Meade Appendix E, Electronic Controller DS-2000EC Users Only, Telescope Mounting

APPENDIX E

Fast

Medium

Moderate

Slow

Fig. 33: Electronic Controller. (1) Arrow Keys; (2) Indicator

Lights; (3) SPEED Key; (4) Coil Cord; (5) MODE Key; (6) OUT

Key; (7) IN Key.

Electronic Controller (DS-2000EC Users Only)

DS-2000 "EC" models come equipped with an Electronic Controller handbox, rather than the Autostar Handbox. The Electronic Controller provides you with the means to control the telescope motors from a compact handbox. The Electronic Controller (Fig. 33) has soft-touch keys designed to have a positive feel, even through gloves.

Functions of the Electronic Controller include:

■Slewing (moving) the telescope's optical tube assembly to an object.

■When used with the optional #1240 Electric Focuser, moves the focus of the eyepiece. See the #1240 Electric Focuser Instruction Sheet for more information.

Arrow Keys (1, Fig. 33): Press one of the four Arrow keys to slew the telescope (i.e., up, down, left, and right) at any one of four slew speeds (see SPEED KEY below).

Important Note: If you reverse directions while using the Arrow keys to slew to objects, there may be a slight pause as the telescope motors compensate for the reversal of the internal gears.

Indicator Lights (2, Fig. 33): The four red LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights indicate the current slew speed of the telescope.

SPEED Key (3, Fig. 33): Press the SPEED key to change the speed at which the telescope slews to an object. Each press of the SPEED key changes the slew speed to the next slower setting. If the controller is already on the slowest slew speed (light 4), pressing the SPEED key cycles back to the highest speed (light 1). Slew speeds are signified by the indicator lights (2, Fig. 33).

Coil Cord: Plug into the HBX connector of the Computer Control Panel.

MODE Key (5, Fig. 33): Not used with the DS-2000 telescopes.

OUT Key (6, Fig. 33): When using the optional #1240 Electric Focuser (see OPTIONAL ACCES- SORIES, page 29), press the OUT key to move the focus point outward.

IN Key (7, Fig. 33): When using the optional #1240 Electric Focuser (see OPTIONAL ACCES- SORIES, page 29), press the IN key to move the focus point inward.

Telescope Mounting

A mount allows a telescope to move on its axes. All DS-2000 telescopes use an Altazimuth mount- ing. The Electronic Controller is factory pre-set to the Alt/Az mode.

Altazimuth (Alt/Az) mounting permits movement of the telescope tube in vertical (altitude) and hor- izontal (azimuth) directions, and is ideal for terrestrial applications and for casual astronomical obser- vation. The Electronic Controller Arrow keys permit pushbutton movements (slewing) of the tele- scope. To manually track objects with the telescope in the Altazimuth configuration, press the Arrow keys of the Electronic Controller as necessary to keep an object centered.

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