ServoCAT and Lightbridge 16"

[Glenn Dawes]

Hi guys,

I was wondering whether any of you have a LB 16 with a ServoCAT? Also is it used with an Argo N? I'm particularly interested if you have this combination and live in Sydney. I'd love to drop in and have a look if possible.

Thanks and regards

Glenn

[gary]

Hi Glenn,

Please see this recent thread by Stacey, here in Sydney, about an installation on his LB12 -
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=66867
You might like to drop him a line.

Best Regards

Gary Kopff
Managing Director
Wildcard Innovations Pty. Ltd.
20 Kilmory Place, Mount Kuring-Gai
NSW. 2080. Australia
Phone +61-2-9457-9049
Phone +61-2-9457-9593
sales@wildcard-innovations.com.au
http://www.wildcard-innovations.com.au

[Glenn Dawes]

Hi Gary,

Thanks for that, as usual you're help is appreciated (especially to a mechanically challenged dope like myself!). It's an interesting thread and I would like to see Stacey's setup. However, I do have some unique issues with my LB16" that being able to take measurements from another LB 16 installation might help.

Btw, you mentioned you have the 10000 encoder needed for the az axis (of which StellarCAT sells for a similar price), do you have the special arms to go on both encoders? Are they the same?

Regards

Glenn

[ngcles]

Hi Glenn,

We have an Argo and Servocat installed on a 16" Lightbridge at Sydney Observatory and it works very well. My best mate Gary Mitchell (Sutherland Astronomical Society) installed it for them -- he has now installed about 5-odd in total and knows how to do it really well and make a neat job of it.

Drop by Sydney Observatory if you are interested in seeing the install and if you would like Gary to do it all for you (at a reasonable cost of course), email me at the address at the bottom of my main column in AS&T and I'll put you in contact with him. Gary told me it was reasonably straightforward though a bit more difficult than an Obsession-type dob.

I'm working tomorrow night (Sunday 31102010) at the obs but it is my last shift for a month as I'm heading to Mudgee and then Hawaii). If you could call by then you can look.


Best,

Les D

[gary]

Hi Glenn,



I gather your scope has been modified a little?

The lead from Les on the installation at Sydney Observatory is a good one
as is the pointer to his mate Gary Mitchell.



The 10,000 step encoders are physically identical.
However, the mounting hardware, including what we refer to as the "tangent arms",
are different on the ServoCAT installation for the LB compared to what we supply
for the standalone Argo Navis installation. It is probably more expedient to order the
encoder mounting hardware from Gary Myers at the same time as you order the
ServoCAT. You can re-use your existing 10,000 step Alt encoder. Unfasten it from
its tangent arm and transfer it to the ServoCAT hardware. We recommend
replacing the 5000 step encoder on the Az axis which the existing hardware
is gearing 2:1 to provide 10,000 steps, with a native 10,000 step encoder which the
ServoCAT mount hardware mounts directly into the Az axis.

The ServoCAT installation for the LB 16 is a mature product. In the case of the
ServoCAT install on the LB 12, Stacey was the first and he did not order all
of the encoder mounting hardware from StellarCAT. We lent a hand in this regard
and he brought the scope over and we machined him some custom parts.

In a similar vain, if there is a scenario whereby StellarCAT have customized some
parts for you to work on your modified scope but upon installation it becomes
apparent that something needs further tweaking with the encoder installation,
it may be more expedient to give us a call and we can have a look at it for you.
A little improvisation and a little machining time may then be all that is required.

Best Regards

Gary Kopff
Managing Director
Wildcard Innovations Pty. Ltd.
20 Kilmory Place
Mount Kuring-Gai NSW 2080
Australia
Phone +61-2-9457-9049
Fax +61-2-9457-9593
sales@wildcard-innovations.com.au
http://www.wildcard-innovations.com.au