AUTOSTAR INFORMATION Last updated: 11 September 2007

Subject:	Autostar DriveTraining - with Diagrams and Eyepiece views
Sent:	Monday, September 10, 2007 10:51:00
From:	PETER SMITH (psmithuk@btinternet.com)
This text has been taken from an earlier post and had been modified to
refer to the diagram below it I hope the original authors don't mind me
re-using their text.

As Dick Seymour states, you must visualise (hopefully the diagrams and
eyepiece views may help you do this) what the AutoStar is going to ask
your motor drive gearbox train to do AT EACH STAGE OF THE PROCESS.
Normally, users will 'Train' the RA/Az axis first (it's the first menu
option after all).

An object is chosen, and centred, and then the AutoStar slews off in the
'<' direction, and asks you to re-centre the object USING ONLY THE '>'
key. For this process to be meaningful, the gear-train MUST already be
FULLY MESHED in the '<' direction BEFORE the AutoStar 'slews away'.

This means that you MUST initially 'centre' the reference object using
ONLY the '<' key . If you overshoot during the initial phase, you will
HAVE TO START OVER AGAIN, moving away at least quarter of the
finderscope AFOV before slewing back to centre.

The Training Values are also more reliable if you do not have to adjust
the 'other axis' at the same time. Note also that, in later version of
the AutoStar software, you CANNOT use any other direction keys when
returning the object to centre - but you are NOT protected from this
possible error when INITIALLY bringing the object on-centre.

So, start by Training the RA/Az drive, and bring the object 'on centre'
using ONLY the '<' key (2). AutoStar will the 'slew-away' in the SAME
direction, and as you to re-centre in the '>' direction (3).

The next stage is that AutoStar slews off in the '>' direction (you
ought not to have to do anything between these stages, as you will
ALREADY have centred the object by your previous actions, AND in the
correct direction).

You re-centre in the '<' direction (4).

Then you work on the DEC/Alt drive, initially moving off in the '^'
direction (5), before re-centering in the 'v' direction (6). AutoStar
takes over, and 'slews away' in the same 'v' direction. You bring the
object back to centre in the '^' direction (7). Finally, AutoStar 'slews
away' in the '^' direction, and you bring it back in using the 'v' key
(8).

I only ever use speeds 5, 3 and 1 when carrying out ANY of my training -
these speeds seem to give the most control.
 
Regards,
 
Peter Smith (UK)

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