare aaa aerea 73 6 7 1 Telescope is Rotating on its OWN AXiS cceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees 73 6 8 Complete SetUP ssori ereer neia ii i 74 6 9 EPPO Codes iii irene das oun vals 75 Chapter 7 Glossary sseccssseci cece ccsseciec ri 81 4 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 1 Getting Started SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Getting Started Before You Start 1 1 Before You Start Thank you for purchasing the SkyStopper Equatorial Platform SkyStopper When used according to the procedures in this User Guide SkyStopper will enhance the viewing enjoyment of your Dobsonian telescope safely without risk of personal injury or equipment damage Please follow the procedures in this User Guide to operate your SkyStopper We recommend that you print this User Guide and take it with you when observing Warning Tip Resistance Stability Tracking celestial objects requires the platform to tilt the telescope When a telescope is tilting there is a danger of it tilting over far enough to fall resulting in personal injury or
35. g a unique audio sequence for each rate and displaying the corresponding symbol in the display on the main controller as shown in the table If the speaker is muted the audio sequence will not be heard The available tracking rates include Rate Display Symbol Audio Sequence Sidereal default t Starry Starry Night Moon c Moon River Solar o Here comes the Sun Half solar Cryptic To select the tracking rate 1 Begin tracking the sky 2 Press OR for one second Each time you press OK SkyStopper advances to the next pre defined tracking rate as shown in the table 5 1 7 Adjusting Motion for the Declination Axis Red Button SkyStopper is designed to accurately follow the stars Tracking faster or slower than the stars causes the stars to appear to move in the eyepiece view in the Right Ascension direction The Guide Actuator enables SkyStopper to make the stars move in the orthogonal direction enabling you to compensate for sag or refraction or to keep a photo centered The Guide Actuator can move the south end of the telescope laterally or vertically Depending on where your telescope is pointing a pure vertical motion of the telescope leg may be in a similar direction as Right Ascension SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 55 Operations Basic Functions For example when looking east raising the telescope s south support leg by a few mm simply rotates the field of view by a tiny fraction of a
36. ide Controlling SkyStopper Using the Options 4 4 Using the Options SkyStopper supports optional devices that enhance its operation and functionality The available options include e Remote Infrared Receiver e Speaker Note The main controller has two sockets The socket circled with a white ring is for the speaker The other socket is for an optional IR Remote receiver The sockets are not interchangeable Permanent damage will occur if power is present and the speaker is erroneously plugged into the IR Remote socket connector 4 4 1 Using the Optional Remote Infrared Receiver In some cases placement of the telescope can interrupt reception between the infrared remote controller and the main controller If telescope placement causes a loss of reception consider using the optional remote infrared receiver The remote infrared receiver plugs into the main controller enabling you to position it either nearby the telescope or on the ground Optional Remote Infrared Receiver For more information on which jack to connect to see Operating From The Main Controller on page 32 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 41 Controlling SkyStopper Using the Options 4 4 2 Using the Optional Speaker SkyStopper is designed to work in the dark and to operate intuitively without having to refocus your eyes from observing through the eyepiece of your telescope to SkyStopper s controls The speaker provides an audio confirma
37. inkage is not yet attached a positive stop prevents the platform from coming off the bearings The positive stop is located just beyond the normal end of travel Play in the linkage is adjustable by tightening the nylon screws on each end Linkage Play Adjustment Less than a millimeter of nylon screw should extend past the wood on the inside of the linkage The rocker can be lifted off the base without concern for damage to the linkage carriage or threaded shaft because the strength of the linkage is tuned to hold firmly and release if an unusual stress is applied to it The linkage is designed to allow connection in low light observing conditions 16 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Getting Started Setting Up the Telescope and Platform Connecting The Linkage To connect the linkage 1 Holdthe linkage near the carriage as shown The linkage is magnetically attracted to the carriage If the polarity is wrong and the magnets repel each other use the other end of the linkage 2 Tilt the platform until the linkage is near the pedestal 3 Lift the free end of the linkage inwards slightly towards the threaded rod and move the free end close to the pedestal The far end of the linkage will partly lift from the carriage but magnetic force maintains the parts in position and ready to re seat When the linkage s free end which you are holding is close enough to the pedestal the magnet will pull on the linkage l
38. ition Tracking Short Pause Medium Steps through available speeds e Sidereal e Solar e Lunar e Half solar Long Rewinds to center position Rewind Short Steps through available destinations e Center e Start e End Uses controlled acceleration and deceleration so that calibration is maintained Medium Stops the rewind at the current location Long Stops the rewind Returns the carriage to the position it was before the rewind commenced Compensates position to account for time lost in transit SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 33 Controlling SkyStopper Operating From The Main Controller Mode Find Index Button Action In Progress Press Short Cancel Medium Cancels the Find Index operation Leaves the carriage at a known position relative to where the operation was initiated Long Cancels the Find Index operation Returns the carriage to its previous position if possible 34 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Controlling SkyStopper Operating From the Remote Controller 4 2 Operating From the Remote Controller The basic functions that can be controlled remotely include e Emulate guide inputs e Increase or decrease the speed of RA tracking e Move the telescope in the declination direction e Operate the guide actuator motors individually e Seek to position e Single step the most recently commanded motor e Mute the speaker SkyStopper Remote Controller 4 2 1 Remo
39. le at northern limit 92 47 mm K Half width of triangle at southern limit 142 82 mm SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 19 Getting Started Setting Up the Telescope and Platform Legend Description Value Measure L Tipping safety margin at design latitude 83 65 M Radius of foot circle on the scope in mm center to outer edge of foot 260 N Assuming an equilateral triangle this is the edge of the triangle 450 33 perimeter Dimension D is always the determining distance for minimum tip resistance 1 5 5 Understanding Your Build Sheet Your build sheet contains parameters used in its design and construction Description Value Measure Height of blocks to hold the platform level during telescope assembly 82 11225 mm Telescope foot radius measured from center based on telescope construction 260 mm Base length between feet lines measured north to south 809 1466 mm Nominal height change per turn of main leveling knobs 1 75 mm Latitude distance per turn in km 13 75521 km Latitude distance per turn in miles 8 547092 miles Millimeters per minute of arc away from pole laterally 0 556051 mm Minimum tip resistance over the range of travel 33 73 mm Note The numeric values in the table above are example values from a production SkyStopper Your Build Sheet will include numbers that are specific to your telescope and location 20 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide
40. ly Voltage 12 20VDC center positive e Single Axis SkyStopper 200 mA minimum e Triple Axis SkyStopper 600 mA minimum e Use dedicated 12 VDC power pack or power tank 3 Control button 4 Programming port factory use only 5 ST 4 guide port 32 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Controlling SkyStopper Operating From The Main Controller Number Description Optional speaker jack 1 8 stereo mini jack 7 Optional remote infrared receiver jack 8 LED display Depending on what SkyStopper is doing the control button has different effects The operating mode provides context for commands issued with the control button Depending on the current operating mode short medium and long presses on the main controller s button have different effects The main controller responds to control input durations including e Short Press Less than one second e Medium Press Longer than one second less than four seconds Action commences when the button is released e Long Press Longer than four seconds Action commences after four seconds regardless of when the button is released Commands are issued according to the following table Mode Button Action In Progress Press Idle Short Initiates tracking Medium If the carriage is at the Start position moves the carriage to the Center position Otherwise moves the carriage to the Start position Long Finds the Index pos
41. m to seek zero unless the linkage is attached the L blocks are clear and there is sufficient room for the platform to actually move 6 1 1 Carriage Jamming If the carriage jams for an extended period of time it is possible to sustain damage to either or both the motor and the main controller To alert you of malfunction the main controller beeps many times before either component sustains damage If the carriage jams e Ensure sufficient clearance of all internal components for the drivetrain assembly to move the platform throughout its entire range of motion 6 1 2 Drivetrain In Rewind The motor rewinds the platform 60 times faster than normal tracking This builds considerable momentum in the spinning motor which can damage the gears if the drive shaft is suddenly stopped If you detect that the linkage is not attached or physical impediments to the travel of the platform either e Press the red Cancel button e Remove the main power cord 66 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Troubleshooting Display the Position of Actuator Motors 6 2 Display the Position of Actuator Motors To show status during calibration e Press Blue gt 3 to display the current position of the vertical actuators e Press Blue gt 4 to display the current position of the lateral actuators SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 67 Troubleshooting Operations 6 3 Operations 6 3 1 Platform Stops Moving If SkyStopper beeps and st
42. mber of inches per arc minute For a typical platform this distance is approximately 1 100 of an inch per arcminute 6 Once the adjustment is made 62 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Operations Additional Commands 7 Press and hold Blue for five seconds The main controller displays the number of arc minutes of misalignment from the north pole east of the polar alignment This procedure cancels the gradual guidance which was initiated with Green as it is no longer required SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 63 Operations Astro Photography With Autoguiding 5 3 Astro Photography With Autoguiding To calibrate the main controller for autoguiding during astro photography sessions 1 Adjust SkyStopper motion to compensate for the declination axis as indicated in Adjusting Motion for the Declination Axis Red Button on page 55 2 Connect your guide interface to the ST 4 connector on the main controller Note This is the only connection to the main controller that can be made while it is powered up 3 Launch the guiding software and allow it to calibrate and guide your astro photography session 64 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 6 Troubleshooting SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Troubleshooting Drivetrain 6 1 Drivetrain Do not force the motion of the main motor by manually turning the drive rod as this can damage the gear train Do not activate the platfor
43. mounted telescope 3 Move the telescope and platform until the platform is tilted towards you 4 Be ready to catch your telescope if it starts to tip It should not tip as the platform is designed with an ample safety margin 5 When the platform reaches the end of its travel and stops grasp the telescope and pull it gradually towards you causing it to begin tipping 6 Note how many inches the telescope must move before it reaches a balance point on just the two feet closest to you The measured distance is the tipping safety margin at your design latitude It must remain positive when the scope is rotated and in all latitudes when travelling The information you received about your SkyStopper will indicate the latitude range over which an adequate safety margin is maintained SkyStopper is designed with a minimum of 1 5 inches 37 mm of safety at the level of the center of gravity which means more distance at higher points on the telescope when used in the design latitude range 1 5 4 Tip Safety Example This topic helps to calculate the tip resistance of your telescope when mounted on SkyStopper 18 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Getting Started Setting Up the Telescope and Platform This is a sample tip safety margin diagram showing the distances and considerations The telescope s center of gravity can move around above the triangle defined by the telescope feet In this diagram the light shaded triangle r
44. ng telescope feet Fine adjustment of eyepiece view in all directions Polar misalignment correction mode Adjustable direction of declination guidance Single button recovery from power failure Slow and fast adjustment of positioning in right ascension direction Integrated audio timer Full one year warranty Available spare parts Available out of warranty repairs Thirty day money back guarantee lt lt lt lt lt lt lt lt lt lt lt lt lt lt lt lt lt lt z z z z lt lt x lt x lt x 10 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Getting Started About Mounting Your Telescope 1 3 About Mounting Your Telescope Mounting your telescope differs slightly between the triple axis and single axis SkyStopper models 1 3 1 Triple Axis Telescope Mounting The triple axis SkyStopper has a guide actuator which lifts or lowers the south foot of the telescope and can also move it from side to side The range of motion is approximately 1 degree in each direction in approximately 0 3 arc second steps Because of this motion the triple axis SkyStopper grips the feet of your telescope firmly to accurately position it for guiding Each foot of the telescope is gripped differently according to how it must move Foot Grip South Placed into a cone shaped cup that restricts it from moving laterally unless the actuator co
45. not been taken Pressing OK for greater than ten seconds returns SkyStopper to the Center position If you invoke the Seek procedure by accident you can undo it The Undo Seek procedure compensates for the earth s rotation during the time interval from before the Seek procedure to the end of the Undo Seek procedure To undo any of the listed actions e Press Yellow Once the platform returns to its previous position it immediately resumes tracking 5 1 12 Rewinding To The Start Position When the platform reaches the End position it will beep for five seconds and then stop To rewind to the Start position 1 Press Pause or wait until the platform enters the Pause state 2 Press OK for one second SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 57 Operations Basic Functions When the platform is fully rewound to the Start position it stops and waits for another command Note If you use digital setting circles this is the optimum time to target a new object Rewinding To The Center Position To move to the Center position during rewind e During rewind press OK for one second Pressing OK during rewind changes the SkyStopper destination to the Center position When SkyStopper arrives at the Center position it stops and waits for another command During rewind the main controller displays its target position e Start Short L e Middle _ e End Backwards short L When you change the SkyStopper destination during
46. ns The Guide actuator consists of a hinged paddle which can be moved up and down by a bearing that rides a movable ramp e Motor A moves the ramp under the bearing causing the paddle to raise and lower e Motor B moves the paddle itself laterally During tracking operations the motors move the telescope by the same lateral amount as an azimuth rotation This motion causes the bearing to move up or down along the ramp and the controller moves the ramp at exactly the same rate to achieve a pure lateral motion SkyStopper can be configured to respond to the Declination guide inputs by doing a combination of lateral and vertical motion so that the resulting change in the field of view is perpendicular to the Right Ascension direction This has two benefits SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 45 Controlling SkyStopper Activating The Guide Motors Manually e The guide inputs are economical only commanding the declination motors when needed e The guide adjustment is achieved without causing a rotation of the field of view If the declination ratio is not properly set then the response of SkyStopper would be similar to a dual axis platform As the guide system attempts to move the image perpendicular to the right ascension it would actually move at an angle such that compensation in right ascension will also be needed to keep the guide star centered This compensation causes a tiny rotation of the field of view 4 6 1 Fine
47. ntrolled tracking Y Y Pre set tracking parameters Y Y Accurate over a range of observing latitudes Y Y Smooth tracking for up to 90 minutes Y Y Magnetic linkage easily connects platform and motor Y Y Calibrated bubble level for quick setup at preferred observing latitude Y Y Bubble level can be re calibrated for alternate observing latitudes Y Y Detailed instructions for setting up at alternate observing latitudes Y Y Three adjustable and lockable platform feet Y Y Remote controller included Y Y Operates with reduced functionality if remote controller is not present Y Y Positive stop at ends of travel Y Y Includes L blocks for locking in Center position during setup Y Y Audio speaker with seven levels of mute Y Y Dimmable display Y Y Guide port Y Y Note Single axis model supports Right Ascension guiding only Remote Infrared Receiver Y Y 12V Power Cable Y Y Voltage range 10 5 20 volts Y Y Rapid rewind to Center position Y Y Rapid rewind to Start position Y Y Commence tracking with a single button press Y Y SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 9 Getting Started About Controlling the Platform Feature Seek to absolute position Triple Axis Y Single Axis Y Easy to pause and resume tracking Available tracking rates include Star Solar Moon Tracking rate easy to change Fine tunable Moon tracking rate Half solar tracking rate enables heliostat functionality Requires matchi
48. ntrols it Northwest Constrained to a line which runs approximately north by northeast To achieve this alignment a Teflon lined channel sits under the foot and constrains it from moving east or west Northeast Holding the previous two feet as indicated above is sufficient to positively locate the telescope provided the third foot is allowed to move laterally A Teflon pad enables the third foot to move laterally The Teflon pad enables tiny motions of the telescope without static friction which would otherwise cause the telescope to store up tension and advance several steps worth of distance suddenly 1 3 2 Single Axis Telescope Mounting The single axis SkyStopper does not grip the feet of your telescope The telescope base sits on the flat surface of the platform To achieve optimum balance position the telescope on the center line of the platform and adjust towards or away from the apex as required During construction a mark is scribed that indicates the ideal position of the center of the telescope turntable When mounting a different telescope test the telescope for stability with the linkage removed then adjust its position north and south for best balance The single axis platform features a large range of adjustment Be careful that the feet of the telescope do not extend past or too near to the edges of the rocker For telescopes which have a lot of friction when rotating you might need to apply supplied adhesive t
49. ocking it in place A clicking sound is heard as the linkage snaps into position The magnets are adjusted not to touch The linkage relies on wood on wood friction and alignment 1 5 2 Preventing Your Telescope From Tipping Dobsonian telescope mounts typically include a turntable and a rocker They are designed so that the telescope s center of gravity remains above the center of the turntable preventing it from tipping over SkyStopper was designed and constructed based on the information you provided about your telescope s center of gravity feet placement and preferred latitude The first time the platform is used carefully ensure that the telescope does not tip at either extreme of travel When mounted on SkyStopper the telescope will typically follow approximately 22 degrees of sky rotation Only part of the required motion is achieved by tilting the telescope with the balance of required motion achieved by horizontal rotation of the platform SkyStopper is designed to not tilt more than a safe amount reducing the risk of personal injury or equipment damage The required tilt is 22 5 degrees times the cosine of your design latitude which provides several degrees to east and west During manufacture the measurements of your telescope are used to ensure the design will not tilt your telescope too far SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 17 Getting Started Setting Up the Telescope and Platform Warning Tracking celes
50. oft ground you can distribute the weight by positioning a larger object a piece of wood or a flat rock under each foot before leveling 3 1 2 Observing From Home To use SkyStopper when the bubble level is calibrated for Home 1 Level the platform as shown in Leveling At Home on page 26 Install the rocker platform and L blocks Mount your telescope onto the platform Remove the L blocks U fk W N Install the linkage The platform and telescope are now ready to accurately track celestial objects For specific procedures see Operations on page 51 Controlling SkyStopper on page 31 and Advanced Functions on page 57 26 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Leveling and Aligning Using SkyStopper Away From Home 3 2 Using SkyStopper Away From Home For best results SkyStopper s axis must be pointed at the same altitude as the celestial pole Although a reasonable amount of tolerance is allowed in the design 1 5 of a turn of the levelling feet corresponds to just a few km or miles and therefore when not at your Home latitude you should compensate after levelling according to the bubble level Whenever your current observing latitude exceeds the tolerance specified in Using SkyStopper At Home on page 26 you must compensate for the difference in latitude as specified in Leveling Away From Home on page 27 3 2 1 Compensating For Being Away From Home To compute the number of turns to
51. ography For more information on the IR remote control button assignments see Remote Controller Functionality on page 35 For more information on Auto guiding see www wikipedia org wiki Autoguider 4 3 1 Adjusting the Tracking Speed Applying a Moon Tune You can adjust the Right Ascension tracking rate to compensate for the difference between the moon s apparent rate and its average rate relative to the stars This is called the Moon Tune mode It is achieved by changing a global multiplication factor on the tracking speed and is independent of any guide inputs applied later It is only used in Lunar rate To apply a Moon Tune 1 Center an item on the moon in the eyepiece 2 Press Green 3 Adjust the tracking speed e Press Volume Up Triangle to increase the RA tracking speed e Press Volume Down Triangle to decrease the RA tracking speed 4 Wait one minute and when the crater is centered again press Green again The controller will compute the net effect of the guiding commands and take into account the time between the two times the crater was indicated as being centered and adjust the platform tracking speed to compensate This tuning can be repeated at any time and will work relative to whatever tuning is already being applied Discarding the Moon Tune To totally discard the Moon Tune e Press and hold Blue for five seconds while tracking in Lunar mode The main controller beeps to acknowlege the canc
52. on page 15 Adjust the angle of the platform as required and connect the linkage to the pedestal on the base Install the white speaker cable into the socket on the main controller that is designated with a white ring Note The main controller has two sockets The socket circled with a white ring is for the speaker The other socket is for an optional IR Remote receiver The sockets are not interchangeable Permanent damage will occur if power is present and the speaker is erroneously plugged into the IR Remote socket connector If you are using the optional remote infrared receiver e Plug the cable into the socket on the main controller e Position the remote infrared receiver in a convenient location e Plug the other end of the cable into the remote infrared receiver e If required use the optional second cable 1 meter to extend the range of the infrared remote receiver Provide power to the main controller with the main power cable The main controller beeps immediately when powered up and the decimal point in the main controller display illuminates If the main controller does not power up check the battery pack and connections Ensure sufficient clearance for your telescope to move under control of the motor If the platform jams the controller will beep alerting you to remove power Ensure that the L blocks are not interfering and restricting movement of the rocker Note In some conditions there is potential for m
53. opper Equatorial Platform User Guide 47 Controlling SkyStopper Seeking To Position 4 Press either Triangle or Triangle Because the platform is moving to an absolute position the main controller determines the direction it needs to move based on the current location In this case pressing either Triangle or Triangle elicits the same response 48 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Controlling SkyStopper Displaying Status 4 8 Displaying Status At any time during SkyStopper operations you can display the status of polar alignment correction or the numeric position of the main drive motor To show status during tracking operations Press Blue to display the amount of guiding for polar alignment correction Pressing Blue displays the number of arcminutes of polar misalignment inferred from the most recent use of Green to center a star This value is measured in units of arcseconds per 240 seconds Use this number and the dimensions of your SkyStopper to make a single step correction to the lateral alignment on the pole Coupled with the bubble level this will align the platform accurately on the pole Near the meridian the tracking adjustments for polar misalignment are entirely azimuth To achieve polar alignment in altitude use a star near the horizon due east or west The lateral actuator indicates the amount of altitude misalignment of the polar axis To observe anywhere but the meridian also cancel the rate
54. ops moving check e Physical impediment to motion e Telescope has shifted and is unbalanced e Power supply is exhausted For best operations re charge power source to 12 VDC 6 3 2 Main Controller Does Not Respond to Actuator Commands There are numerous possible reasons SkyStopper may not respond to commands as expected First Check e The telescope is not too heavy and overloading SkyStopper Reference the weight on your build sheet and compare that to the current physical weight of your telescope e The drivetrain is able to move freely with no physical impediments e Telescope foot is centered in the actuator cup Sinlge Axis SkyStopper Single axis SkyStoppers do not include horizontal or vertical actuators therefore pressing FAV MENU EXIT or INFO does not move the platform It is possible to re assign these buttons to other functions such as moon and solar rates For more information contact the factory at smrg cogeco ca Actuator Not Centered At Last Power Down Press Pause for five seconds to center the actuator This process can takes up to three minutes During this time telescope aiming accuracy will be impacted by up to 2 degrees When the process completes the main controller beep and the buttons will work as expected Remote Infrared Receiver is Not Receiving If the remote infrared receiver works when pointing the remote controller directly at the main controller e Confirm the cable connections for the remot
55. orth star the projection of the earth s axis of rotation into the sky guiding Using a computer to command fine adjustments to the tracking speed and aiming of a telescope to render crisp time exposure images The ST 4 connector accepts four guide signals e RA e RA e Dec e Dec do we need a pin out reference for this or does it comply with a standard Simulating the guide inputs The buttons on the remote controller connect to the control system emulating computer command Center of Gravity CoG Although we talk about the Center of Gravity it is relative to the Center of Mass In physics the center of mass of a distribution of mass in space is the unique point where the weighted relative position of the distributed mass sums to zero The distribution of mass is balanced around the center of mass and the average of the weighted position coordinates of the distributed mass defines its coordinates Calculations in mechanics are often simplified when formulated with respect to the center of mass arc minutes MOA A minute of arc arcminute or minute arc MOA is a unit of angular measurement equal to one sixtieth 1 60 of one degree In turn a second of arc or arcsecond is one sixtieth 1 60 of one arcminute Because one degree is defined as one three hundred and sixtieth 1 360 of a rotation one minute of arc is 1 21 600 of a rotation which also equals pi 10 800 radians base pla
56. osition Until index has been found using the fine guidance buttons MENU INFO FAV and EXIT is rejected 5 2 4 Operate the Vertical Actuators Use any one of the following methods e Press INFO and EXIT to interactively aim the telescope SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 59 Operations Additional Commands e For larger amounts of motion enter a number between 0 50000 on the numeric keypad press lt PR and press INFO or EXIT again e For an absolute position enter a negative number between 0 20000 and press FAV or MENU again e Press and hold PAUSE to initiate indexing of the actuator SkyStopper will not respond to the other commands until it has found the Index position Until index has been found using the fine guidance buttons MENU INFO FAV and EXIT is rejected 5 2 5 Seek Specified Locations Sky Stopper understands a number of specified locations including e Index e Start e Middle e End To seek specified locations 1 If SkyStopper is tracking celestial objects press Pause 2 Press OK for a two seconds medium press to initiate rewinding to the Start position If the platform is already at the Start position a medium press sends it to the Center position 3 Press the Yellow button to undo this motion and return to the previous location Note This location depends on the state before the most recent motion To change the target destination see Seeking the Start Center End Position
57. otor damage For more information see Carriage Jamming on page 66 Press OK The main controller will e Beep SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 23 Pocket Reference Setup e Seek the Index position e Begin tracking at Star rate e Display a symbol on the LCD display e Beep again to indicate the current tracking rate Your SkyStopper is now calibrated to accurately track celestial objects 2 1 1 Rewind to the Start Position When the tracking duration has elapsed approximately 90 minutes terminated by reaching the End position the platform stops and the main controller beeps for five seconds e To rewind to the Start position press OK for one second e To resume tracking once rewinding is complete press OK for less than one second 2 1 2 What To Do Next Now that SkyStopper s basic setup and operations are complete you can track celestial objects For details and specific procedures see Operations on page 51 of the SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 24 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 3 Leveling and Aligning SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Leveling and Aligning Using SkyStopper At Home 3 1 Using SkyStopper At Home To make accurate setup of your SkyStopper platform quick and easy each unit is calibrated for the observing latitude you specified when ordering For convenience in SkyStopper technical documentation the original design latitude your of uni
58. pport Code 4 Middle tone is very high The platform attempted to sense the limit switch but it was already at the limit The platform could not advance forward to get clear of the limit switch within the timeout period Code 20 Middle tone is medium Triple axis error only Indicates that an attempt to control the guide actuator was initiated but the guide has not been centered since power up and was not left in a centered position when powered off Press and hold 1 to release the lock then while viewing the guide s motion center it and hold 1 again to lock in the correct center position Code 37 Code 21 Middle tone is low Middle tone is medium Internal software error detected while accessing stored settings Contact Technical Support Triple axis error only Indicates that an attempt to control the guide actuator was initiated but the guide has not been centered since power up and was not left in a centered position when powered off Press and hold 1 to release the lock then while viewing the guide s motion center it and hold 1 again to lock in the correct center position Code 22 Middle tone is medium same as code 21 Triple axis error only Indicates that an attempt to control the guide actuator was initiated but the guide has not been centered since power up and was not left in a centered position when powered off Press and hold 1 to release the lock then while vi
59. quatorial Platform User Guide 53 Operations Basic Functions 5 1 3 Setting Tracking On or Off This procedure requires that the platform has been indexed in the current power cycle and it knows its current location To toggle between tracking celestial objects and pausing e Press OK for a short tap A second short tap on OK resumes tracking e Press Pause to stop tracking To resume tracking from the Pause state press Yellow to undo the pause SkyStopper then advances quickly to resume tracking in the location it would have been had it not paused compensating for any time lost 5 1 4 Selecting the Display Status Blue Button The main controller can display various status items Commonly accessed status items include e 2 Numeric position of the Right Ascension e 6 Gradual guiding rate in arcseconds per four minutes e All other numbers are used during manufacturing only To select the display status 1 Press the number that corresponds to your selection 2 Press Enter 3 Press Blue 5 1 5 Adjusting the Display Brightness The display brightness of the SkyStopper is adjustable to suit the current light conditions of your viewing location e For viewing in daylight conditions the brightness can be increased to four times brighter than the default setting e For viewing at night the brightness can be decreased to 16 times dimmer than the default setting The main controller beeps to indicate when the display brightn
60. raction stickers where the telescope feet will sit The adhesive traction stickers prevent sliding which is usually not a problem but could be when rotating the telescope by the optical tube assembly SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 11 Getting Started Upgrading Your Telescope Feet 1 4 Upgrading Your Telescope Feet Note This procedure may or may not be required prior to using SkyStopper Please read this entire topic first and determine whether you need to upgrade your telescope feet or not If it was determined during manufacturing that your existing telescope feet are incompatible with the SkyStopper design you must install the supplied telescope feet In this case your shipment will include replacement telescope feet stainless steel screws and instructions for mounting on a radius circle specific to your telescope measured relative to the center of the telescope If your platform includes telescope feet you must install them on your telescope base with the included screws in the locations shown in your Build Sheet If your SkyStopper includes new telescope feet install them by drilling a 1 8 pilot hole 3 4 deep in the indicated locations Use a 8 Robertson or Square Drive screwdriver to install the feet Replacement Foot With Foot Grabber If SkyStopper can grip the telescope feet you already have the platform will support those feet and you do not need to upgrade your telescope feet Depending on your
61. receiver and the remote controller for better communication Code 1 No sound Factory use only 78 Code 14 No sound Factory test mode only SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Troubleshooting Error Codes Display Code Number Tone Description Code 2 No sound Factory use only Code 7 Middle tone is very The platform failed to end up at its destination high within the required time Ensure all wiring is secure and connectors fully and correctly engaged If error cannot be resolved contact Technical Support Code 9 Middle tone is very Indicates that a command to seek Start high Middle or End was issued but the platform has not been initialized in this power cycle 1 Ensure the platform is not obstructed 2 Confirm the linkage is properly installed 3 Press a short tap on OK to initialize SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 79 Troubleshooting Error Codes 80 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Glossary SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 81 Glossary Glossary Terms 7 1 Glossary Terms Term right ascension Abbreviation RA Description This is the angle in the sky measured from the vernal equinox the amount to the west RA is generally measured in hours and 24 hours represents the full circle declination dec The angle above or below the celestial equator celestial pole Near the n
62. rent location Note If you recalibrate the bubble level to the current latitude you must recalibrate again for Home Consequently recalibrate the bubble level only when you expect to be Away From Home for a period of time The gimbals on the bubble level do not need to be recalibrated if you only observe Away From Home occasionally Typically you would only recalibrate the bubble level if adjusting the foot by the computed number of turns becomes tiresome To recalibrate the bubble level to the current Away From Home latitude 1 Level the base at the current latitude as shown in Leveling Away From Home on page 27 2 Adjust the gimbals until the bubble is centered in the bubble level SkyStopper is now calibrated for the current Away From Home latitude To setup the platform again in this latitude level the platform as shown in the bubble level and the altitude of the SkyStopper axis will match that of the celestial pole 6 6 2 Recalibrating the Bubble Level At Home If you subsequently return Home after recalibrating Away From Home you must reset your calibration to Home Note Use this procedure only if e The platform has been calibrated Away From Home e The bubble level calibration has been lost e The bubble level is being replaced To reset your calibration to Home 1 Level the platform as shown in Leveling At Home on page 26 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 71 72 Troubleshooting Latitude
63. rewind it also provides an audio signal that corresponds to the new destination 58 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Operations Additional Commands 5 2 Additional Commands Now that the unit is set up and running you can run additional commands available from the remote controller 5 2 1 Seek Specific Locations While Not Tracking To seek specific locations while not tracking 1 Activate the slew controls 2 Activate the fine adjustment controls as required Double arrows Up or Down move single steps on the most recently slewed axis 3 Type a number 4 Press lt PR then Double Up or Down Arrows to repeatedly move that many steps One turn of the main motor is equal to 3575 steps and advances the unit by approximately 5 arc minutes 5 2 2 Seek an Absolute Position To seek an absolute position 1 Type the step number generally 0 to 425000 Press TVRADIO Press lt PR Poi cli Press Triangle 5 2 3 Operate the Lateral Actuators Use any one of the following methods e Press FAV and MENU to interactively aim the telescope e For larger amounts of motion enter a number between 0 50000 on the numeric keypad press lt PR and press FAV or MENU again e For an absolute position enter a negative number between 0 20000 and press FAV or MENU again e Press and hold PAUSE to initiate indexing of the actuator SkyStopper will not respond to the other commands until it has found the Index p
64. rst time 2 Pocket Reference Required During tirst use 3 Leveling and Aligning Optional At Home and Away From Home operations 4 Controlling SkyStopper Optional Before using the first time 5 Operations Required Basic procedures and additional commands 6 Troubleshooting Optional In case of trouble 7 Glossary Optional Terminology questions 8 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Getting Started About Controlling the Platform 1 2 About Controlling the Platform SkyStopper can be controlled from the remote controller or from the single button on the main controller The functionality of the single button on the main controller duplicates exactly the functionality of OK on the remote controller The central position of OK on the remote makes it easy to locate in the dark without needing to refocus your eyes from the eyepiece The keypad of the remote controller has numerous other buttons and can be used for functions that are not available from the main controller To make operations more comfortable an optional remote infrared receiver is available that can be placed in a convenient location to receive commands from the remote controller 1 2 1 Available Models SkyStopper is available in two model configurations e Triple axis guiding e Single axis guiding Model differentiators are shown in bold Feature Triple Axis Single Axis Precise computer co
65. s on page 53 5 2 6 Center the View While Tracking SkyStopper provides multiple methods to center the view while tracking e Fine adjustments operate at approximately 1 4 sidereal rate e Press Triangle and Triangle for fine adjustments in either direction e Coarse adjustments operate at approximately five times sidereal rate e Press SAT to toggle the coarse adjustment mode on and off To adjust the view while tracking 1 Press OK for less than one second Short Press to Pause 2 Press the slew buttons as required 3 Press OK again for less than one second to begin tracking 5 2 7 Seek the Index Position To seek the index position 1 If SkyStopper is tracking press Pause or OK for less than one second short press to Pause 2 Press and hold OK until SkyStopper begins moving showing three horizontal lines on the display 60 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Operations Additional Commands 3 When SkyStopper finds the Index position it e Stops moving e Clears the display e Begins or resumes tracking 5 2 8 Change the Audio Alerts SkyStopper has eight levels of mute Your selected mute level does not persist across a power cycle For more information on the muting levels available see Speaker Muting Levels on page 42 To change the audio alerts e Press MUTE at the upper right of the remote controller to reduce the range of conditions for which the unit beeps 5 2 9 Adjust the Tracking R
66. scription With a number supplied set the percentage of lateral motion for the declination axis Without a number specified toggle the application of the wobble correction settings to see their effect on tracking Green With a number specified 222222222 rr VIDA Mo Without a number specified begin or end learning a new tracking rate Yellow Undo L_ Undo the most recent command that changed tracking you can undo a pause a slew or a reset The yellow button can also undo a power cycle Tripping over the line cord is inconvenient Fortunately the yellow button can help If you unplug SkyStopper plug it back in and press Yellow as the first button It will seek zero then go back to where it was before seeking zero and apply a time correction and then re apply any previously learned tuning factors SkyStopper does not actually compensate for the time it spent switched off but it does compensate for the time it spent recovering Blue Short press shows status with a number supplied show particular status 6 is for seeing the lateral misalignment implied by the use of Green on a triple axis SkyStopper Long press erase any standing gradual guidance factors Double Up Arrow With a number supplied move the most recently slewed axis by that many steps Without a number specified move the most recently slewed axis by a single step useful for calibration Double Down Arrow See Double Up Arrow Blank But
67. se Your support of the author s rights is appreciated Bulk discounts available For details visit www skystopper ca Copyright 2014 Ekasilicon Technology Ltd All rights reserved All product names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective owners 2 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 05 00207 A01 Contents Chapter 1 Getting Started 0ccerecccerecererereeeeeeee 7 11 B for You Start irrisoria anita rale tnsesaderesaues es 8 1 1 1 USING this Guide tia ira 8 1 2 About Controlling the Platform L cecco 9 1 2 4 Available Models radere en T nE T S 9 1 3 About Mounting Your Telescope sssssessesssseseeeseeeesesseeeeeee 11 1 3 1 Triple Axis Telescope Mounting cece eee eee e eee eee eeeeees 11 1 3 2 Single Axis Telescope Mounting eci 11 1 4 Upgrading Your Telescope Feet 0c eee 12 1 5 Setting Up the Telescope and Platform 02c ceci 13 1 5 1 Attaching and Detaching the Magnetic Linkage 15 1 5 2 Preventing Your Telescope From Tipping 17 1 5 3 Testing For Tip Resistance c ceci 18 1 5 4 Tip Safety Example ccccceecceecceecceeceesceesseescesasees 18 1 5 5 Understanding Your Build Sheet cLcc rec 20 Chapter 2 Pocket Reference ccsccseccscccscccssccccceseceses 21 DA SOUP iii tt iii iL 22 2 1 1
68. t is referred to as your Home location To enable you to use SkyStopper within a reasonably wide range of latitude from your specified Home location it has a design tolerance of x degrees Within this specified range of latitude the platform will be accurate when setup using its Home calibration When observing from Home no adjustments to the bubble level are required In this case see e Leveling At Home on page 26 e Observing From Home on page 26 For convenience in SkyStopper technical documentation any location beyond the specified latitude tolerance is referred to as Away From Home To maintain accurate tracking when observing Away From Home adjustments to the setup procedure are required In this case see Leveling Away From Home on page 27 3 1 1 Leveling At Home When observing from Home no latitude compensation is required SkyStopper has three knobs that operate the leveling feet and each foot has a wing nut that locks the foot in place To level SkyStopper at Home 1 Position the platform base on the ground aligned to true north 2 Loosen the wing nuts on each leveling foot 3 Adjust the knobs until the bubble level is centered 4 Gently tighten each wing nut without rotating the foot The platform is now leveled for Home Note If the ground is soft mount the telescope onto the platform first to compress the ground under the feet before leveling so that it will not sag afterwards On s
69. tability is present e With the linkage disconnected confirm that the telescope does not tilt away from center e If the telescope tends to lean outwards move it towards the north wide end of the platform to attain better stability before proceeding e In this case mark the new position where the telescope either seeks the center slightly or can be positioned at any angle without moving laterally and use this position to ensure stability Attach the magnetic linkage as shown in Attaching and Detaching the Magnetic Linkage on page 15 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Troubleshooting Error Codes 6 9 Error Codes SkyStopper acknowledges error conditions with unique error announcements as shown in the table Most error announcements mean either try the action again or do not try that action again Some error conditions must be physically corrected or resolved These errors will repeat until the underlying condition is corrected Common Error Conditions e Code 9 Platform jammed or overloaded Check for items jamming the carriage Reduce the total weight of all equipment loaded onto the platform Confirm the total weight of all equipment loaded onto the platform e Code F IR input received garbled The remote is not pointing direcxtly at the pick up Display Code Number Tone Description 0 Code 32 Middle tone is low Green was pressed for fine tuning of the tracking rate while SkyStopper is not tracking
70. tal travel is listed on your build sheet It is usually about 500000 ticks For example to track 10000 ticks ahead of a celestial object press 10000 Enter then Triangle This parameter applies only once After the first press the Triangle button reverts to its original continuous jog mode 4 7 1 Jog To Position To repeatedly move 10 000 tick jogs 1 Press Triangle or Triangle to indicate which motor to adjust 2 Type the number 3 Press Enter 4 Use the Double Up and Double Down Arrow buttons at lower left to get a large jog for each press Repeated pressing will jog another 10000 steps The motor moves 3575 steps per full turn and there are about 150 turns of total travel 4 7 2 Seek To Absolute Position Pressing TV RADIO when entering a numeric value specifies that the number entered is a negative number Pressing TV RADIO a second time when entering a numeric value toggles the indicator back to a positive number When seeking position negative numbers are not accepted as normal input for a relative move so negative numbers are interpreted as absolute position co ordinates Absolute positions are specified numerically between 0 600000 the main controller automatically determines the motion required to seek the indicated position To seek an absolute position 1 Enter a number between 0 and 600000 2 Press Minus 3 Press lt PR lt PR is located to the right of 0 on the remote controller SkySt
71. te Controller Functionality The remote controller provides the functions shown SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 35 Controlling SkyStopper Operating From the Remote Controller Button Name OK Graphic Description Emulates the functionality of the single control button on the main controller OK LIST Triangle While tracking slow the tracking speed by 25 while stopped slew the platform at top speed eastwards Triangle While tracking accelerate the tracking speed by 25 While stopped slew the platform at top speed westwards ln MENU Operate the lateral control of the guide actuator adjusting the telescope pointing counterclockwise in azimuth BENJ FAV Operate the lateral control of the guide actuator adjusting FAV the telescope pointing clockwise in azimuth PR Simulate guide input from a guide scope adjusting the declination axis southward PR Simulate guide input from a guide scope adjusting the declination axis northward PR INFO Operate the vertical control of the guide actuator adjusting the pointing of the telescope soutward lower the south foot INFO EXIT Operate the vertical control of the guide actuator adjusting the pointing of the telescope northward raise the south foot 36 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Controlling SkyStopper Operating From the Remote Controller Button Name Red Graphic De
72. tely 2 Identify the cause of the error 3 Resolve the error before initiating this procedure again Note Damage to the motor gears may occur if seeking the Index position when an obstruction is impeding the progress of the motor or if the linkage is not connected correctly If damage occurs contact the factory for a replacement motor Stopping the Procedure Use either method to stop this procedure e Press OK e Press Power on the remote e Press the button on the main controller e Disconnect the power source 5 1 2 Seeking the Start Center End Positions After finding the Index position the SkyStopper can then seek three specific destinations without specifying additional parameters including e Start in the northern hemisphere platform leaning eastwards e Center e End platform leaning westwards The platform will return to a set position with sub arcsecond precision This is a useful function if you want to judge the amount of horizon available from an observing location or to use digital setting circles which lack a platform mode You can then use the setting circles and resume tracking The platform will not respond to Seek Start Center End commands until it has first found the Index position Note For customers in the southern hemisphere the limit switch is unchanged meaning at the westward end The platform will automatically compensates for this when the main controller is initializing SkyStopper E
73. tform linkage carriage apex 82 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Glossary Glossary Terms Term limit switch Abbreviation Description index position actuator zenith The point on the sky directly above the observer Conventional Dobsonian mounts have difficulty tracking near the zenith because significant combinations of rotation and tilt are needed to track a star a small angular distance in the sky as the earth turns A telescope on the SkyStopper can track through the zenith without any special considerations meridian Calculated trajectory through the sky between the north pole and the southern horizon due south of the observer In the southern hemisphere this trajectory extends from the south pole to the northern horizon due north of the observer By definition the meridian passes through the zenith rewind Causes the motor to position the platform so the telescope is tilted towards the East and ready for another tracking session centering Position of the platform when the telescope is level at least in the east west direction stability Measure of telescope balance when mounted on the platform Stability is realized when the telescope and platform tend to seek the center tip resistance Measure of how hard it is to tip the scope when already tilted at the end of travel
74. the platform normally as indicated by the bubble level Compensate for any difference in latitude Centre the star in the eyepiece Press the Green button on the remote controller De ec LIS Using the fine centering controls adjust the platform so that the star remains in the center of the viewer 7 After at least one minute when the star is again centered in the eyepiece press the Green button again 8 Press 6 lt PR Blue The display will cycle through the digits of the correction factor for instance it might show 836 836 836 In this example e The telescope is aimed 8 36 minutes of arc left of the celestial pole e Look up the number of mm per minute of arc to move the platform and multiply by 8 36 e Move the base of the telescope over by that number of mm 9 Adjust the lateral position of the platform by the number of mm indicated on your build sheet for good polar alignment 10 Cancel the correction factor that was initiated with the Green button by holding the Blue button for five seconds 30 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 4 Controlling SkyStopper SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Controlling SkyStopper Operating From The Main Controller 4 1 Operating From The Main Controller The main controller has a single control button available from the chassis ee Main Controller Number Description Internal infrared receiver 2 Main Power connector e Supp
75. tial objects requires the platform to tilt the telescope When a telescope is tilting there is a danger of it tilting over far enough to fall resulting in personal injury or equipment damage Ekasilicon Technology Ltd is not responsible for personal injury or equipment damage due to misuse of SkyStopper When the platform is positioned north or south of the design latitude an additional tilt in the north or south direction is required to maintain polar alignment The feet of the telescope and the feet of the platform must remain beneath the center of gravity of the telescope at all times and in all positions Travelling northward requires that the south end of the platform must be set lower than at Home This is the apex end of the triangle formed by the feet of the telescope The Center of Gravity is shifted closer to the apex allowing less lateral tilt before nearing its tipping point Travelling southwards makes the telescope less likely to tip for a few degrees Attempting to use the platform many degrees south of the design latitude may result in the telescope being tilted too far north and tipping towards the north For this reason a platform designed for northern latitudes will not work at the Winter Star Party 1 5 3 Testing For Tip Resistance To assess the tip resistance of your telescope when mounted on SkyStopper 1 Mount your telescope on the platform then remove the L blocks but do not attach the linkage 2 Stand beside the
76. tion of commands received enabling you to confidently control SkyStopper in the dark from the eyepiece without having to visually check the display The speaker can be electronically muted to maintain quiet in the environment The speaker has a particular error sound which indicates a weak or garbled infra red command was received In that case aim the remote control directly at the infrared receiver and repeat the missing command The error is disregarded and there is no loss of context For more information on which jack to connect to see Operating From The Main Controller on page 32 To mute the speaker output e Press Mute upper right on the remote controller repeatedly You will hear the beep acknowledgement change In Mute Level 5 and 6 there is no acknowledgement of the beeps The error signal tone triple has a high priority and is only heard in response to e Garbled input from the remote controller e A correctly received command that is impossible to execute e Problems with the motors or sensors Because of its high priority the error signal will always be heard regardless of the mute level To re engage the speaker output e Press Mute until the speaker cycles back to Level 0 4 4 3 Speaker Muting Levels SkyStopper has eight levels of mute becoming progressively quieter including Mute Level Description Default level all sounds are enabled Eliminates the ticking sound when a button is held and th
77. tons The remote controller includes three blank buttons No function assigned Do not use SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 37 Controlling SkyStopper Operating From the Remote Controller Button Name SAT Graphic Description Toggle the high speed slew correction mode In high speed mode the operation of the position adjustment controls makes a longer beep and the platform moves about twenty times faster In programming mode this button is used to command new values for SkyStopper physical dimensions Use of that mode should only be in cooperation with the manufacturer as it is not documented here Four Boxes This control activates a timebase SkyStopper will beep every two seconds Useful for timing transists Red Power xe Terminate any action in progress especially runaway motor conditions or if you are seeking zero but forgot to attach the linkage Mute There are eight preset mute levels Pressing the button increments the mute level and shows the new value on the display 0 is most permissive and 7 is the quietest SkyStopper will only beep for user input errors when set to 7 For more information on mute settings see Speaker Muting Levels on page 42 PAUSE Pauses SkyStopper tracking This command can be undone with the yellow button When held for five seconds or more this initiates an indexing operation on the guide
78. topper includes a limit switch which precisely indexes its position at the eastward end of travel Once indexed in each power cycle SkyStopper counts motor motion from the Index position to determine the correct tracking rate at all other positions while tracking Limit Switch Use this procedure when e Powering up the unit before tracking celestial objects e Power has been interrupted e The linkage has been disconnected for a period of time and the carriage has rotated around the shaft one or more times To index the platform 1 If the platform is currently tracking celestial objects press Pause Seeking or re seeking the Index position is only available from the Pause or Stopped states 52 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Operations Basic Functions 2 Press and hold OKon the remote controller or the single button on the main controller for five seconds until SkyStopper emits a tone sequence and the motor begins moving toward the Index position When the carriage approaches the Index position the motor will slow down When the platform position triggers the Start limit switch the motor stops moving and the platform s absolute position is known The zero position is just beyond the limit switch If Errors Are Encountered If errors are encountered while seeking the Index Position such as an obstruction impeding the progress of the motor or if the linkage is not connected 1 Stop the procedure immedia
79. yStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide 27 Leveling and Aligning Using SkyStopper Away From Home 3 Raise the apex foot the number of turns computed in Compensating For Being Away From Home on page 27 If You Need More Height You might run out of adjustable turns if SkyStopper is being used on uneven ground away from your Home Latitude In this case pre compensate the feet by raising the south foot if travelling south or the north feet if travelling north with some blocks of wood before levelling it Then you will be able to apply the appropriate number of turns to compensate for the difference in latitude Remember that opposite direction turns on the opposite feet are just as effective For safety do not disassemble the knobs from the feet 28 SkyStopper Equatorial Platform User Guide Leveling and Aligning About Leveling Precision 3 3 About Leveling Precision When calculating a latitude compensation factor the adjustments can be very precise for example 2 14 turns of the knob In most cases adjusting to the nearest 0 1 turn is sufficiently accurate resolution Each knob has an indicator marked on it to assist when making full turns in this example two full turns The handle of the knob features a five fluted profile each of which corresponds to 0 2 turns Five Fluted Knob Design Each 0 1 turn inaccuracy introduces less than one minute of arc misalignment For astro photography applications use your

Download Pdf Manuals

Related Search

Related Contents

SINGULUS STANGL SOLAR GmbH Terms and conditions (Work  UPS610ST UPS1010ST UPS1510ST 取 扱 説  MULTISPORT KIT  aire acondicionado (tipo multi-split) owner`s manual  IT-SmartDrive COMPACT Guia Rapida Di Avvio R0711  Guide d`utilisation  ADVANCE 88 ist0577v1.6  Operating instructions for the low pressure calibrator (LPX)  Installation Manual - Siphonic 2PC toilet Manual de  despi - Deco Print  

Copyright © All rights reserved. Failed to retrieve file