|
AWR TECHNOLOGY - Feb 2008www.awrtech.co.uk |
AWR have a busy schedule for the next six months or so with a range of developments to provide the necessary control and instrumentation for a 32 inch R-C telescope on a fork mount. This is a new design of what we hope to be the first in a range with design capability at least up to 2 metres for those with a big enough purse. The total weight of the 32 inch is 2 tonnes.The standard AWR Intelligent Drive System will be employed to control the mount. It will be adapted to provide a console type control rather than a hand held box. This will be available as an option in the future.
It is intended to use frame size 34 motors with much bigger torques than we can provide at the moment, but driven with the same microstep technology. The worm assemblies will be sprung loaded with quick release mechanism to allow adequate balancing of the telescope and attached instrumentation.
The telescope will have external encoders and for this we are working on a new type of rotary encoder which potentially could provide at least 100,000 steps per revolution in a low cost package. This is still 13 arc seconds resolution so some gearing may be used. This product will also be available for retrofitting to other telescopes and will add to our range of Digital setting Circle products.
There will also be a closed loop pneumatic load cell mirror support system, similar to that used on the William Herschel Telescope but now available to amateurs. Control electronics are being developed by ourselves.
Additional computer control through LINUX based Xephem / Talon or Windows based 'The Sky' / ASCOM or ACP will also be possible.
Version 1.701 includes enhancements for the serial protocol for direct read through to the DRIVEBOX REGISTERS. See downloads for further information, new menu schematic etc.
Many HANDBOOKS and INSTALLATION SHEETS have been uploaded to this page for you to take and print off.
We have recently completed two more Unitron mounts. These early '90's mounts were single axis but extrememly well made, chunky, able to carry a reasonable load; and now with GOTO technology brought 'bang up to date'!
The 6.5 inch worm wheel set is from Beacon Hill telescopes. Both motors are MOTOR/32 and the RA has an MRIG gearbox as used on our MOTOR/G (See our motors page). Both brackets made by AWR have full range of adjustments to line up the mechanical components properly. Here are some pictures.
