Tele Vue Piggy-Cam (PGC-1001) - Manual

™
v:7/13/11
Parts List
1) Base Plate
2) U-shaped Mounting Bracket
3) Parts Bag including: 1 brass Captive Screw, 1 Allen wrench, 1 Button
Head Screw, 2 Knobs
Introduction
Piggy-Cam is a solid platform for piggyback astrophotography with Tele Vue
Optics telescopes. The base plate contains a captive lock screw riding in a
slot. This feature gives Piggy-Cam great positioning flexibility with a wide
range of cameras. Piggy-
Cam’s base plate tilts in any orientation. To further
increase solidity we left the base plate bare, ensuring a positive lock between
camera and telescope.
Piggy-back astrophotography is easy and rewarding. You use your telescope
as a guiding instrument (we suggest a guiding eyepiece and a Barlow lens if
your camera lens is longer than 55mm focal length). A motor driven
equatorial mount is ideally suited for both prime focus and piggyback
astrophotography.
Installation
Piggy-Cam can be installed on any Tele Vue telescope with Mount Ring
Channels. If your mount ring lacks channels, contact Tele Vue for
information on obtaining a new mount ring.
1) Installing Mounting Bracket - The Mounting Bracket can be set in
either Mount Ring Channel. Using the Button Head Screw and Allen
wrench (provided) lock the Mounting Bracket to the Mount Ring.
2) Installing Base Plate - Note that the cut-out in the Base Plate is meant to
clear the horizontal adjustment screw of the Starbeam. Therefore, if you own
a Starbeam, mount the Base Plate with the cut-out towards the front of the
scope.
Position the Base Plate so that the screw holes on each side align with the
clearance holes in the Mounting Bracket. Screw a Wing Knob into each
side of the unit. Lock the Base Plate in a vertical orientation.
3) Installing the Captive Lock Screw - With the Base Plate in a vertical
orientation, the Captive Lock Screw screws into the threaded portion at the
bottom of the Slot. Though the Captive Lock Screw will thread into the
Base Plate on either side, it is best to position your camera over the
telescope tube for best system balance.
4) Installing your camera - With the Base Plate locked in a vertical
direction, slide the Captive Lock Screw up to meet with the threaded hole in
the bottom of your camera. Lock camera hand tight against Base Plate.
Use
1) You can orient the image frame diagonal in the opposite direction by one
of two methods: ALWAYS REMOVE CAMERA AND PUT IN A SAFE PLACE
WHEN PERFORMING THESE STEPS!
A) Lock the Base Plate in a vertical orientation. Remove the Captive Lock
Screw and thread it through the opposite side of the Base Plate. Re-install
your camera.
This method will hang your camera away from the telescope and may affect
system balance. The following step re-orients the image frame diagonal and
also places the camera above the telescope for optimum balance.
B) Remove the Base Plate. Remove the Mounting Bracket and mount in
opposite Mount Ring Channel. Re-install the Base Plate and your camera.
2) After installing your camera, you can orient the diagonal of the image
frame by loosening the Knobs and tilting your camera. Once in the desired
position, simply re-tighten the Knobs.