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Instruction Manual
™
16", 20" RCX400 Advanced Ritchey-Chrétien Telescopes
with The Max Mount
MEADE.COM
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DANGER Read this manual carefully before attempting to assemble the MAX mount and attaching the OTA. Follow steps as outlined in this manual in order to assemble the telescope safely. Failure to follow steps may result in injury or death, and/or damage to the telescope and mount.
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CONTENTS WARNING! Telescope Features ...................................................... 4 Autostar II Features ........................................................11 ® Assembly ........................................................................14 Never use a Meade Tripod Assembly........................................................14 ™ RCX400 Telescope to Pedestal Assembly and Adjusting Latitude ..............14 RA Assembly .....................................................
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TELESCOPE FEATURES Note: Your telescope and Components of MAX mount may look MAX features a unique modular design that allows a couple of individuals to assemble, either permanently or transportably, a slightly different mount twice the size of any other commercially available mount. from the one shown The mount breaks down into a Portable Pier (tripod), Pedestal, in some of the RA Housing Assembly, and DEC Housing assembly. Together all of the components and an OTA assembly fit easily into a st
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RA Lock Pedestal Assembly Knob MAX's Pedestal assembly can be configured to Latitude cover three latitude ranges without the need of Lock Knobs (x4) disassembly. Together, the three ranges allow the mount to operate anywhere on the planet. Dovetail Ejector Knob Latitude Scale Latitude Range Bolts (8x) Azimuth Adjustment Azimuth Knob Lock Knobs (x5) Tripod/Pier Interface Plate PEDESTAL (WEDGE) ASSEMBLY RA Female Dovetail Dovetail Ejector Knobs (2) Azimuth Latitude Adjust Adjust Knob Knob 5 Lookin
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Right Ascension Housing Assembly The RA Housing mates to the Pedestal easily, sliding firmly into a dovetail block that measures over 100 square inches. When locked in place, this broad footprint assures that your mount will operate as a single rigid block delivering accu- rate and repeatable pointing and tracking per- formance. The RA Housing contains Meade's patented Autostar II telescope control system, a Declination massive 13.625" pitch diameter worm gear Lock Knobs attached to a 3.84” d
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Declination Housing Assembly DEC The Dec Housing mates to the RA Housing ASSEMBLY using another huge dovetail block. The RA Housing, DEC Housing and Pedestal are all designed to allow you to track more than 6 degrees past meridian without interference. This mount will let you cover the whole sky. In OTA Safety Lock addition to accepting quick change dovetail plates, MAX has two generous wing mount plat- forms that will allow you to attach guide scopes, piggy back cameras, short focal length re
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pedestal attachment lever course adjustment lock lever fine adjustment turnbuckle THE TRIPOD MAX Tripod The MAX mount tripod can be transported or permanently installed. It provides a wide stance to assure that it can safely carry MAX's massive payload in all orientations, but still collapses down to a size that is easy to handle. Its design assures that despite its wide stance, it will not interfere with optical systems observing on the meridian. Like Max, it sets up, knocks down, and adjusts w
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Optical Tube Assembly MAX is sold stand alone, or it is available bundled with Meade's 16” RCX400™ or 20” RCX400™ Optical Tube Assemblies. RCX OTA's integrate seamlessly with MAX. Together you get pinpoint stars from Meade's unique Advanced Ritchey-Chrétien optical system: • Zero expansion carbon fiber body • Advanced Ritchey-Chrétien optics • Electronic Collimation • Integrated Dew Heater • OTA fan for quick cool down • Digital Electronic Focus with Presets Viewfinder Optical Tube Assembly (OT
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CONTROL PANELS AND PORTS AUX port Off/On 12vDC In 12VDC USB Port HBX port Serial port (Handbox Switched Out port) RA ASSEMBLY CONTROL PANEL SADDLE RA TO DEC CONTROL JUMPER CABLE PANEL 12VDC Reticle Port Focuser Smart Accessory Ports Switched JUMPER CABLE BETWEEN OTA AND SADDLE PANEL (use one of the Saddle panel Smart Accessory ports) USB Ports Auto Guider HBX port 10 Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversible damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the Sun. Do no
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AUTOSTAR II FEATURES K 1 4 2 3 8 5 9 6 7 J Fig. 2: The Autostar II Handbox. Tour the Cosmos with Just the Push of a Button Control of Max and RCX400 telescope models is through the operation of the standard Autostar II system. Nearly all functions of the telescope are accomplished with just a few pushes of Autostar II’s buttons. Because the Autostar II system uses flash (rewritable) memory, your system will be able to grow when new features and enhancements become available. Download the lates
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The Autostar II system provides control of virtually every telescope function. The Autostar II handbox has soft-touch keys designed to have a positive feel. The LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) is backlit with red LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) for easy view- ing in the dark. The backlit display, key arrangement, and sequential menu structure make Autostar II extremely user friendly. B 2-Line LCD Display: This screen displays Autostar II's menus and information about the telescope. • Top line: Lists
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4 FOCUS: Toggles between two functions. The first press allows you to change the focus and focus speed. The next press allows you to create presets that tell the telescope where to focus. 5 SS: Press to display the Solar System library. 6 STAR: Press to display the Star library. 7 RET (Reticle): Press to display the Reticle Control menu. 8 IC: Press to display the Index Catalog library. 9 NGC (New General Catalog): Press to display the NGC catalog library. 0 LIGHT: Press to turn on and off t
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Refer to images pages 4 to 10 for location of various ASSEMBLY telescope features. A Phillips screwdriver will be useful during assembly. Tripod Assembly Pointing to ± 5° of the pole Before you pull legs out of collapsed tripod, notice the 1 pattern of the pins on top of the tripod (photo). Set the legs so the leg opposite the single pin is pointing North. Above 20° latitude (or South in Southern hemisphere)— if less than 20°, use the Low Latitude kit; see step #24. Set up on a surface of concr
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Tighten (rotate) the lock knobs below the Pedestal to a 7 "tight" feel. Back off the ejector knobs on the Pedestal. 8 Adjust legs until they are level. Adjust the turnbuckle for fine adjustment of level. 9 The bubble levels will assist you. The telescope comes set for mid-range latitudes (30° to 60°). If you need to set for low range or high range, remove the 4 latitude bolts from each side of the 10 pedestal (8 total) using a supplied hex wrench (see Latitude Range Bolts photo above). The pede
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Fine tune the latitude adjustment using the Latitude 11 Adjust knob. Latitude B Adjust Knob THE RA ASSEMBLY Slide the RA assembly onto the Pedestal dovetail. CAUTION: MAKE SURE THAT YOUR FINGERS ARE CLEAR OF THE TRACK BEFORE YOU SLIDE THE RA 12 ASSEMBLY INTO THE PEDESTAL TRACK. THE RA ASSEMBLY REQUIRES TWO PEOPLE TO LIFT. Tighten the RA assembly lock knob.. 13 THE DEC SADDLE ASSEMBLY Back off Dec clamp knob. Note, in the photos, the Dec 14 assembly is already shown as attached. However, back off
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15 ...Slide down to the hard stop. B Slide safety pin into the hole. 16 17 Retighten the Dec clamp knob. Plug in the RA to Dec jumper cable. Hint: You may 18 wish to plug into the RA connector before attaching the DEC Assembly. Then attach the jumper cable to the Dec assembly after it is attached. Some users may find it difficult to reach in below the Dec assembly. 17 Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversible damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the Sun. Do not loo
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ATTACH COUNTERWEIGHTS Line up a fixed counterweight's 4 bolts with the four threaded holes in the Dec assembly base. The weights can only be positioned with indentations lined up in a vertical orientation. 19 Slide the bolts into the threaded holes and tighten each securing knob by hand until it reaches the top. Then use a 1/4" shaft, such as a Phillips screwdriver to turn the 20 knob very tight. A Screw in counterweight shaft until it reaches the hard stop. 20 B Using a Phillips screwdriver,
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Put on adjustable counterweights (three for 20 inch models, two for 16 inch models). The weights can be attached more easily if you make this a two person job. 22 One person holds weight and holds in button. Other person pushes the weight up the shaft-slide up to within A one inch of the end of travel. Push counterweights up against one another. CAUTION: PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR HANDS AS YOU ATTACH THE COUNTERWEIGHTS SO NOT TO PINCH THEM DURING ASSEMBLY. ALSO TAKE CARE NOT TO DROP COUNTERWEIGHTS.
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ATTACH OPTICAL TUBE TO THE DEC SADDLE 25 Adjust the clamps so that there is NOT a gap. no gap The OTA should have its dust cover attached when left 26 stored on the ground in an upright position. A A minimum of four people are needed to lift the optical tube. 26 DANGER!: MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNTERWEIGHTS ARE ATTACHED BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH THIS B STEP. SEE STEPS 17 THROUGH 22. IMPORTANT! DANGER!: DUE TO THE WEIGHT AND SIZE OF THE 16" AND 20" OPTICAL TUBES, PLEASE USE EXTREME CAUTION WHENEVER ASS
