To: atm{at}shore.net
From: Stan Truitt 
Cc: mjc5{at}psu.edu
Reply-To: Stan Truitt 


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Aloha Mike,

Needing to collimate my 12.5" without leaving the vicinity of the
focuser, an old Futaba Radio Control (R/C) transmitter (its receiver flew
away in an escaping glider), and some ancient R/C sailboat servos were
pressed into service.

Like many mirror cells, the adjustment screws are arranged in an
equilateral triangular configuration.  A servo is attached to each
adjuster.  Two of the servos are wired to the replacement receiver so that
they turn equal amounts in opposite directions, and the third is connected
by itself in the usual fashion.  This allows for simple adjustment, as in
leveling a surveyor's theodolite or transit, and provides angular
adjustments in a convenient X/Y mode.

Besides eliminating pesky and extraneous wires, this provided a port for a
fourth servo attached to the focuser, resulting in jiggle-free focusing. 
Once you've tried that, you never want to do without it. Of course, the
transmitter /receiver could be bypassed by hard-wiring the whole thing to
hand-paddle switches, if you don't have the spare R/C gear.


Hope this helps,

Stan Truitt            20=B0 51'  N,  156=B0 22'  W                 511=
 Meters MSL
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Re: ATM motorized
collimation
Aloha Mike,

Needing to collimate my 12.5=B2 without leaving the vicinity of the
focuser, an old Futaba Radio Control (R/C) transmitter (its receiver flew
away in an escaping glider), and some ancient R/C sailboat servos were
pressed into service.  

Like many mirror cells, the adjustment screws are arranged in an
equilateral triangular configuration.  A servo is attached to each
adjuster.  Two of the servos are wired to the replacement receiver
so that they turn equal amounts in opposite directions, and the third is
connected by itself in the usual fashion.  This allows for simple
adjustment, as in leveling a surveyor=B9s theodolite or transit, and
provides angular adjustments in a convenient X/Y
mode.

Besides eliminating pesky and
extraneous wires, this provided a port for a fourth servo attached to the
focuser, resulting in jiggle-free focusing.  Once you=B9ve tried
that, you never want to do without it.  Of course, the transmitter
/receiver could be bypassed by hard-wiring the whole thing to hand-paddle
switches, if you don=B9t have the spare R/C gear.


Hope this helps,

Stan
Truitt           
20=B0 51'  N,  156=B0 22' 
W                 511
Meters MSL


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