RE: Progress

["Gamble, David" <dgamble@anglogold.com.au>]

I have been looking at the BX-24 http://www.basicx.com/  as a pin compatible
replacement for the Basic Stamp for some time. By coincidence one arrived in
the mail yesterday.

The programming language is much more powerful than the Basic Stamp see
http://www.phanderson.com/ for some excellent examples of both. 

The BX-24 also includes a real time clock, which should solve most of your
problems relating to clamping the Dec drive, and also timing accurately your
exposures. 

Peter Anderson http://www.phanderson.com/ sells these devices, plus lots of
other stuff. He uses the proceeds to subsidise his students. Highly
recommended supplier.




-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Droege [mailto:tdroege@veriomail.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 22, 2001 10:34 AM
To: tass@listserv.wwa.com
Subject: Progress


Doug Welch and Rob Creager have apparently completed tasks #1 and #2.  I 
will now set out to put it all together into a new QBasic program that does 
it all.  Doug has also pointed me to an improved replacement for the Stamp 
2 that allows for more variable space.  This would solve my last problem in 
trying to fix the Declination drive so that it stays on while the brake is 
clamping.  It is tempting.

This is great progress.  I went up last night to try it on TOM, and found 
that the RA drive had been wrecked sometime during the last several 
months.  I am waiting patiently for the new parts which will allow easy 
repair to the RA drive.  Meanwhile I will work on getting the software all 
together.  One does not need a working RA drive to take images for 
test.  Streaks are as good as anything to confirm that all the software is 
in order.

Arne, I hope your drive holds out until I can get you a new one.

Tom Droege



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