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ServoCAT Goto Drive System
Servo Drive Computerized Astronomical Telescope
The new full featured ServoCAT will power your Obsession telescope to new horizons - and zeniths! Now you can enjoy your Obsession telescope to it's fullest potential. Coupled with the "Argo Navis™ digital setting circles" your scope will be tracking with ease and provide full GoTo ability. Read the features below to learn why the ServoCAT is taking over the motorized telescope market in large aperture dobs.
ADVANCED FEATURES
- Full tracking. No matter where the scope is pointing, it is always tracking the sky.
- Full GOTO capability: Enter an object and ServoCAT sends your scope right to the target.
- Spiral search feature. Off target, just hit spiral search and the telescope makes ever widening circles around the field until you find your object. Two speeds/widths for different field widths. This is a "TRUE" spiral - not a box or some other shape... if left to search the whole area it will span an area of 12 sq degrees! When you want to stop simply push any of the motion buttons and it stops and tracks from there! "REALLY COOL" is the most common statement when it is used for the first time! Also great for exploring rich fields. Cruise around the North American - a breeze, literally. Or explore the multitude galaxies in the Virgo Cluster with your hands in your pockets! (Background chart from Uranometria 2000.0 Deep Sky Atlas, copyright 1987, 2001 Willmann-Bell inc. Used with permission.)
- Routine two star align to initialize system. Align - and go - nothing else to do but enjoy.
- Closed loop system with encoder feedback. If someone bumps the scope or the wind pushes it off target just press a button and the scope returns to the previous target.
- Supplied with Ultra resolution 32K count encoders. Most older DSC's only support lower resolution 10K res encoders. 32K encoders yield three times the tracking accuracy and more precise target acquisition.
- Wired multi-function hand-pad. 3-Speed selection with LED indicator; Simultaneous axis moves; Local Sync; Slip-Return; GOTO; Spiral Search Optional fully compatible.
- Choice of SIX speeds. Slew, Jog, or Guide. All programmable to what YOU want! Maximum slew of 5+ degrees per second.
- Back lash compensation included, even functions with the Spiral Search function.
- Can be used with the Argo Navis Digital Setting Circles. NO PC REQUIRED!
- Supports "Manual" operation without having to realign (closed loop).
- Emergency shut down mode. Accidentally notice it is moving towards a ladder or an obstruction... Hit any three buttons on the hand paddle and the scope slews to a rapid stop.
- ServoCAT externally mounted on rocker for better visibility and control.
- Manual disconnect. Flip two levers and the system is disconnected from the drive motors. Free to move as you please. Flip the levers back and your back tracking and responding to GOTO commands. When in Manual Disconnect your scope retains the full buttery feel and ease of motion of a pure Obsession Telescope. Nothing better!
- For those desiring a Planetarium program at the scope... the system supports FULL GOTO for Megastar, Astroplanner, and TheSky. GOTO literally 100's of thousands of objects
SUPERIOR SERVO MOTORS & DRIVE TRAIN
drive inside a 22" UC rocker
- ServoCAT handles big Dobs with ease... because of superior technology, robust gearing and high precision servo motors.
- Stronger than the stepper motors others use with a much higher dynamic speed range and closed loop speed control! Servo drive motors do not suffer from "pull out", a point where stepper motors simply stop due to lack of torque. Servo motors have a much higher dynamic speed range than stepper motors. This means they provide greater torque through out the range all the way up to their maximum RPM.
- No altitude fabric friction drive like others use with slippage and wear problems. ServoCAT has a stainless steel altitude cable drive like big observatories use. No more eyepiece weight balance issues... gone are the days when you have to add or subtract weights when going from a 31 Nagler to a 5 Nagler.
- Final gear drive ratios of 8000:1 to 10000:1 which means lots of reserve torque for those demanding outings when the wind picks up. Other manufacturers use much weaker gear ratios in the 200:1 - 500:1 range. The higher torque generated by our high gear ratios are perfect for big heavy Dobs like the 18 plus apertures.
- The ServoCAT-Argo Navis GoTo system has more features, the most rugged drive train on the market, the most powerful digital setting circles, and it happens to be the least expensive computerized large aperture Dobsonian telescope going. At Obsession you get the best scope, the best GoTo drive, the best DSCs and even the best price! Are you Obsessed yet?
ORDERING INFO
The ServoCAT GoTo drive with Argo Navis digital setting circles and 32K encoders complete system installed is:
$3,495 installed on 15", 18" or 22"
Price includes ServoCAT GoTo drive with Argo Navis digital setting circles, Ultra Res 32K encoders and Powered Ground Board, complete system installed.
Wireless hand pad is $299 option.
System is available and ready for installation on new Obsession orders.
To order please send an email or phone.
Not interested in a motorize tracking but want the targeting capability and deep sky catalog of digital setting circles? No problem. We can install the Argo Navis digital setting circles with 32K encoders on any new Obsession.
NOTE TO ALL EXISTING AND FUTURE OBSESSION OWNERS. The ServoCAT GoTo system was designed specifically for the Obsession series and can be retrofitted to all Obsessions.
For more info please send an email.
New customers that do not want GoTo capability now but think they might in the future should keep this in mind too. The ServoCAT can be retrofitted at any time.
