Re: [APML]: Meade LX200 Scope and ST4 Autoguider

["David B. Toth" <ve3gyq@amsat.org>]

At 03:31 PM 9/24/96 PDT, James T Waters wrote:
>     I was told by a local astronomy club member that the ST4 has problems 
>     working with the LX200 scopes due to the way Meade designed the DEC 
>     drive system.  The backlash for the DEC axis is about 3 seconds and is 
>     not constant.  It varies depending where the scope is pointing in the 
>     sky.  This causes the ST4 to over compensate in the corrections and 
>     run away.  He also told me that the Pictor 201XT uses its internal S/W 
>     to correct this problem.  

I find this hard to believe. I doubt that Meade could've designed software
specifically to handle a non-reproduceable effect. This would be like being
able to model mirror shift --- not with current technology.

I still am waiting to hear that the Pictor can guide on as faint a star as
the ST4, from someone who has used an ST4 for a while and has some expertise. 

Dave