[Lvas] Welcome Roy

[Douglas Phillipson]

Here is the procedure for using a Argo Navis and ServoCAt system:

Hey Roy.  There isn't actually much to it.  I'm envious of your scopes! 
    To get started you do a two star alignment with the Navis.

I assume the Webster folks calibrated the ServoCat and setup the Navis 
so you shouldn't have to worry about that stuff which can be quite 
complicated.

Disengage the ServoCat clutches so the scope moves freely in both axis 
by hand.

Point the scope straight up against its stop.  It does not have to be 
perfectly vertical but it must be fully against the vertical stop of the 
scope.

Turn the Navis on and press enter to the first prompt which should be 
something like "Mode Fix Alt Ref", then press enter to Alt Ref=+90.000 
prompt.

Press Exit to return to "Mode Fix Alt Ref" again then rotate the dial 
to:  "Mode Align Star" and press Enter.  Now you pick a star to align on 
in the sky, a bright one, and rotate the dial until you see that star 
name, lets say Polaris.  Point the scope at the star so it's exactly in 
the center of the field of view.  It's good to buy a illuminated reticle 
eyepiece for this so you can center the star precisely.
Here is a good one:

http://telescopes.com/site_search/index.php?cat=&keywords=reticle+eyepiece&t=1&source=googleaw&kwid=reticle%20eyepiece&tid=exact

Press the Enter button.  Now rotate the dial to find another star to 
align to at least 60 degrees away from the first, say Arcturus.  Press 
Enter after dialing Arcturus on the Navis and centering the it in the 
eyepiece.  After the second alignment you should get a offset value on 
the Navis telling you how it thought you did  This value should be less 
that about .5.  I typically see about .35. You should now be aligned. 
Try locating an object. Press exit on the Navis to leave the alignment 
mode.

Rotate the dial to Messier and press enter.  Using the dial enter a 
Messier number, M13 is a good one right now.  Press enter, move the 
scope manually such that the numbers on both axis decline to 0.0.  When 
they are very close to 0.0 you should be able to see the object in the 
eyepiece.

If this worked, now we can try the ServoCat for a GOTO operation.

Move the scope away from M13, assuming that is the object you selected. 
  Engage the clutches.  Press the Green "Goto" button on the servocat 
remote handbox.  The scope should slew back to the object.  Don't use 
too high of power for a first few tries.  I'd start with about a 18 - 
25mm EP at first.  If this works, try a new object.  Select a new 
Messier object, press enter on the Navis then press the Goto button on 
the Servocat control box.

There are many things that can go wrong but that is beyond the scope of 
this tutorial.  Feel free to ask questions on this mailing list so 
others can learn too.

Hope this helped.

Regards

Doug Phillipson