Wireless operation of LX200 GPS

[Percivel]

Hello to everyone as this is my first post.

Been an advid but perhaps a slightly old school astro sort of guy as never used the deemed newer type of tech.

Currently use a Meade lx200 GPS. Quite old now and like many the handbox is giving up the ghost.

Seems impossible to get another one so been looking at  changing to a wireless or even wired PC control. But on the reading I have done I get the impression that without a working handbox I cannot do the set up mode of align etc.

Have I got this wrong?

[Stuart1971]

2 hours ago, Percivel said:

Hello to everyone as this is my first post.

Been an advid but perhaps a slightly old school astro sort of guy as never used the deemed newer type of tech.

Currently use a Meade lx200 GPS. Quite old now and like many the handbox is giving up the ghost.

Seems impossible to get another one so been looking at  changing to a wireless or even wired PC control. But on the reading I have done I get the impression that without a working handbox I cannot do the set up mode of align etc.

Have I got this wrong?

Yes, as far as I know you need a working handset for this to work, as that’s where all the brains and electronics are for these scopes, all that’s in the scope base itself, is the motors and motor controllers....sorry....☹️

Looking at what other have written, I obviously know nothing about the LX200 so ignore me, I only have the LX90....👍🏼

Edited March 20, 2021 by Stuart1971

[skyhog]

I got a new handset a few years ago so there may still be places to buy them if you look around. I did repair the existing handset originally a few times but it soon started playing up. The handbox is actually pretty simplistic on the later LX200GPS Scopes. The earlier LX200s were different in that regard. If you take them apart you are looking more TV remote than anything else. The handset therefore initiates commands to the base. The other thing I'd suggest is to look at the cable, they break down frequently at the board connection. 

[michael8554]

The LX200GPS has its "brains" in the mount, the Autostar II handset is just a display and buttons.

Unlike the Autostar 497 used in the EXT etc, which actually is the "brains" of the mount.

So not much to go wrong, what problem does yours have Percivel ?

The Autostar II is used in many current Meade mounts, so a replacement should be available, COVID allowing.

If you want to run wireless, try the ScopeBoss app on iOS iPad or iPhone.

I have it on an iPhone 6, about right for button size, and fits in the pocket.

You will need a wireless RS232 Adapter, see here for details:

https://groups.io/g/LX200GPS/topic/scopeboss_problem_connecting/74427989?p=,,,20,0,0,0::recentpostdate%2Fsticky,,,20,2,120,74427989

A long read with much misleading info from the misinformed, but finally gets there.

Seems that depending on your WiFi adapter, you may or may not need to reverse Rx and Tx on the cable from the Adapter to the RS232 port on the mount.

Michael

 

[skyhog]

A quick search pulled up this.... 

https://www.astroshop.eu/handcontroller/meade-autostar-ii-handbox/p,49978

 

[Percivel]

Thanks. Now ordered. Hopefully  hand set will last another  month!

[Physopto]

You can if it is just the response from the button presses get conductive rubber paint. It is a simple job to do. Open the handset carefully and separate the rubber buttons from the case, (not a hard job). On the back of the rubber buttons you will see the either grey or black conductive pad. All you need to do is to paint on the conductive paint and wait for it to dry completely. (Give it 24 hours to be sure).  Reassemble the hand control and it should work fine. I did this with mine many years ago and it worked as if new.

So, as you have ordered up a new handset, do not throw the original one away.  If time permits repair it and keep as a spare.

The only caveat I would say is , it cost me about £20 for the paint from the USA but I was charged £25 for delivery by the "Rip Off " UK Post Office, for UK import tax (4.2%) and filling in the import tax form by them, even though all postage had already been paid by the sender!

There may be other means to get the paint over here these days.

 

[michael8554]

If it is intermittent buttons, then a clean of the PCB contacts with alcohol is the recommended first step.

Here's the cleaning and painting process:

 

[Percivel]

Thanks for all of the replies. The issue is the not so rare Text fading. Tried cleaning etc and to no avail.

Although one ordered it says avaialable as from the 1/5/21. Looking around the web and from what I can see not very confident on that date.

Be so annoying, its a 14 inch scope. Superb optics but  although very computer confident, might end up buying a telrad and converting it to a push to. Cannot seem to get the gist of using a PC instead of the handset.

Don't use apple always android and Microsoft. From what I have read this seems to complicate the issue.

I however really do appreciate all of your replies, clearly a very friendly forum.

 

[skyhog]

Hi percivel, I take it the 14 is obsy mounted? 

[Percivel]

No. For me it is  managble  to  take the tripod  and  fork  with ota  and assemble  in  garden .

Other passion is power lifting.  6 feet 4 and 18 stone. 

[Physopto]

I had the 12" Lx200. What with the 10"  lift in and out of my hut it got to much when I was really cold at the end of the night. And I'm only 5' 8". My days of weight lifting were 35 years ago 🤣. So had to sell it, well that's my excuse anyway!

I definitely would look into recoating the buttons with conductive paint rather than give up on the hand control. The LX200s have nice optics, but rubbish electronics.

[skyhog]

3 hours ago, Percivel said:

No. For me it is  managble  to  take the tripod  and  fork  with ota  and assemble  in  garden .

Other passion is power lifting.  6 feet 4 and 18 stone. 

That's two hobbies perfectly suited as that scope is a beast of a thing. A bit of a step up from the 12 and that's one awkward bit of kit. 

[Percivel]

Ok bit of an update. I stripped the handbox one more time and carried out a massive clean. It now works. Just slightly dimmed. hard to see the text in daylight but at night it is fine and all buttons work.

Went for one last clean as it seems the handbox is no longer available to buy on its own.

Now only one other (massive) issue. RA drive has slammed to a halt and is making a terrible grinding noise when moved.

Now having to look at the nightmare of deforking the scope. Scope is brilliant but time for a new mount.

 

[michael8554]

Sounds like RA ran into one of the two stops that prevents the cables inside the mount getting twisted too much.

Alignment should always be started with RA unclutched and moved to about halfway between the stops.

There's more than 360 degrees between the stops.

Michael

Edited June 20, 2021 by michael8554

[Stuart1971]

9 hours ago, michael8554 said:

Sounds like RA ran into one of the two stops that prevents the cables inside the mount getting twisted too much.

Alignment should always be started with RA unclutched and moved to about halfway between the stops.

There's more than 360 degrees between the stops.

Michael

How can there be more than 360 degrees between the stops….🤔🤔🤔 and what would be the point in having them that far apart…I assume you mean physical stops….

[Percivel]

9 hours ago, michael8554 said:

Sounds like RA ran into one of the two stops that prevents the cables inside the mount getting twisted too much.

Alignment should always be started with RA unclutched and moved to about halfway between the stops.

There's more than 360 degrees between the stops.

Michael

Its not that, the scope is jamming in whatever way you turn it left or right .