User's Manual

35
AutoStar II Operation
Daylight Saving: Enables or disables the Daylight Savings time
setting.
Note: Daylight Savings Time may be referred to by different
names in various areas of the world. Check local time to
verify.
GPS-UTC Offset: Universal Time (UTC) allows you to add leap
seconds to its time calculations, GPS does not. The offset is the
number of leap seconds added since the establishment of GPS.
Site: Site provides access to several options including:
• Select: Displays the currently selected observing
site. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through all
available sites (see Add below). Press ENTER
when the site you wish to select displays.
Use this option when you move to a different
geographic location.
• Add: Allows you to add new observing sites to
the database. Scroll through the list of Countries/
States. Press ENTER when the site you wish to
add displays. Then choose the desired city in the
same manner.
However, when the GPS signal is received, the
site is normally selected automatically and the
site list is updated automatically. Use of this
option is not necessary and is included for the
convenience of those users who may wish to
enter a site manually. You may edit the name of a
site using the Edit option (see below).
• Edit: Edits a selected site, including: the name,
latitude, longitude, and time zone. Time Zone
refers to the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) time
zone shift. Users West of Greenwich, England
use “-” hours, East of Greenwich use “+” hours.
For the United States, look up the time zone shift
in Table 1.
Note: Autostar II compensates for daylight
savings time, if selected. See Setup Menu:
Daylight Saving, left.
Owner Info: Accesses the owner information menu, including:
• Name: Users may enter both their fi rst and last
names using the Up and Down Arrow keys to
cycle through the alphabet. Use the Right and
Left Arrow keys to move through the text. Press
ENTER when the entry is complete.
• Address: Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to
enter your street address, city, state, and zip
code. Press ENTER when the entry is complete.
Clone: Uploads information from one Autostar II handbox to
another. Three options are available:
• Catalogs: Sends only user-defi ned object information,
such as new satellite orbits or comet data to another
Autostar II handbox.
• Software: Sends only the basic Autostar II software.
This is useful if one user has downloaded a new version
of Autostar II software from the Meade website (www.
meade.com) and wants to pass this software along to
friends.
• All: Everything—user-defi ned information and Autostar
II software—is sent to another Autostar II.
Download: Transfers information from another Autostar II.
During the operation, the warning “Downloading Do Not Turn
Off” appears.
Note: The Download function requires the usage of the
included #507 Cable Connector Kit (product# 07047). See
the instruction sheet included with the cable for more
information on how to download.
• Catalogs: Receives only user-defi ned object
information, such as new satellite orbits or comet
data to another Autostar II handbox.
• Software: Receives only the basic Autostar
II software. This is useful if one user has
downloaded a new version of Autostar II software
from the Meade website (www.meade.com) and
wants to pass this software along to friends.
• All: Everything—user-defi ned information and
Autostar II software—is received by another
Autostar II handbox.
Timing is Everything
Your telescope receives the precise time when it syncs
with the GPS. Precise time is important in aligning your
telescope so that it can accurately locate celestial objects.
AutoStar II receives time data in the Universal Time
format. However, if you wish to display the correct time in
your local time zone, use the Daylight Saving menu (see
above) to turn the Daylight Saving option on or off. Keep
in mind that the telescope is receiving the correct time
whether or not you set this option to display your local
time.