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Checking Wifi-Aline Boresight

The wifi-Aline is carefully boresighted so the center of rotation in the image corresponds to the optical axis along which to collimate the secondary and primary mirrors.


The Collimation Controls provides a RECENTER FRAME function should boresight ever need adjusting  The RECENTER FRAME function is NOT used for collimation.

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EXECUTE: when pressed, will show a confirmation popup to prevent accidentally changing the boresight.

to 0,0: Sets horiz/vert offsets back to 0,0 the sensor frame center.  It will show a confirmation popup to prevent accidently invoking.

MID: Quick pick the center for a ring.  Slide to right, use mouse pointer in the image to pick center, Press ENTR

Note, MID always references horiz/vert from the camera frame center (0,0)  NOT from the last offset horiz/vert position displayed.

Offset Horz: Manually tweak center of frame position left/right

Offset Vert:  Manually tweak center of frame  position up/down in frame.

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Steps for Checking Boresight

  1. Set up a target – a sheet of white paper will do.

  2. Make a black dot about 1” diameter on a Post-It note (or equivalent) and stick it on the target.

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  1. Place  a 2” eyepiece holder in a clamp, insert the wifi-Aline and point it at the target from 5 meters (16 feet).

 

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  1. Bring up the wifi-Aline as normal and START STREAM.

  2.   While viewing the image of the target in a tablet or phone, move the post-it note until the black dot is on the red crosshair.

    Yes the image may be upside down or otherwise rotated. 😊

  3. Use GET STILL to capture a still image and save the image on your computer.

 

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  1. Rotate the wifi-Aline 90 degrees and Use GET STILL to capture another still image and save the image on your computer.

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  1. Rotate the wifi-Aline another 90 degrees and Use GET STILL to capture another still image and save the image on your computer.

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  1. Rotate the wifi-Aline another 90 degrees and Use GET STILL to capture another still image and save the image on your computer.

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  1. Compare the images, they may rotate around a point a bit outside the black spot (the “actual boresight”) and you can move the black spot to that center of rotation.

    Making an animated GIF from the 4 images (using one of the many free GIF makers on the internet) can be helpful in identifying the location of the “actual boresight”

  2. Repeat the steps above to recheck,

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Steps for Adjusting Boresight

  1. START wifi-Aline image stream

  2. Use MID to select initial offset and press ENTR

  3. Press EXECUTE

  4. Wait for recenter to take effect (within 3 frames) and examine position of Red Crosshair.
  1. Adjust horizontal and vertical offsets using +/- buttons

  2. Press EXECUTE

  3. Wait for recenter to take effect (within 3 frames) and examine position of Red Crosshair

  4. Repeat steps 5,6 as needed.

  5. Press SAVE at top of wifi-Aline menus to make the preference permanent.



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