If you have a Vixen SP/GP/DX fitted with MT-1 motors, Losmandy G11 or GM8 mount with Hurst motors or EQ5 mount fitted with Syntia motors fitted on both the RA and declination axes, and have also a PC-compatible desk-top or lap-top computer running Microsoft Windows 98 or above, with a serial port (comms port), then you are ready to take advantage of the COAA Telescope Controller.

Features

The WinCTC consists of a smart interface unit and a Windows application to run on a PC. The interface connects to a serial port on the PC and to the RA and Dec stepper motors on the mount.

User-friendly interface (left) - the WinCTC software was conceived by astronomers for astronomers and an important aspect of design was the need to operate the system in complete darkness. All functions can be accessed using only the mouse so there is no need to illuminate the keyboard even if you are not a touch-typist. Objects names are in plain language; it is not necessary to memorise meaningless numbers in place of names or conventional identifications for stars, for example. The user interface uses conventional identifications for all objects. Catalogue objects have a comment string which can be displayed on the screen with a mouse click. With a sound card, a voice commentary identifies objects and describes them as they come into view.

Single star alignment - a correctly polar-aligned mount only requires alignment on a single star or other database object to initialise operation of the WinCTC.

Warm start - if you leave WinCTC and restart it at some later date or time without moving the mount, the system requires no re-alignment; the last position will be updated to take account of the change in sidereal time and the various GoTo functions can be used immediately.

GoTo function - the WinCTC can direct the mount to any Messier object, NGC object, Caldwell object, planet, listed bright star, double star, coloured star or globular cluster, or solar system object.

Tour function - the WinCTC will direct the scope to the next nearest accessible object in the selected database using a single click or keystroke.

Next function - the WinCTC will direct the scope to the next sequential accessible object in the selected database using a single click or keystroke.

Auto function - the WinCTC will conduct you on a tour of the accessible objects in the selected database. The Tour or Next function is automatically invoked every few seconds.

Voice commentary - if your computer has a sound card then you can hear a voice commentary accompanying the Tour and Auto functions.

Observing log - details of all objects observed and locations visited are automatically added to a text file. The observer is free to observe while the system takes notes.

Comprehensive database - the WinCTC is supplied with menu access to all objects in the Messier catalogue, the NGC catalogue, the Caldwell catalogue, the planets and also a selection of over 100 bright stars, coloured stars, globular clusters, planetary nebulae, comets and asteroids.

High slewing speed - compared with the competing drives for the Vixen mounts, the WinCTC achieves significantly higher slewing rates by using a number of advanced techniques including current-sources for motor coils, microstepping and firmware-controlled acceleration. Speeds up to 20 degrees per minute (with Vixen MT-1 motors) mean that any accessible object can be reached in a reasonable time without necessitating re-alignment. A power saving feature reduces the power consumption when the telescope is not moving reapidly.

Protection software - to avoid collisions between the telescope and the mount, the WinCTC will only permit the mount to be directed toward objects which are both above the horizon and in the appropriate half of the sky in which the German-equatorial mount is currently configured.

Flexible database - the WinCTC control program will read other user-supplied object position or Keplerian element files and present them to you in the same menu format as the supplied databases. In conjunction with the Tour/Auto facility, this means that if you want to make a systematic search for supernovae, you can conduct a hands-off search of a list of candidate galaxies which you have created using a simple text editor.

Night vision option (right) - the WinCTC can be set so that only dim red colours appear on the screen to protect your dark adaption. The Windows desktop (except for BMP images) and other applications are also subdued at the same time.

Compatible command set. The WinCTC interface can also be controlled via the serial interface port by, for example, the excellent planetarium program GUIDE which can slew the telescope to match the planetarium display or vice versa, The Sky, Megastar, Sky Map Pro or Earth-Centered Universe.

Autoguider input. The WinCTC interface has an RJ12 socket to which the optional hand controller connects. The same socket can be used for autoguiding the mount if you have a suitable guider.

Periodic error correction. The WinCTC application supports training for Periodic Error Correction (PEC). You can use this feature to teach the program what guiding corrections are required during an interval equal to the rotation period of the worm wheel and then instruct the program to replay those guiding commands thereafter. In this way, after a period of training, the mount can usually be used unguided provided that the conditions remain the same.

Park command. The WinCTC application sends the mount to the eastern or western horizon for parking. Optionally the application can then automatically exit when this move is complete. If the appropriate settings are selected, the app will also halt the drive and prepare the interface for a subsequent warm start.

Context sensitive help - the User Manual can be consulted at any time from within the program. Press the F1 key and you will see the paragraph of the manual that describes the current option.

Chart mode - The WinCTC app can display a sky view around the current position of the mount and alignment and moves can be initiated using the cursor over this chart.

Script operation - The WinCTC app can execute a user-defined script to perform pre-programmed moves. The script language includes provison for waiting at each point for a predefined time, executing a shell program on arrival at each object and many other commands. Using the script function, in conjunction with a suitable image capture device, you can make the mount perform a series of moves and image captures entirely automatically.

Pointing calibration - The WinCTC app can be trained to take account of pointing errors in the mount using a set of calibration stars or other objects.

Exclusion zones - The WinCTC app can be programmed to avoid moving to objects in user-defined areas of the sky. This can be used to avoid mechanical collisions between the mount and the support or to avoid pointing at objects that are hidden by buildings, trees, etc.

Tracking modes - The WinCTC app can be programmed to follow the motion of a Near Earth Object (using the classical elements), an Earth Satellite (using Two-Line Elements) or any other object with a known path (using a track definition file).

Pocket PC control - The WinCTC interface can also be controlled using an iPaq Pocket PC, or similar. Download the Pocket PC program here. The Pocket PC version support the essential alignment and goto operations of the WinCTC interface.

Ascom driver - The WinCTC application is now shipped with an auxiliary Ascom-compliant driver. This allows the mount to be controlled from a VScript or other Ascom-compliant code. The Ascom driver makes provison for aligning to positions, moving to positions, both synchronously and asynchronously. In conjunction with an Ascom-compliant camera driver such as AstroVideo, you can write simple scripts to move the telescope to a desired object, capture an image, move to the next object and so on.

Documentation

If you want more detailed information on how to use WinCTC, download this file. It is a self-extracting file which will run the WinCTC context sensitive Help file describing all of the facilities provided by WinCTC.

Optional hand held guiding unit

The basic WinCTC can be fully controlled, including guiding, with a standard mouse, tracker ball or laptop pointer. If you would prefer a dedicated hand-held guider, this option is available for a small extra charge. It can be supplied separately for recent models.

Requirements

The WinCTC software will run on a Pentium-class processor under Win98/Win2000/WinXP. To connect the WinCTC interface, you need to have an unused serial port. The WinCTC interface requires a 12 volt regulated dc power supply with a 2.5mm concentric power plug with positive inner capable of supplying at least 1.2 Amps. Such regulated power supplies are readily available from electronic stores or can be ordered directly from COAA (customers within EU only). Your telescope mount must have compatible stepper motors fitted to both RA and Dec axes.

Several versions of the WinCTC interface are available.
One drives the unipolar Vixen MT-1 motors as fitted to Vixen SP/GP/GPDX mounts and Losmandy G11 with Hurst motors.
Another version drives the bipolar Synta motors fitted to EQ5 and look-alike mounts.
Be sure to choose the correct version of WinCTC as they are not interchangeable.

Ordering Information

The complete WinCTC includes both WinCTC software for the PC as well as comprehensive documentation on a CD-ROM together with the WinCTC hardware interface with embedded microcontroller. These prices do not include postage and packing which will be charged at cost. We can accept payment by credit card (MC and Visa) which will be debited on the day of despatch. Be sure to specify the type of motors and the type of mount that you plan to use with the WinCTC. These prices are subject to change without notice and do not include postage and packing which will be charged at cost. End-users in the European Union pay an additional 21% VAT on the listed excl.-VAT price. **Credit card payments are performed in Euros (€); the US dollar ($) and GB pound (£) amounts shown in the table are approximate guides only and are subject to exchange rate variations.

Updates

The WinCTC application software is updated from time to time. You can download the latest version from here. The current version is 4.17.
Note that this update only includes executable files and the help file;
New features include:
Pop-up display of PEC history (vsn 4.17) More robust synchronising with interface (vsn 4.16) Bug in workaround for firmware 3.3 problem around Zero RA (vsn 4.15) Workaround for firmware 3.3 problem around Zero RA (vsn 4.14) Improved night vision colours (vsn 4.13) Bug in Moon RA at some ages (vsn 4.12) Ascom additional features (vsn 4.11) Ascom driver companion (vsn 4.10); topocentric Moon in Solar System menu (vsn 4.9); bug fix in calibration mode (vsn 4.8); remote control via a shared file (vsn 4.7); additional script commands (vsn 4.6); times 20 guiding rate option (vsn 4.5); correct interval timing, recent config files list, scalable centring rectangle, four CCD defs,pec recording start delay and alert (vsn 4.4); improved shell commands, automatic backlash compensation, external control via clipboard (vsn 4.3); no shell on park and stop (vsn 4.2); constellation display (vsn 4.1); support for High Resolution firmware (vsn 3.9); more accelerator keys (3.8); NEO and Earth Satellite tracking (vsn 3.7); more serial port options, an option to store the star data for chart mode in other directories, a bug fix in chart mode, saving and loading configuration files for different projects, observing sites etc., raster scan mode for asteroid occultation timing, automatic star catalogue selection, clearer chart labelling, information option in chart mode (vsn 3.6). it is not a complete install. Unzip the files and follow the instructions in the readme.txt file to copy the unzipped files into the correct sub-directories.