Author Archives: james

Robert Brown Focuser Controller build, step by step #12

Posted on June 10, 2020 by james

I have some 24AWG cat5 patch cables that are no use to me any more, partly because they’re not good enough for gigabit ethernet and partly because they’re not assembled very well (they were supplied with Sun Microsystems kit, too; … Continue reading →

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Robert Brown Focuser Controller build, step by step #11

Posted on June 10, 2020 by james

Finished the lid. No photos yet, but I’ve run some of the tests. The LEDs and pushbuttons appear to work fine, though the buzzer doesn’t. I wasn’t entirely happy about my connector for the buzzer though, so I may need … Continue reading →

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Robert Brown Focuser Controller build, step by step #10

Posted on June 10, 2020 by james

Mostly done and in a box now. Just need to finish making up the lid with the buttons and LEDs on.

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Robert Brown Focuser Controller build, step by step #9

Posted on June 10, 2020 by james

I’ve just realised that I forgot to put in the current-limiting resistor for the buzzer (that’s what I assume it’s there for, anyhow). Probably because it doesn’t appear on the stripboard layouts which aren’t always kept up to date with … Continue reading →

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Robert Brown Focuser Controller build, step by step #8

Posted on June 10, 2020 by james

This morning I grabbed a scribing tool from the workshop and ran it down all the “blank” sections of the stripboard on the first board a few times to try to clear out any tiny drops of solder that might … Continue reading →

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Darkstar restoration, part 4

Posted on June 8, 2020 by james

Having found a 65mm hole saw, I screwed a block of scrap timber to the inside of the OTA using the existing mounting holes having marked the centre as best I could. and cut a larger diameter hole for the … Continue reading →

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Mount power distribution box

Posted on June 8, 2020 by james

A while back I picked up a 12V power distribution box second-hand with a view to putting it on top of one of my mounts to provide 12V power to all the attached bits and pieces whilst only requiring a … Continue reading →

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Robert Brown Focuser Controller build, step by step #7

Posted on June 8, 2020 by james

I think it must be a short somewhere between some of the tracks. This evening I’ve built a new board from the ground up, plugged in the same Nano and stepper driver and it’s running “blink” fine. A small part … Continue reading →

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Robert Brown Focuser Controller build, step by step #6

Posted on June 8, 2020 by james

Having finished the circuit board I plugged in the Nano and motor controller and connected it to a USB port (without any other power source connected). The power LED lit on the Nano, but nothing else happened and I wasn’t … Continue reading →

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Robert Brown Focuser Controller build, step by step #5

Posted on June 8, 2020 by james

I now have almost all the components in place. The large diode at the top left wasn’t in the original plan I worked from. That’s the reverse voltage protection diode. Obviously no-one, least of all me, is ever going to … Continue reading →

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