Orion 52083 - Manual (Page 35)

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4. Maxim DL Essentials needs to know how fast the telescope moves in right
ascension (R.A.) and declination (Dec.) when the autoguider commands
are issued. To do this, the software will Calibrate the mount by moving it
back and forth on each axis. The Calibration Time determines how long it
activates the motors each time. The usual value is 5-10 seconds; start out
with a value of 5.
5. Make sure all of the Guider Enables boxes are checked.
6. For Autoguider Output, set Control Via and COM Port as required for your
telescope equipment. See “Computer to Mount Connection” if you have
not already done this.
7. Click Apply. You can leave this dialog box open, or Close it if you wish.
8. Make sure that the telescope mount is set to move at 1X sidereal or slower.
For some mounts, you must set the guide rate manually. The maximum
usable rate is 1X sidereal. If your mount does not drift quickly, then 0.1X is
recommended; otherwise use a value between 1X and 0.1X.
9. On the Guide tab, set to Expose, and click the Start button. A single image
will be taken. Ensure that a well-focused bright star (near the actual object
to be imaged) appears in the image. If not, adjust the guide scope and try
again. Make sure the star is roughly centered.
Note: The algorithm can be confused if another star appears in the frame; to
minimize this risk, calibrate on an isolated bright star.
10. Now, set to Calibrate, and click the Start button. A series of five exposures
will be taken; each time the telescope will be moved slightly. If the tele-
scope does not move, check the Settings. Remember, you have to set up
a method for sending the autoguider commands to the telescope!
11. The star should move in an L shape. If it does not move enough, a warning
message will appear. The recorded positions will be displayed in the scroll-
ing log, along with any error messages.
Note: If the star does not move far enough, or moves too far (i.e. the star leaves
the field), the duration of the calibration move commands can be adjusted
by clicking the Settings command and changing the Calibration
Time fields
(measured in seconds). A longer calibration time will increase the motion of the
star; a shorter time will decrease the motion. Typical values range from five to
ten seconds, depending on the correction speed, focal length, and pixel size.
12. Once you have successfully calibrated, switch to the Track mode. Click
Start, and watch the star. It should move to the center of the small track
box, and whenever it drifts off it should be pulled back again. You can
zoom in the window for a better look. Also the tracking errors will be dis-
played in the scrolling log.
13. If the star bounces back and forth, reduce the aggressiveness for that
axis. If it corrects too slowly, increase the aggressiveness. Changes to the
aggressiveness settings take effect immediately.