How To: A how-to for Wireless Go-To

[iceman (Mike)]

Hi all

Dennis Simmons (Dennis) has kindly written an article explaining how he connected his PDA to his EM200 mount for Wireless Go-To.

You can read the article from the IceInSpace Projects & Articles page, or directly by clicking on the link below:

A How-To for Wireless Go-To

Thanks very much to Dennis for writing the article.

If you'd like to submit an article or review or any other content for IceInSpace, please Contact Me.

[iceman (Mike)]

Article uploaded.

[jase (Jason)]

Great article Dennis. Very informative.

[RB (Andrew)]

Thank you so much Dennis, wonderful article and so well presented (as usual) !
Something I'd really like to try !

Much appreciated Sir.

[Dennis]

Thanks guys!

Although the Takahashi EM200 Temma2 is a GoTo mount, it only comes with a simple hand paddle, not a GoTo hand controller such as the Meade Austostar, Celestron Nexstar or Vixen Sky Book. You can either purchase a very expensive (low functionality) Tak hand controller, or use a Notebook computer or PDA to make use of the GoTo functionality.

The PDA set up is very useful for quick set ups and portable observing.

Mike did a terrific job with the layout - thanks Mike! He must have groaned when the zipped package of 29 photos arrived!

Cheers

Dennis

[netwolf]

Dennis, thanks for the article. I am going to setup something similar for myself, as serial ports seem to be becoming less available on new laptops.

I hope you dont mind but I have found something a little less expensive to give you the same solution.

FYI to others who want to setup something similar there is a cheaper alternative. Aircable in the US make a Bluetooth adapter that you can get for about $80 USD. If you also purchase Astomist for your PDA you can get a 15% discount if you buy from Aircable.
I however sourced mine from Astrocables (because they accept paypal) along with a cable adapter to power the unit from the telescope, however they dont offer the 15% discount.

I have no affiliation with any of these companies.

Regards

[Dennis]

Hi Fahim

That’s great news indeed, especially with the 15% discount and achieving the same set up with less expensive components. I originally decided on the Socket CSA because it had a known pedigree and I didn’t want to risk using any alternative components in the system that might have caused me some problems, as Bluetooth and PDA’s were very new to me at the time.

Thanks for posting the alternate solution – it is always good to have a choice, especially when some of the components are expensive, or difficult to source locally.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Cheers

Dennis

[netwolf]

Dennis, from what I have read about this device on the Astrocable and Astromist site its been tested with most of the major planetarium applications.
Another plus is for those who like programing Basic Stamp's etc, the new variation of the Aircable device is programmable.

Now if there was a way to connect the camera's wirelessly then we would be set to sit inside and use the scope.

Regards

[g__day (Matthew)]

Very, very well done!

[ozstockman (Mike)]

Hi guys,

I've just tested a serila3x module from aircables with EQDIR interface, EQQMOD and "Cartes du Ciel" on my EQ6 Pro mount and it works fine. Astrocables doesn't sell them so if you want one you can buy it from aircables directly. This module come with a built in rechargeable battery.

Just one note if you are planning to use aircables products to connect to your mount using Bluetooth serial port: Don't forget to set DIP switches on a module to 9600 baud rate and handshake to off.
For serial3x modules it means that the first two switches should be set to up position and the last two are to down.

I didn't know about it at the beginning and spent a couple of hours wondering why it didn't work :-)

I'm going to test it with a serial interface for DSLR camera shutter control as well but I'll have to fix this interface first. It suddenly stopped working.

cheers,

Michael

[leon]

Gee I wish I was clever, I wouldn't mind having a go at that sort of thing.

Leon