A new EQ mount controller designed by myself

[QHYCCD]

Hello,

This is a EQ mount controller(for stepper motor).
I just finished the PCB circuit and firware.Plan to do a plastic mould for it.

Here is some basic feature:

Three stepper motor driver ouput, for RA,DEC, and focus motor.

Step motor type: 2 phase. Resistance: 10ohm. Output current:MAX 1A
1/16 microstep.PWM control

Maxium GOTO SPEED:about 300X
Resolution: about 0.5 arcsec/step( when using 1:5, 1.8degree motor at 144 gear mount)

I write a ASCOM driver ,it can connect SKYMAP ,starrynigh etc to GOTO.

Suport ASCOM pulseguide command, and K3CCD PISCO guide command via RS232
One 6pin RJ-12 guide port(ST-4 type)
Two RS232 port.One is use for main RS232 communication with computer,one is used for connect Pocket PC (for the furture electic sky map on windows Mobile system)

It has a bootloader, the fireware can be upgrade via RS232.And it is openning source code( C language):)


Best regards,


http://amateur.lamost.org/qhy/ccdbbs/attachment.php?postid=1429

http://amateur.lamost.org/qhy/ccdbbs/attachment.php?postid=1430

[ballaratdragons]

Very clever Q :thumbsup:

I hope you do well with it and find a market for it.

[mickoking]

Wow you know your stuff Q :thumbsup: BTW I have been to China twice now, Love your country :)

Cheers, Mick

[QHYCCD]

Thank you very much.After the mould finished ,this production can be put on market. I hope it will be a good stuff for both the beginner and the DIYer
who make make there own telescope.And this maybe useful for not any EQ mount but also DOB.

[QHYCCD]

Thank you very much for loving my country.Which city did you visit in China? I am in Beijing and welcom you next visit.

[jakob]

Very interesting Q.
Do you have a particular hardware configuration to go with it?
I see the mechanical aspect of the mount as a stumbling block.
I think you must have an idea for the mechanics to go with your controller.

Looking forward to hear more.
J.

[Merlin66]

Re- reading the description of the system; its designed for a 144 tooth worm drive on the mounting, I assume you just fit the motor(s) to the existing shaft with a flexible connector.
Sounds like a great idea, simple and effective!!

[QHYCCD]

The hardware configuration is:
An AVR MCU( ATmega128) is used for the generate the driver signal and computing
Three motor stepper driver chip is used for driver the motor.
One 16*2 charactor is used to display
And some logic chip for decode the PISCO(K3CCD) guide signal.

The AVR ATmega128 has powerful functions. It has 4kBYTES EEPROM inside so that you can save some user defined value,like the gear tooth.So it is only any support the 144teeth mount,it support any tooth.It support 1.8degree,0.9degree,7.5degree etc motors.

This MCU has 128kBytes Flash for the firware,and allow bootloader.If you can use C language, you can programme you own function into it.The firware source is opened.

Three motor can be configed to be RA,DEC,FOCUS for EQ mount, or AL,AT,filed rotator for DOB.

This controller has a extra IO port.It output the singal to control the extra motor driver board. If you do not want to use the driver chip on this board, and want to use some other driver box, like 5 phyase motor driver ,or high power driver,like 3A 1/256 microstep driver.You can connect this port to the extra driver board. The output port include 2 sets control singal,each set include:

Direction signal
Clock signal
Motor Enable signal

[Merlin66]

Have you determined a target cost yet? When would it be available?
Sounds very good.

[ving]

wish i had that sorta knowhow!
looks great :D

[netwolf]

Excellent news we need more of this stuff.
I have been to you website before to look at your CCD camera.
If anyone else is intrested check it out. This is the english page. There is a forum as well but you need a good translator.
http://amateur.lamost.org/qhy/producten.htm

[QHYCCD]

Thanks.The http://amateur.lamost.org/qhy/producten.htm is a older web page.This page include some early production.Now I have much more production