Meade RCX400 Manual de usuario descargar pdf (Pagina 3)

removed a 12” Meade SCT from the observatory, so I figured I’d have a pretty good feel

for comparing them visually. I had taken enough recent images that I’d be able to repeat

the shots with the RCX for direct comparison.

WHAT IS IT?

As mentioned above, the RCX400 series consists of optical tubes and mounts

bundled together. It’s currently offered in apertures of 10”, 12”, and 14”, with a 16”

version in the works. The Giant Field Tripod has been replaced by a new unit that

looks to be even more stable than the GFT, with the added benefit of removable legs

for portability. Despite the imaging orientation of this model, it is not provided with a

wedge, but is compatible with the Superwedge and others in the market. Due to the

base design and to the extra hardware associated with the focusing system, the RCX

models weigh significantly more than the corresponding SCT models. For example, a

12” LX200GPS weighs about 75 pounds, while the 12” RCX400 comes in at a hefty 91

pounds. In the 12” version, this is offset to some degree by the fact that the shorter

optical tube of the RCX can be parked between the forks rather than remaining pointed

upwards during setup as required by the 12” LX200GPS.

The optical tube is the most innovative portion of the setup. The tube itself is made of

carbon fiber (used to reduce focus shift with temperature changes). A cooling fan and

dew heater are incorporated into the OTA. Like an SCT, the secondary mirror is

mounted to the corrector plate, but unlike an SCT the primary mirror is fixed. Focusing

and collimation are achieved by moving and tilting the corrector plate - and thus the

attached secondary mirror - by three servomotors via carbon fiber shafts. The apparent

intent is to provide very smooth, repeatable focus action with no image shift. A

collimation preset can be stored, as well as several focus positions. That’s a lot of extra

hardware and electronics; the longterm reliability of these items won’t be known for a

while.

The mounts are derived from (and very similar to) the 14” LX200GPS mount. Like the

LX200GPS, they offer a large library of targets for GoTo operation, periodic error

correction in both RA and DEC (referred to as Smart Drive), multiple-object mapping

capability (Smart Mount Technology), provisions for autoguiding via either a serial port

or an autoguide port, High Precision Pointing, and compatibility with the Drizzle feature

of the Deep Sky Pro imager’s software. Firmware and object updates can be done by

the user from materials available on Meade’s website, although no firmware updates

have yet been released for the RCX series. Unlike the LX200GPS, the drivebase also

includes a USB hub and interface permitting the telescope and one or more imagers or

guiders to be controlled via a single USB cable. It also includes controllers for the

optical tube’s built-in dew heater, the cooling fan, and the motors used for focusing and

collimation. Substantial internal cabling permits the ancillary USB devices and the

guider to be connected at the optical tube rather than at the base, reducing cable clutter

and tangling opportunities.

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Meade RCX400 Manual de usuario Pagina 3