From: "McHatten, Shawn" 
To: "'atm{at}shore.net'" 
Reply-To: "McHatten, Shawn" 



Hey Mel
        I don't understand. If there is no advantage to GPS then what is all
the hype around Meade and Celestron. Or is it just hype? How do they use
this technology and for what? I thought it was used to synchronize to the
heavens. No polar alignment either, is there? I gotta go back and read the
article they had on the GPS units in S&K :).
        I had thought of the idea of putting the chips on the end and base of
the OTA though. A 2 meter ota with a GPS accuracy of 1 cm should give you
pointing accuracy of better than .3 degrees. If my trig is right. But I
think only the expensive units give you that kind of accuracy. Survey
grade.

Thanks
Shawn

-----Original Message-----
From: Mel Bartels [mailto:mbartels{at}efn.org]
Sent: Sunday, June 29, 2003 3:50 PM To: atm{at}shore.net
Subject: Re: ATM Home made GPS units


>>> I was just thinking about how Mel might incorporate them into his drive
systems.

The GPS chip is but a few dollars and simple to interface to.  However, I
have yet to see the benefit of having it on a scope.  The scope's precise
latitude/longitude accurate to a few feet or a meter doesn't really matter
because you are going to synchronize the scope to the sky anyhow.  If
anyone wishes to enlighten me, please do so!

More interesting is the idea of multiple GPS chips situated on the ends of
a long beam attached in parallel to the tube assembly.  It might be
possible to obtain rudimentary orientation information.

Mel Bartels

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