Paramount MX User Guide
41 |
P a g e
OTA Mounting
Advantages
Disadvantages
Tube Rings
•
Repeatable all sky pointing.
Versa-Plate Knobs
The three Versa-Plate Knobs are designed to securely captivate a male Losmandy-compatible dovetail.
Rotating the knob clockwise advances an angled brass plunger on the inside of the dovetail. The angled
brass plunger wedges the male dovetail to the opposite side of the female dovetail to prevent any
slippage or rocking of the payload, regardless of the mount’s orientation.
To mount an OTA with a male dovetail to the Versa-Plate:
1.
With the counterweight shaft down, place the RA axis Three Position Switch in the Lock
position.
2.
Carefully slide the male dovetail on the OTA into the Versa-Plate’s dovetail until the OTA is
approximately balanced in the declination axis.
Figure 14: The brass plunger compresses the male dovetail in the direction of the green arrow.
3.
Hand tighten
each Versa-Plate knob until the brass plungers securely hold the dovetail in place.
While tightening the knobs, push slightly on the OTA in the same direction as the advancing
brass plungers to make sure the dovetail plate is securely compressed against opposite side of
the dovetail wedge (Figure 14). Also ensure that the male dovetail plate is securely captivated
by
at least two
of the Versa-Plate Knobs before letting go of the OTA or testing declination axis
balance. Securing a heavy or expensive payload with one knob is not sufficient. The length of
the male dovetail varies by manufacturer. For best results and when the length of the male
dovetail permits, always tighten all three knobs to the hold it securely in place.
4.
Test the declination axis balance, then make adjustments to the position of the payload as
needed.
5.
After the payload in the declination axis is balanced and the knobs are hand tightened,
definitively secure each knob by inserting a 1/4-in hex wrench and tighten it an additional
one-
quarter turn
only
.
Do not over tighten these knobs or the internal threads can be damaged.
Note that when two or three of the knobs are “hand tightened”, the dovetail will not slide. The
final 1/4 turn with the hex wrench ensures that your heavy and expensive payload is mounted
securely and will not move when the mount slews.
