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Bill W.
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/09/05
Posts: 1437
Loc: Western PA, USA
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Just a little background... I recently purchased AO7 for my SBIG ST-2000XM I have been trying to get the LX200 balanced well in DEC. I ended up having to put my Meade dew shield on and the medium sized Meade weight on the underside of the scope. Problem is I think it is too well balanced. I can move the scope through dec and pretty much leave go and it will stay. Last night I struggled to get the scope to calibrate the autoguider on my camera. I should also say I am very familiar with how to calibrate and what usually makes it fail and how the LX200 usually acts with different settings. I went up and down the scale on backlash on the keypad and software. I tried calibrating in the area of Vega which is nearly straight up. In adjusting, I couldn't get it to calibrate in dec if I left my weight were the scope was perfectly balanced in dec. But, if I moved the weight forward or backwards it would... in one direction. I am starting to think it is too well balanced and not putting any tension on the gears and causing the strange behavior. My balance has always been just a hair off being that I use a Meade rail system. I am wondering if a 3D system would solve my problem and allow me to put some tension on the gears in both directions. I never thought I would be looking to unbalance my scope some...  I did end up getting it to calibrate with some playing around. But, I'd like to see some more motion in dec to make autoguiding more effective when an adjustment is made in that direction. Any thoughts?
-Bill
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Orion Atlas EQ-G (EQMOD), SBIG ST-2000XM & AO7
Stellarvue SV66ED
Skunk Hollow Observatory
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Steve Pearce
member
Reged: 10/05/05
Posts: 19
Loc: Hampshire UK
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Bill,
I'm just about at the same point. I added a 2" diagonal and 2" eyepieces to my 10" LX200 and I had real problems getting the system to align itself due, I think, to the lack of balance. When I put the regular 1.25" diagonal/eyepiece on it seemed alot happier. I've just ordered the Meade official counterbalance accessory, however I'm wondering if I should have bought the 3D kit instead?
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LX200GPS 10"
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JAT Observatory
Space Freak
Reged: 02/20/05
Posts: 5863
Loc: Eastern PA
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Bill,
While I didn't have a Classic I had an AO7 and a ST-2000XM on my 10" GPS. My scope was also darn near perfect balance and the autoguiding calibration was not an issue. Because of the refractor mounted on top and the metal dew shield it took about 21.5 lbs of counter weights including a 3.3 lbs EZ weight on the rear. I liked my scope as balanced as possible, since on a wedge mountd fork scope it allows you to track through the meridian without unloading the gears.
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-Marcus
The problem with free speech is even the stupid have a voice.
http://jatobservatory.org
12" LX200R on a Paramount ME
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Bill W.
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/09/05
Posts: 1437
Loc: Western PA, USA
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Quote:
Bill,
While I didn't have a Classic I had an AO7 and a ST-2000XM on my 10" GPS. My scope was also darn near perfect balance and the autoguiding calibration was not an issue. Because of the refractor mounted on top and the metal dew shield it took about 21.5 lbs of counter weights including a 3.3 lbs EZ weight on the rear. I liked my scope as balanced as possible, since on a wedge mountd fork scope it allows you to track through the meridian without unloading the gears.
Marcus,
Like you, I've always tried to get the balance as close as possible. I've never had an issue with getting the imager to calibrate. But, this is the best balancing I've ever seen on my LX200. It's balanced so well it is effortless to move it throughout it's range. Maybe the seeing was playing with my calibration because it was pretty hot and humid during the day. I am at a lose. I'll see what happens next outing. If it still acts the same I am moving some weights around and see if I could get something more consistant. Right now I only have to use the medium sized weight to balance my LX200.
-Bill
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Orion Atlas EQ-G (EQMOD), SBIG ST-2000XM & AO7
Stellarvue SV66ED
Skunk Hollow Observatory
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JAT Observatory
Space Freak
Reged: 02/20/05
Posts: 5863
Loc: Eastern PA
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Bill,
Your original post mentioned the area of Vega, I am assumming you aren't using Vega to calibrate. I have had problems in the past with calibration if I used a very bright star.
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-Marcus
The problem with free speech is even the stupid have a voice.
http://jatobservatory.org
12" LX200R on a Paramount ME
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Bill W.
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/09/05
Posts: 1437
Loc: Western PA, USA
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Marcus,
No, I wasn't using Vega to calibrate...  It's a strange one for sure.
-Bill
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Orion Atlas EQ-G (EQMOD), SBIG ST-2000XM & AO7
Stellarvue SV66ED
Skunk Hollow Observatory
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Jen
member
Reged: 07/06/06
Posts: 11
Loc: New Zealand
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Hi Bill,
The the balance is not the problem as I too have been finding autoguiding and calibration a problem of late. I own a very elderly LX200 10" classic, and up until now have had no problems with it.
I now know what the problem is and is appears not to be an easy fix. The RS232 port is the problem. At first we thought the cable was faulty so had it tested, It appears fine. After giving the connections a bit of clean everything started to work well again. My electrician friend thought that this would not fix the problem all together, and I am sad to say he was right. Tonight the connection failed much to my frustration. .
Basically the telescope or should I say the RS232 port is not talking to the software I use to run the autoguider (CCD Soft)
North, South, and West are responding fine but East is not responding at all - So it is impossible to calibrate or autoguider without it working in an easterly direction. Hope all that make sense?
I am going to purchase a new cable in the hope that may help but I don't think so.
Cheers
Jennie
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Farm Cove Observatory
CBA Pakuranga
MicroFUN Farm Cove
Auckland
New Zealand
www.farmcoveobs.co.nz
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JAT Observatory
Space Freak
Reged: 02/20/05
Posts: 5863
Loc: Eastern PA
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Jen,
Hopefully the new cable corrects your problems.
BTW nice observatory and website you have.
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-Marcus
The problem with free speech is even the stupid have a voice.
http://jatobservatory.org
12" LX200R on a Paramount ME
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Bill W.
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/09/05
Posts: 1437
Loc: Western PA, USA
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Jen,
Thanks for the message. It was guiding and calibrating fine on Saturday with a little bit different weight balance. Kind of strange. I don't think it is the cable because it would calibrate when I changed the balance some. But, it's definitely something I'll keep in mind.
-Bill
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Orion Atlas EQ-G (EQMOD), SBIG ST-2000XM & AO7
Stellarvue SV66ED
Skunk Hollow Observatory
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