Steps Toward a Reliable ASCOM Observatory

Here are the basic steps I use to bring up a reliable ASCOM observatory. Since I use ACP, PinPoint, and Maxim, these software packages are assumed. These steps have been used at over a dozen facilities, and I've had success at each one, so they should put you on the right track for upping your own system.

Hardware & Operating System

Just some general notes on this topic:

• None of the software here needs the latest and greatest computer to run. I computer from a few years ago is typically fine. At 933, I run the standard combination of ACP, PinPoint, and Maxim on a 133MHz Pentium system.
• I do recommend loading up on memory. For running ACP 2 with the web server as well as Maxim DL/CCD, I recommend 256 megabytes of RAM or more. Since memory is presently cheap, this isn't onerous.
• The most reliable operating system I have found for running these programs is Windows 2000 Professional, by a wide margin. Windows 95, 98, and ME are toys. They will do the job if it is all you have, but I wouldn't choose these operating systems for a new installation. At the time of this writing (December 2001), Windows XP still has some issues - I'd avoid it until they get a service pack out. Using Windows NT is fine, if that's what you've already got. It is about as stable as Windows 2000 and works well with ASCOM.
• Avoid the temptation to utilize long control cables on parallel port cameras. The IEEE standard for parallel devices specifies a cable length of three meters [ten feet]. Follow the specification, especially while you are just starting out with the system. For more information, see the page about parallel ports and CCD cameras.
• I've had a lot of experience operating computers in extremes of temperature. I no longer worry about the issue. I have found that as long as the computer is left on at all times, it will operate perfectly happily anywhere from well below freezing to the hottest, sweltering Midwestern day. If you have sustained periods of very cold temperatures, putting the computer in a box with about ten cubic feet of air will help.
• Make sure the computer and the telescope and CCD camera are all grounded in the same way.
• Always use an uninterruptible power supply, at least on the control computer; consider doing so on the telescope as well, especially if it is small (Meade LX, etc).

Step-by-step:

1 - Install the telescope, and get it slewing to your satisfaction using the manufacturer-supplied control system.

2 - Install ACP. Get it to slew the telescope to your satisfaction, using the pointy-clicky user interface.

2 - Install the camera and Maxim DL/CCD. Get the camera to take images using Maxim's pointy-clicky interface.

3 - Next, get the camera guiding to your satisfaction, using the Maxim DL/CCD pointy-clicky stuff. Program PEC and apply mount error models as needed.

4 - Get the camera to autoguide using Maxim DL/CCD, if you will be using an autoguider. Get things working to your satisfaction before trying to autoguide with a script, or you will just cause yourself endless headaches.

4 - Get the images taken in the above step solved using the PinPoint blink tool. You'll need the approximate image scale to do this, and you'll need that to configure your scripts as well.

5 - Configure and run a script. This tests the interfaces and makes sure that everything that works in manual mode also works under automation.

6 - Celebrate - you are done! If you work methodically, all of the above steps should be complete in no more than a couple hours.