Re: [APML]: Anyone Autoguiding a G-11 with a Pictor XT?

[Robert Hoyle <rhoyle@earthlink.net>]

The Astro-Photography Mailing List
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John,

Sorry, I didn't make that clear in the previous message.  I use the 201xt on a
1987-vintage Meade LX3 8" SCT f/10 and f/6.3 (w/ Meade FF-FR).  This is almost
"Dark Ages" electronics w/no PEC or nuthin'.  And it isn't "plug-compatible"
with hardly anything wrt electronics -- so *had* to use the Relay.

Indeed, my experience may not be completely applicable to Robin's problem on
the G-11, but wanted to throw my 2-cents in anyway about the 201xt.  If this
thing will work well on my old scope, it surely ought to work on anything
modern.

Wil M.'s and my experiences are so diametrically opposite on the 201xt's
that I wanted Robin to at least have another viewpoint on that type of unit
before he just "tosses" it.

[Note to Wil M.: you must think I'm a Meade rep in disguise or something, on
this 201xt thing; and I might have wondered that about you too -- for SBIG.
The truth is probably that neither one of is, for either firm (I know I'm not).
But we *do* have our opinions (and experiences), don't we?  "That's my story
and I'm stickin' to it." :-)) ]

John F. Wall wrote:

> The Astro-Photography Mailing List
> ------------------------------------
>
> Are you using the 201xt with the GM-8 or G-11 mount and was the relay realy
> necessary since the losmandy electronics have a compatible input jack.
>
> John Wall
>
> At 03:37 PM 7/10/98 -0700, you wrote:
> >The Astro-Photography Mailing List
> >------------------------------------
> >
> >Robin,
> >
> >I use a 201xt and it would not work at first either.  It would just give all
> >these great RA and dec readouts -- but nothing moved.  After many frustrating
> >hours of trying to find out what was wrong, it turned out there was a bad
> cord
> >from the auto-guider to the drive electronics.  Sky&Tel's review of this unit
> >(and the 208xt -- can give you cites if you need them) had the *same* bad
> cord.
> >Seems to be a factory q/c screw up.  After the cord was replaced it worked
> fine.
> >
> >I'm using the Relay Wil referred to (Meade 520). Kinda high priced ($100), I
> >agree.  And I had Meade hook it up for me ($50, as I recall).  They said
> >electrical engineers were even having trouble doing this on their own.
> >
> >But, after all's said and done, this unit has worked superbly for nearly two
> >years now.  Nifty little auto-guider.
> >
> >Rx.
> >
> >
> >