[APML]: ST4 Power Source

[charles@jon.cjfny.org]

The Astro-Photography Mailing List
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Hi all:

I spent a very frustrating night on Saturday, trying to get my ST4 to
work. I just got zero values, except when I shone a flashlight into the
scope. When Jupiter appeared, the values jiggled or vacilated between 0
and something. Altair came up zeros.

For two minutes the unit worked fine. But then when it was unplugged and
switched on again it indicated FR(14?), but then showed zero (should
have eventually showed 10). It kept showing zeros no matter what I
tried.

I don't think its a focusing problem, but rather a power source problem.
A friend told me that the ST4 is very sensitive to voltage fluctuations.
I had hooked it up to the car battery, but had a long cord with a double
head, which was lying on wet ground (more resistance?). Could this have
been a problem? There was nothing else hooked up to the car battery.

I also hooked it up directly to a 12 volt battery pack before the car
battery, and had the same difficulties.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. It seems an autoguider
will eventually be worth these frustrations, when I get it to work.

Charles