January 12, 2023
Description
DSC - Digital Setting Circle For Astronomy
2/16/2025 Replaced the TFT-Frame with the Correctly dimensioned one
This is new design of electronics for my DSC - the Gearing and Mounts are the same as in original DSC posting https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2242951
This design uses Teensy_4 - it's processor speed and large amount of memory enables accurate tracking without setting interrupts and includes Object Tables (Messier, Caldwell and a dozen Bright Stars).
See this YouTube Video https://youtu.be/BdSfx6Pw-qg
You can reposition the Pads/Wires (anything) as you prefer (if knowing how to do it in your favorite Gerber viewing program).
**The HEX file ** is for my design/configuration so, if you build as shown in schematic, the HEX will work. Otherwise, you're on your own...
**The Schematic ** is a clean, printable SVG file for downloading
Note: I 3D-Printed the prototypes and made some tweaks to the models but, I did not print them (the prototypes were good enough for me).
You can Glue the small and big lid's together or, not...
The ds3231 RTC is required by the HEX code but, you can use any RTC if not using my HEX (well, perhaps 'not any' RTC), that will depend on what you choose... and may require tweaking schematic and your code...).
RTC (time & date) are programmed with appropriate ds3231 software and is not included in the HEX. Be sure to verify Time, Date, Day-Of-Week, Year are properly set - Very important, though accuracy to the seconds is not too important.
Here's the link to the 'DS3231_simple' time library (https://github.com/sleemanj/DS3231_Simple )- regardless of what code you use to set your Time, this is the Format you need:
SS MM HH d DD MO YY
Where the 'd' is day: Sun=1, Mon=2, Tues=3, Wed=4, Thur=5, Fri=6, Sat=7 see below
Accuracy: When setting AZI & ALT by the manual encoder, you will see it Correctly adjusts itself to enable an accurate 0,0 scope position (otherwise, it would not read 0,0 when at 0,0. This is by design and is also true when setting to Object's positions. These are very 'Fractional' variations)
And, as with any telescope and position-readout's, accuracy depends on the Level-Ness of the Telescope Mounting/Base/Tripod...
I've built many DSC's and this one is my Favorite!
Tip's & FYI:
• Button-Switch and KeyCaps - I used 12mm Btn-Switches but, you can reposition the Pads (in Gerber) to accommodate 6mm Btn-Switches
• Wiring - my approach was preliminary and quick and I didn't care about it, I just wanted to get the wires from point A to point B and out to connectors
• Connectors - Use the one's you like but, be sure to test the hook-up to get the Encoder Direction/Readout correct (each telescope encoder has (Vcc, GND, A, B) so, it makes sense to use 4-pin connectors and make Pig-Tails, as needed
License:
Creative Commons - Attribution