iOptron HEM15 User manual

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iOptron Corp. | 6E Gill Street | Woburn, MA01801USA | [phone] | Toll Free [phone] | www.iOptron.com
Quick Start Guide
HEM15™ Hybrid Strain Wave GoTo Equatorial Mount
PACKAGE CONTENTS1
Telescope mount HEM15, with or without iPolarTM electronic polar scope
Hand controller (HC) –Go2Nova®8409 with built-in WiFi
6P6C hand controller cable
USB 2.0 cable
AC adapter –100-240V, 12V 5A DC output (for indoor use only)
Carrying case
Optional carbon fiber tripod (#8061)
Optional external iGuider for autoguiding (#3360-HEM)
Optional counterweight shaft and counterweight
ONLINE RESOURCES (www.iOptron.com)
User’s Manual
Hand controller and mount firmware upgrades (check online for the latest version)
ASCOM drive, Commander, Commander Lite and other computer control
1Contents and design may change from time to time without notice.

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iOptron Corp. | 6E Gill Street | Woburn, MA01801USA | [phone] | Toll Free [phone] | www.iOptron.com
Please hold the telescope when disengaging the DEC Gear Switch. HEM is operated under
unbalanced condition and could be tipped off if tripod is not secured.
1. Remove mount head from package:
2. Set up tripod: An HEM15 mount uses 3/8”-16
threaded hole for attachment. So a camera tripod or
other tripod with a 3/8”-16 mounting post can be
used. Shown here is an iOptron carbon fiber tripod
#8061.
3. Attach mount head: Thread the mount head onto the
tripod head and secure it.
Level the mount by adjusting the tripod legs. Use the
built-in Bubble Level Indicator or an external leveler
for this purpose.
4. Adjust latitude: Without any payload, slightly loosen
the 4x Latitude Locking Screws. Use the Latitude
Adjustment Knob to set the correct latitude value, as
displayed in the Latitude Mark Window.
Insert the Allen wrench into the Latitude Adjustment
Knob for more turning torque.
Two latitude ranges, 15~41° and 39~65°, can be set
up for the mount head. To change the latitude range
from one to the other, both the Latitude Position Bolt
and the Latitude Locking Screws need to be moved to
the correct locations.
To switch the latitude range:
Loosen the Latitude Locking Screws just enough
to adjust the latitude setting to between 39～
41°. Tighten Latitude Locking Screws.
Azi. Adj. Screw
Lat. Lock Screw
Lat. Mark
Lat. Adj. Knob
3/8”-16 mounting post
Lat. Mark
Wrench

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iOptron Corp. | 6E Gill Street | Woburn, MA01801USA | [phone] | Toll Free [phone] | www.iOptron.com
Unthread and pull out the Position Bolt. Remove
and do not lose two black spacers/tubes. Insert
the Position Bolt to a new latitude position with
one spacer on.
Adjust the Latitude Adjustment Knob while
holding the bottom brass eyebolt until it lines up
with the Position Bolt. Insert another spacer and
secure the Latitude Position Bolt.
Move the Latitude Locking Screws (one on each
side) to the new locations revealed.
5. Install telescope: An HEM15 mount accepts a Vixen
dovetail mounting plate.
Release the dovetail Saddle Locking Lever and slide
the telescope dovetail plate into the saddle with Gear
Switch disengaged. Make sure that the arrow sign on
the saddle is pointing forward. Tighten the Saddle
Locking Lever.
Pull the lever and turn it to the position that the lever
is parallel to the saddle or points towards the scope
to prevent it interfering with the DEC unit during
mount GOTO and tracking.
6. Balance payload: No RA balance is needed for an
HEM mount.
Turn the mount power on. Press number 9 to change
the slew speed to max. Press ◄or ►button to slew
the telescope to one side of the mount. Hold the
telescope and disengage DEC Gear Switch to check
the balance. Release dovetail saddle locking lever and
move the scope back and forth to adjust the position.
Tighten the dovetail saddle locking lever and engage
the gear switch after balancing completed.
Return the mount to Zero Position after balancing
and engage DEC gear switch.
7. Set Zero Position: The Set Zero Position command
registers the current position as zero position. So
before registering, the mount should be physically set
at Zero Position either manually or slewed by hand
controller. The Zero Position is defined as the
telescope being on top of the mount head and
pointing to the North Pole, with CW shaft mounting
hole pointing to the ground. To register, press
MENU=>Zero Position =>Set Zero Position. Press
ENTER to confirm. One can also use MENU=>Zero
Position =>Search Zero Position to set the zero
Position.
8. Set controller: Press the MENU button; then
“Settings”=> “Set Time & Site”.
Enter the current date. Enter the time zone offset to
the UTC; for examples:
Boston is “UTC -300 minutes”
Los Angeles is “UTC -480 minutes”
Rome is “UTC +060 minutes”
Sydney is “UTC +600 minutes”
Enter longitude and latitude coordinate of your
location in D:M:S format. Toggle the Daylight Saving
Time (DST) between N (No) and Y (Yes) using arrow
2022-05-05 12:01:36
UTC -300 Minute(s)
W071d08m50s DST: Y
N42d30m32s Northern
Position Bolt
Eyebolt
Locking Lever

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iOptron Corp. | 6E Gill Street | Woburn, MA01801USA | [phone] | Toll Free [phone] | www.iOptron.com
key. Move the cursor to the end of the screen to
select the Northern or Southern Hemisphere.
[TIPS: All time zones in N. America are “UTC -XXX
minutes”. Latitude and longitude coordinates can be
obtained from GPS-equipped devices (navigator,
phone), or from the internet, if you are entering them
manually. “W/E” = western/eastern hemisphere;
“N/S” = northern/southern hemisphere; and “d” =
degree; “m” = minute; and “s” = second. Use arrow
and number keys to enter location information.]
When iOptron Commander Lite is in action (WiFi
version ASCOM), one may easily import the GPS info
from a smartphone to the mount/hand controller.
There is no worry about lacking internet, WiFi, and
cell phone signals in rural areas; Commander Lite can
always get GPS info from a smartphone to the HAE
mount/hand controller, no dead corner.
9. Polar alignment: For an HEM mount without iPolar or
the pole star is not in sight, you may use planetarium
software to perform the polar alignment. You may
also use two bright stars for coarse polar alignment.
(1) Level the mount and set it to the Zero Position. Align
the telescope to the R.A. axis of the mount. An
eyepiece with an illuminated crosshair is highly
recommended.
(2) To adjust the mount in azimuth direction, loosen two
AZI locking lever first. Then retreat one AZI
adjustment screw while advancing another to
rotating the mount in azimuth.
Loosen ALT locking screws when adjusting latitude
adjustment knob.
(3) Use the Hand Controller (HC) (MENU => “Alignment”
=> “Polar Iterate Align”) to display the azimuth and
altitude position of several bright stars near the
meridian. Select one that is visible at a high altitude
as Alignment Star A. Follow the HC instruction to
move Alignment Star Ato the center of the eyepiece
using a combination of the Latitude Adjustment
Knob and the “◄” or “►” buttons. Press ENTER to
confirm when the star is centered. Next, select a
bright star that is close to the horizon as Alignment
Star B. Center it using the Azimuth Adjustment Knob
and the “◄” or “►” button. Press ENTER to confirm
the settings.
(4) The telescope will now slew back to Alignment Star A.
Repeat the steps above. The iteration can be stopped
when it is determined that the alignment error has
been minimized. Press the BACK button to exit the
alignment procedure.
For an HEM15 mount equipped with an iPolarTM
electronic polar scope, refer to iPolar Operation
Manual from iOptron’s website to perform the polar
alignment, or steps briefly outlined below:
Download and install iPolar Software (first
time use);
Connect a miniUSB cable between the iPolar
port and a computer USB port;
Click Connect and start polar alignment by
following on screen instructions.
10. Manual operation: The mount can now be used to
observe astronomical objects with the HC. Use arrow
keys (►,◄,▼,and▲) to point the telescope to the
desired object. Use the number keys to change the
slewing speed. Press STOP/0 button to start/stop
tracking.
AZ Adjust. Screw
AZ Locking Lever

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iOptron Corp. | 6E Gill Street | Woburn, MA01801USA | [phone] | Toll Free [phone] | www.iOptron.com
11. Go to an object: The mount is now ready for GOTO
and tracking targets. Press MENU, select and ENTER
Select and Slew. Select a category (e.g., Solar
System), then select an object of interest (e.g.,
Moon). Press ENTER and the telescope will slew to
the object and automatically start tracking.
12. Sync to Target: If the object is not in the center of
the eyepiece, use this function to center and
synchronize the object to improve local GOTO
accuracy. Press MENU and select and ENTER Sync to
Target. Follow the on-screen instruction to perform
the sync.
13. Install hand controller battery: The hand controller
uses a CR2032 button battery to keep the Real Time
Clock running. The HC is shipped without battery
included/installed due to shipping restrictions. Open
the HC back cover. With the battery + sign facing up,
slide the battery under two small metal hooks on the
positive side first (circled in red). Then push the
battery down to make a good contact.
14. Mount control via a computer/SmartPhone/Tablet:
One can control the HEM mount via USB on the 8409
hand controller or built-in WiFi. It supports ASCOM
for Windows, third party INDI driver for MacOS or
Raspberry PI, iOptron Commander Lite or SkySafari
for iOS/Android. Some software also has iOptron
mount driver embedded.
15. Put the mount back into the package/carrying case:
It is recommended to return the mount to Zero
Position at the end of the observation session. Lay
the mount into the carrying case. Disengage the gear
system for transportation.
Use [e-mail] for technical supports.
Rev. 1.0 April. 2023

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iOptron Corp. | 6E Gill Street | Woburn, MA01801USA | [phone] | Toll Free [phone] | www.iOptron.com
IOPTRON TWO YEAR TELESCOPE, MOUNT, AND CONTROLLER WARRANTY
A. iOptron warrants your telescope, mount, or controller to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for two years. iOptron will
repair or replace such product or part which, upon inspection by iOptron, is found to be defective in materials or workmanship. As a
condition to the obligation of iOptron to repair or replace such product, the product must be returned to iOptron together with proof-of-
purchase satisfactory to iOptron.
B. The Proper Return Merchant Authorization Number must be obtained from iOptron in advance of return. Call iOptron at
1.781.569.0200 to receive the RMA number to be displayed on the outside of your shipping container.
All returns must be accompanied by a written statement stating the name, address, and daytime telephone number of the owner,
together with a brief description of any claimed defects. Parts or product for which replacement is made shall become the property of
iOptron.
The customer shall be responsible for all costs of transportation and insurance, both to and from the factory of iOptron, and shall be
required to prepay such costs.
iOptron shall use reasonable efforts to repair or replace any telescope, mount, or controller covered by this warranty within thirty days of
receipt. In the event repair or replacement shall require more than thirty days, iOptron shall notify the customer accordingly. iOptron
reserves the right to replace any product which has been discontinued from its product line with a new product of comparable value and
function.
This warranty shall be void and of no force of effect in the event a covered product has been modified in design or function, or
subjected to abuse, misuse, mishandling or unauthorized repair. Further, product malfunction or deterioration due to normal wear is not
covered by this warranty.
IOPTRON DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WHETHER OF MERCHANTABILITY OF FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR USE, EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH HERE. THE SOLE OBLIGATION OF IOPTRON UNDER THIS LIMITED
WARRANTY SHALL BE TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE COVERED PRODUCT, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS SET FORTH
HERE. IOPTRON EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY LOST PROFITS, GENERAL, SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES WHICH MAY RESULT FROM BREACH OF ANY WARRANTY, OR ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE
ANY IOPTRON PRODUCT. ANY WARRANTIES WHICH ARE IMPLIED AND WHICH CANNOT BE DISCLAIMED SHALL BE LIMITED
IN DURATION TO A TERM OF TWO YEARS FROM THE DATE OF ORIGINAL RETAIL PURCHASE.
Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages or limitation on how long an implied
warranty lasts, so the above limitations and exclusions may not apply to you.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.
iOptron reserves the right to modify or discontinue, without prior notice to you, any model or style telescope.
If warranty problems arise, or if you need assistance in using your telescope, mount, or controller contact:
iOptron Corporation
Customer Service Department
6F Gill Street
Woburn, MA01801
www.ioptron.com
[email protected]
Tel. [phone]
Fax. [phone]
Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM EST
NOTE: This warranty is valid to U.S.A. and Canadian customers who have purchased this product from an authorized iOptron dealer in
the U.S.A. or Canada or directly from iOptron. Warranty outside the U.S.A. and Canada is valid only to customers whopurchased from
an iOptron Distributor or Authorized iOptron Dealer in the specific country. Please contact them for any warranty.