Davoud:
But that's not the important thing. The important thing is that
Astro-Physics has released the following in a PDF
http://www.astro-physics.com/images/Park_Positions_Defined.pdf:
"WARNING! Park 1 is considered an obsolete park position. Use Park 1 at
your own risk!" and "[Park 4] is the new Reference Park Position."

SlurpieMcDoublegulp:
You can use Park 1, I use it all the time. It is NOT obsolete, just not
recommended due to sensitivity to user error. You just have to remember that
once you start the mount, it will begin to track at the sidereal rate. If you
walk away or fall asleep, eventually the scope can be driven into the mount.
If you keep your clutches somewhat loose, nothing bad will happen. The RA
axis will simply slip when the scope cannot go any further. However with
clutches fully tight you might damage the scope or mount when contact is made.

That's good to know. I have never resumed from Park 1 and then gone off
and forgotten what I was doing, but I have delayed while doing some
other task in the zerbat'ry. Maybe the dire "WARNING!" in the A-P PDF
on park positions needs to be toned down a bit. "Slew the telescope to
an object immediately after resuming from the Park 1 position..." that
sort of thing. If Park 1 isn't obsolete, then you should not say in the
PDF that "Park 1 is considered an obsolete park position." Just tell it
like it is and perhaps even we weak-minded users will be able to figure
it out.

The Leap year bug in the keypad is fixed, so nothing to worry about there either.

Fixed for those for whom the updater worked. But I have bought a new
serial adapter with FTDI chip to use in place of my Keyspan and I
haven't had the opportunity to try it yet. Would like to wait until the
temperature rises above -273C.

--
I agree with almost everything that you have said and almost everything that
you will say in your entire life.

usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm