How to connect LX90 - APM - Maxim

[GingerNut]

I need some help trying to connect all this together please?

I don't even know which cable to plug in where!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a LX90 GPS 8"

Meade APM

Meade Serial to USB cable - drivers installed

Maxim DL

ASCOM 4.1 installed

Yours Roy

[barkis]

Roy, the APM cable will plug into an auxiliary port on the LX90 panel. The LX90 has a guide port the one that looks like a telephone socket. A cable connects that to the APM RJ socket.Both these sockets are 6 pin. The other aspects of the APM are focusing, if you have a compatible electric focuser. And, the other thing is controlling the blink rate on a corded Meade reticle eyepiece.

The serial cable plugs into a USB port on your computer. The other end goes into the Autostar 497 Auxiliary socket.

This cable allows you to send commands to the telescope via software such as Starry Night or Red Shift. Maxim DL also has that function I think. Your computer will need a serial to USB driver installed . Then the telescope can be connected to your software. All this will work if you have carried out the alignment procedure on the LX90 beforehand. You get immediate feedback from the software if the connection to the scope has been successful. If so, right clicking on any object on your screen, and then click goto, and away it goes to find the object.

You will probably need to train your drives, and perform other tasks if you encounter any problems. All those procedures are in the LX Manual.

Someone more experienced may help you on this, as I am a relative novice myself.

Hope it is of some help to you.

Ron.

[Beyond_Vision]

Roy, the APM cable will plug into an auxiliary port on the LX90 panel. The LX90 has a guide port the one that looks like a telephone socket. A cable connects that to the APM RJ socket.Both these sockets are 6 pin.

Ron.

To add to Ron comments :-

The LX90 doesnt have a guide port on it fork, this is an auxilary serial port interface. This connects to the APM which consists of a ST4 compatible guide port an electric focuser connection and reticule power connection. The LX90 talks to the APM via the serial communications interface of its auxillary connection, the APM will then respond to the commands sent and will change the rate and brightness of the reticule or will drive the electric focuser in the appropriate direction. The ST4 port on the APM is effectively 4 switch inputs that correspond to the RA and DEC motor drive direction of movement. The APM translates the switch inputs to a data command which is then sent to the LX90's motor control electronics via the auxillary connection on the fork.

By the sound of the equipment list you probably will not need to connect up the APM unless you need to control an electric focuser or a reticule or use autoguiding ( not to be confused with controlling the position of the telescope by a planetarium program as decribed by Barkis)

Regards,

Kevin

[GingerNut]

Thanx for your replies :-)

It is all sorted by a discussion on Cloudy Night :-)

Yours Roy