LX200 Classic park control software?

[michaelmorris]

I am the proud owner of a venerable 8" Meade LX200 Classic running version 3.30L of the Meade Firmware which is the main telescope in my roll-off roof observatory. I'm presently looking to make everything a little more automated. Whilst Sky 6 has a working park position, I have been unable to get the ASCOM Park command to work. The ASCOM driver support documentation says this is only available for version 3.34 of the firmware, yet the 'The Sky 6' drivers do it fine on my version 3.30L.

One of the things I'd ideally like to be able to do leave the scope powered up using and AE Scope-sleeper dongle. To do this it makes sense to have the scope automatically adopt a park position at the end of every observing session. The problem I have is that I really want two park positions. One for closing the roof and a second park position for after the roof is closed.

Does anyone know if there is a software application that will let me have two different park positions and will work with my LX200?

[Merlin66]

Michael,

I've never tried it myself, so can't really comment. Have you tried the Lx200 Yahoo Group? There's plenty of experts over there...

I forget what firmware I have on mine...on the back of the controller they all say version 3.21 ( both the 12" and the 10")

I think from memory the difference between 3.30 and 3.34 was the 12" (V3.34) has a hard stop function which stops the tube running into the base....

[Psychobilly]

Why do the LX's need to be kept powered up for long periods of time.... are they difficult to wake up from a few weeks slumber?

Peter...

[Merlin66]

Pete,

I think its the fact they need power to remember any park position.

Mine wake up from slumber even after a few months!! But I don't try to "park" them.

[michaelmorris]

Normally I align my telescope by simply pointing at a known star and 'syncing' the scope on it - job done. The reason I want to be able to park the telescope is that I sometimes want to carry out daylight observing. Obviously I can't sync on a star if I can't find it. If the telescope has been 'parked' at the end of the previous observing session, I can simply roll back the roof, unpark the scope than 'goto 'my desired target.

[Psychobilly]

TVM guys..... glad the CPC takes care of all that for me then...

Peter...

[michaelmorris]

. ..glad the CPC takes care of all that for me then...

QUOTE]

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