Adding any GPS to your mount - using StarDate GPS Adapter

[g__day (Matthew)]

This looks an interesting USD$79 product, anyone bought one to connect (just about any GPS) to their Celestron mount?

I've e-mailed the guys to ask if they'd provide a simple virtual GPS program you could run on a Windows PC - that'd be great for a fixed Astrolab!

http://www.earthshinetechnologies.com/SD-001.htm

Now you can add GPS capability to your Celestron telescope using any handheld GPS receiver! The StarDateTM GPS Adapter connects any NMEA-0183 compliant GPS receiver to your telescope's AUX port for easy and automatic GPS alignment!

The StarDate GPS Adapter works with any AUX-port-equipped Celestron telescope, including:

• NexStar 5i/8i Series
• NexStar 8i Special Edition
• CGE Series
• AS-GT Series (with with Celestron #93965 AUX port accessory kit)
• SLT Series

Features:

• Works with any NMEA-0183 compliant GPS receiver (Garmin, Magellan, Lowrance, etc.) that outputs $GPRMC sentences (you must supply a suitable RS-232 cable for your GPS)
• Interfaces via Celestron telescope AUX port
• Supports most alignment methods (NOTE: Does not support "GPS Align", which requires compass direction sensor)
• No batteries required - draws a tiny amount of power from the telescope
• Easy to use - No buttons or switches, and only one status LED!
• Small and light enough to store in an eyepiece or accessory case
• Firmware can be field-updated to support new features or new telescopes

GPS-enable your telescope today - Spend less time aligning and more time observing!

[OneOfOne (Trevor)]

I just got a newsletter this morning from AstronomyOnline about the product. I asked them if the SkyScout would plug into the unit. If it did, this would make the scout even more useful, not that I have one though

Hopefully I will get a reply later today.

[netwolf]

This might be useful to some, I found a utility on the Stargps site called Redirect. StarGPS actually tell you how to use it to connect Autostar to a Bluetooth GPS unit and other GPS units via the PC. It essentially connects two com ports on your PC and lets them talk through your PC. I have a bluetooth GPS setup to connect on Com8 and I use redirect to Connect to Com1 where I have the Autostar connected. I turn on the LX90 and wait a few seconds and it beeps and sends an X to the screen to advise it has received the GPS coordinates and to know proceed. You can disconnect at this stage and use the telescope setup for your location.

I only wish that the various Star Chart programs would support GPS to enter location. This would make telescope control more accurate.

Possibly something similar could be done with the Celestron's not sure. The benefit of the cable from StarGPS you can connect your GPS receiver directly to the Telescope. Hence you dont need a PC to interconnect.

Regards