Leisure Time LX20 - Manual (Page 14)

THE LX200 KEYPAD HAND CONTROLLER
Designed to make you a better astronomer, the integration of
optics, mechanics, electronics, and software in the LX200
Maksutov Cassegrain or Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope is easily
mastered. So easy, in fact that the telescope becomes a natural
extension of the observer.
The LX200 gives you virtually every telescope function possible
with every control in a compact hand held console. The red LCD
backlit keypad has tactile touch buttons (some of which are brighter
than others), designed to have the right feel even if you wear
gloves. Its red LCD backlit display, key arrangement, and easy to
understand information allow you to focus the telescope and your
mind on the subject at hand.
The LX200 keypad hand controller is a dual axis drive corrector
with periodic error control; an information display center for the
computerized library; a digital coordinate readout system; a
pulsing, illuminated reticle eyepiece brightness controller; a two
speed electric focuser controller, and a red LED flashlight!
You will find within a few minutes of powering up the LX200 that
the keypad becomes warm, which is normal for the system. The
electronics utilize a heat sink as a means to provide the correct
operating environment temperature for the LCD display even in
sub-zero weather. If you are in these colder conditions, the
display may not be visible until the keypad has transferred enough
heat. This process can take a few minutes upon powering up the
telescope. While severe cold weather is not damaging to the
electronics, it is advised to keep the keypad in a warmer area to
allow immediate proper display performance.
The LX200 keypad buttons are described as follows:
1. ENTER Key
The ENTER key (1, Fig. 6) is used to select a menu file, a file
option, or to edit a value. To select a file or an option, press and
release the ENTER key. The LX200 will give a short beep tone and
perform the action that you have requested. To edit a value, press
and hold the ENTER key until a double beep tone is heard and a
blinking cursor appears in the display. There are some other
specific situations where the ENTER key is used. These are
described in detail where necessary. From now on, the two types
of presses will be called 'press' and 'press and hold."
2. MODE Key
The MODE key (2, Fig.6) cycles through the five modes of the
LX200, and is used to exit from specific menu files.
3. GO TO Key
The GO TO key (3, Fig. 6) causes the LX200 to automatically slew
to specific library entry coordinates. The GO TO key also produces
a blinking cursor in the GO TO menu file of the
COORDINATES/GO TO mode, to allow new Right Ascension and
Declination coordinates to be entered.
4. Direction Keys
Labeled N, S, E, and W, (4, Fig. 6) these four keys make the LX200
move, or slew, in a specific direction, with an option of four
different speeds, explained later. During entry to change a value,
the E and W keys can be used to move the blinking cursor back
and forth across the LCD display, so that if an error is made during
entry, it can be erased and changed.
The remaining 12 keys have multiple functions, there are up and
down arrow keys, and numbered keys from 0 through 9. Each one
of these keys also has alternate functions listed above the arrow
symbols and numbers. The ALT LED light is only visible when
entering numerical data. A description of the individual keys
follows:
5. Speed Keys (SLEW, FIND, CENTER, and GUIDE)
These keys (6, Fig. 6) allow you to set the rate of movement (slew)
speed in the drives of the LX200, as activated by the N,
5. E, and W keys. The chosen rate is indicated by the speed
indicator illuminated LED beside the rate key that you have
pressed, the speed rates are SLEW (4 degrees per second), FIND
(1 degrees per second), CNTR (16X sidereal rate), and GUIDE
(2X sidereal rate).
NOTE: All of the slew speeds will drive the LX200 in all four
directions, except for GUIDE. The 2X sidereal speed in GUIDE
has one difference in that it will not interrupt the Right
Ascension tracking direction to make Easterly (for Northern
hemisphere) or Westerly (for Southern hemisphere)
adjustments; it will merely slow down the tracking drive to one
half its normal speed. You will find, however, that the slower
drive will move the image opposite of the tracking direction,
without disturbing the smooth drive action. This performance is
absolutely essential when making astrophotographs.
SLEW, FIND, CENTER, and GUIDE keys also have numbers
listed 7, 4, 1, and 0 respectively. When editing a value, the
multiple function of each of these keys is realized. SLEW and
FIND are also used to set the "fast" focus speed for the electric
focuser accessory option, while CNTR and GUIDE set the "slow"
focus speed. There are other special functions for the CNTR and
GUIDE keys that are discussed in the RET KEY operations.
6. RET Key
Typically used for guiding the LX200 during an astrophotograph,
the RET key (5, Fig. 6) is used to change the brightness and
pulse rate of the optional corded style illuminated reticle eyepiece.
Pressing either the PREV and NEXT (up and down arrow) keys
while holding down the RET key, alters the reticle brightness level
up or down.
When guiding on very faint stars, you may find it helpful to pulse
the light from the LED so that the reticle crosshairs blink on and
off. You will be able to adjust the reticle brightness as well as adjust
the pulse rates. There are three pulse rates that can be used, all
with a one second pulse interval. The continuous illumination
control and pulse rates are set by holding down the RET key and
pressing one of the following keys; GUIDE (100% on, no pulsing),
CNTR (50% on, 50% off), MAP (25% on, 75% off), CNGC (10%
on, 90% off).
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