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Old Vixen DMD-3 drive problems solved
I have an older Vixen SP-DX mount fitted with dual axis drives with the Vixen DMD-3 hand controller. I have not used it much over the past couple of years as it was unreliable, at times would not drive at all, or even drive the wrong way. I bought an EQ6 last year so the SP-DX was only used to mount my Televue Pronto as a “grab and go” and I was not worried about setting up the electrics etc.
Lately I have started working in Whyalla, (though my family along with my 130EDT still reside in NSW) I needed a better scope for the dark desert skies west of Whyalla so acquired an Astro-Tech 106. (thanks Peter- it is wonderful) Took the Vixen mount to Whyalla and it is a perfect match for the scope whereas it was always too light for the 130. The drive problems were frustrating me, and knowing that the DMD-3 unit is no longer available meant that repair was the only option.
To cut the story of a long repair short, there were three wires in the cable to the motor that were in a make/break mode, one resister joint loose, and two internal wires came away from there connections to the board during the repair! It was a matter of microsurgery by soldering iron, but quite within the ability of a non--electronics man like me.
Never been more pleased with my efforts, the drives are performing like new now.
I wonder how many more have failed in this way, and it makes me wonder whether I should try to locate a non-goto controller for my EQ6 as a spare. Is such a unit available??
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