What on earth is this thing??

[Poita (Peter)]

A quick explanation, I purchased my C8 over 20 years ago when I was about 18 and blew my first two months pay on it. It came with 'stuff' most of which stayed on the shelf, unused.

Now digging it out of the shed 20 odd years later, my memory is a bit hazy, it came with this blue box. Has a switch on one side, what looks like a hand-made controller with a pot and two buttons on it, a 240v plug, a 240v outlet and a two pin connector.

http://www.mudgee.net/ot/mysterybox1.jpg
http://www.mudgee.net/ot/mysterybox2.jpg
http://www.mudgee.net/ot/mysterybox3.jpg
http://www.mudgee.net/ot/mysterybox4.jpg
Any idea what it is? I think it may be some kind of drive corrector or something for the celestron, but I have no idea really, or how it may be used.
Anyone want to take a punt? I think I bought it from Astro-Optical supplies in Crows Nest in the 80s.

[adebear]

What numbers are on the chips?
It appears to be a power supply, and with the variable control I would say you are correct. Looks like the cable out would supply a voltage (possibily Pulse Width Modulated) in to supply a motor, forward and backward by the look of the center taped transformer.

It's kinds of hard to say though without being able to see the connections and the board what voltages come out and where they come out, as there is two transforms one 12v center tapped and one 15v

The extra power plug is just there to plug 240v things into I would say.

Thanks my guess

[renormalised (Carl)]

First one is a Finkelgruber, the other is a Bitschinschnarfeljager

Seriously, your guess is most likely correct....a drive corrector of some sort.

[Lismore Bloke (Paul)]

Hi Peter,

Yes it's a RA drive corrector sold by Astro Optical, about the time they sold
the Samson mounts (around 1980's or so). I have one on my old 10". The handset has buttons for temporary speed-up and slow-down.

Cheers, Paul

[Poita (Peter)]

Thanks Paul!
So did these used to get used for manual guiding?

[Terry B]

Originally Posted by Poita

Thanks Paul!
So did these used to get used for manual guiding?

Yes. We have a similar ? Same one at our local club observatory.

[Poita (Peter)]

Thanks everyone, I'm going to plug it in and give it a go to see if it still works.