AstroPilot (AP) can drive TAL's Ra axis engine. To obtain this, signal comming from AP should be amplified to be accepted by TAL's synchro engine. Finally TAL's engine is supplied by crystal stabilized 50Hz signal about 16V pp. You can use almost all AP function with speed up and down by 10% from nominal.
AstroPilot (AP) is designed mainly as element of system goto for Ra/Dec and Alt/Az telescopes. This is microcontroler (AT90S2313) controled intelligent impulser with several manual and three automatic speeds for paralactic and azimut mounts. AP is able to adopt practicaly to any mount by user programable divide ratio. Source of signal comming from crystal oscillator (4-12 MHz). You can read more about AP here.
AP/TAL adapter working as bridge with two audio LM380N amplifiers.
Socket P (P1-3) is connected to AP, socket S (S1-2) supplying engine and socket Z (Z1-2) comming to TAL's native power supply.
First You should make 2 shorts (green coloured line on the pictures). Next mount all remind elements. Well mounted circuit starts with no problem. Before power suplying check all elements and polarity of electrolit condensators.
To avoid overheating of IC, glue (by fast epoxid glue) on the top of IC boxes metal radiator 5-10 square centimeters.
Adapter and AP is supplied from native TAL's power suply. On the picture You can see points where connection should be done.
The adapter is mounted inside TAL's supply box by 2 threated screw and 2 plastic distance sleeves. AP socket (DB15F) and engine socket (DIN5) are mounted also in the TAL's power suply body in natural box holes (the holes must be a little bit bigger - use round file).
The AstroPilot should impulse 50Hz - To obtain this frequency You must set AP program number 9 with value: 0 50000 if Your AP has 10MHz crystal or 0 40000 if Ypur AP has 8MHz crystal. In any case hardware short inside AP should be set at position 2.
You can modify circuit witth additional socket to suplying adapter from battery: 12-15V/4-8Ah or from car battery (14V) connected to points P3 (+12V) and P2 (-12V). Don't missconnect plus and minus !
