Using the hand controller
In this chapter
- 7.1 Supported controller and firmware
- 7.2 Connection and initial setup
- 7.3 View mount status
- 7.4 Common tasks
- 7.5 Configure the mount from AHC
- 7.6 Monitor saddle power
- 7.7 Full hand controller manual
7.1 Supported controller and firmware
WD-20EP's published package includes the 2026 Advanced Hand Controller with a 2-inch OLED touchscreen, Hall-effect joystick, GPS and wireless functions. This chapter uses the AHC 1.1.0 interface reference.
Check both mount and AHC versions in Settings > About. AEB Auto Tune from AHC requires AHC firmware 1.1.0 or later and compatible WD-20EP mount firmware. A successful basic connection does not prove support for every advanced command.
Do not apply button instructions for the older monochrome SHC to this controller. In particular, the AHC HOME button returns to the user-interface main screen; Motion > Go Home commands physical mount movement.
7.2 Connection and initial setup
Use a fully wired (full-pin) USB-C to USB-C cable compliant with USB 3.2 for AHC-to-PC connection. A charge-only or USB 2.0-only C-to-C cable will not provide the required connection. Keep this separate from the AHC-to-mount controller cable and the mount's direct PC interface; see 4.3.
- Check mount attachment, power, payload and cables.
- Connect the supplied controller cable between the socket at the top of AHC and the mount's HC port. See the controller views and wiring instructions. Do not connect it through an ordinary USB hub.
- Leave the joystick at center while starting the system. The controller samples its center at start-up.
- Wait for the mount icon to become green and for live mount information to appear.
- Set/check location and time, then review safety configuration before movement.
- Before the first GoTo or manual slew after power-on, enable Tracking and follow 5.6 Start-up and coordinate-limit initialization.
| Main-screen entry | Task |
|---|---|
| Dashboard | Coordinates, movement/tracking state, joystick lock and time. |
| Motion | Manual speed, Home, Park and tracking controls. |
| GoTo | Target catalogs and target details. |
| GPS | Reception, fix and synchronization information. |
| Power | WD-20EP input and two saddle-output channels: voltage, current and power telemetry. See 7.6. |
| Settings | Mount, wireless, site/time, display, sound, safety and About. |
Long lists can be scrolled. Use the on-screen back control or HOME to return through the interface.
7.3 View mount status
Status bar
Read the indicators from left to right:
| Indicator | What it means |
|---|---|
| Telescope / mount | Green: AHC is receiving mount data. Gray: mount connection is unavailable. On a page below the main screen, a Back arrow can replace this icon. |
| Time | The displayed local time, according to the current time source. A clock display alone does not confirm that the mount has the correct time, location or time zone; verify them in 5.2. |
| Warning triangle (shown only when active) | Orange: the mount has reported a limit or warning condition. Stop and check the actual message and clearance before moving again; see Chapter 6. |
| GPS satellite | Gray: no current receiver data. Orange: receiver data are present, but there is no valid position fix yet. Green: a valid fix is available. A fix does not by itself confirm that time/location were synchronized or that the time zone is correct. |
| Wi-Fi | Gray: service unavailable. Light blue: the wireless service is ready, but no control client is connected. Green: a client is connected to the Wi-Fi bridge. |
| Bluetooth | Gray: BLE service unavailable. Light blue: BLE service ready, but no client connected. Green: a BLE client is connected. This is BLE, not classic Bluetooth serial; see 4.4. |
The wireless icons report connections to the AHC. They do not replace the green mount icon as confirmation of the AHC-to-mount link.
Dashboard coordinates and state
Dashboard displays RA/DEC, ALT/AZ, STATUS, SLEW, STICK, UTC and MERIDIAN/PIER information. The screen's sample values are illustrations, not recommended coordinates or operating settings.
In the default GEM mode, the RA and DEC coordinate values are blue while ALT and AZ are white. In AltAz mode, the ALT and AZ values are blue while RA and DEC are white. Blue identifies the coordinate pair for the mount's active operating mode; all four values remain visible. Check the actual mode in Settings > Mount > Mode before interpreting movement or Home position.
If the mount icon remains gray, check the controller cable and mount supply before treating coordinate or warning fields as current. See 8.4.
7.4 Common tasks
Buttons and joystick
| Control | Function in the reference interface |
|---|---|
| F1 | Lower the movement speed on Dashboard/Motion. |
| F2 | Raise the movement speed on Dashboard/Motion. |
| STOP | Immediately request that mount motion stop; available across pages. |
| HOME | Return to the main screen. |
| SET | Open Settings. |
| Joystick | Manual directional movement on Motion, or Dashboard when STICK is Active. |
Before the first GoTo or manual slew after power-on, verify the mount's site/time and enable Tracking; see 5.6 Start-up initialization. On Motion, pressing the joystick requests a stop and returns to the main screen. Releasing the joystick or changing away from a page that supports it sends a request to stop joystick-initiated movement. The request must reach the mount: a lost connection can leave movement active. Supervise movement and confirm physically that the manual slew has ended; ordinary tracking may remain active. See 5.3 Manual movement. Use STOP for an abnormal condition rather than depending on navigation as an abort method.
Available reference speed labels are 2x, 4x, 8x, 32x, 48x, 1/2 Max, Max. These speed selections do not change the published maximum capability of the mount.
Select a low speed for initial checks. Keep the complete path clear and verify a stopped state after STOP. A touchscreen or joystick command can move the equipment even when your hand is away from its mechanical controls.
Home, Park and tracking
- Use Go Home for a physical return to Home; wait for completion.
- Treat Reset Home as a reference-state operation, not a normal return command.
- Use Park / Unpark for the mount's stored Park destination and operating state.
- Select the applicable tracking rate, then use Tracking ON/OFF. Before the first GoTo/manual slew after power-on, enable Tracking and follow the coordinate-limit initialization checks.
- Dashboard's STATUS card also provides tracking control.
Read 5.4 Home and 5.9 Park before using either for the first time.
GoTo
Open GoTo, select a catalog and target, check altitude/time, then inspect the path before GoTo Target. Enable Tracking before the first GoTo after power-on and confirm its state. Watch the equipment until the slew ends. Below Horizon and Waiting Mount Time identify conditions that must be resolved, not ignored.
7.5 Configure the mount from AHC
Use the following routes:
| Task | Route / reference |
|---|---|
| Observing site | Settings > Location; 5.2. |
| Time source and zone | Settings > Date & Time; 5.2. |
| Operating mode | Settings > Mount > Mode; 5.10 GEM / AltAz conversion. Save & Apply, then restart the mount and verify Current. |
| Rates | Settings > Mount. Park/Unpark is available on Motion. |
| EC HA Limit | Settings > Safety & Limits > EC/HA; 6.4. |
| AEB and Auto Tune | Settings > Safety & Limits > AEB; 6.5. |
| Wi-Fi / BLE | Settings > Wi-Fi / Bluetooth; 4.4. |
| Identification and diagnostics | Settings > About. |
Some changes use Save & Apply, while others require a restart. Every safety-value change requires a mount restart before it takes effect; see Chapter 6. Read the on-screen action and verify the value after reconnecting. Record original values before changing mode, Home calibration, backlash, PID or protection parameters.
Do not change PID presets, encoder Home calibration or related motor settings during tracking or movement. They are not routine fixes for poor seeing, polar-alignment error or a loose telescope attachment.
Read the complete Auto Tune prerequisites and warning before starting it from the controller. Protection is reduced during baseline recording; the operator must supervise the complete route.
7.6 Monitor saddle power
On the AHC home screen, select Power after the controller has connected to WD-20EP. The page reads mount input and the two saddle channels. CH1 corresponds to saddle Port A and CH2 to Port B. The reference AHC interface displays input voltage, a total-load figure and each available channel's voltage, current and watts. The figures are telemetry, not a promise that a disconnected accessory has received a particular voltage. A -- value or a zero reading can mean the channel has no valid telemetry or no negotiated load; check the actual device and cable.
The Power page in the referenced AHC build monitors the outputs. Its channel-status symbol is not an instruction to switch a port on or force a chosen PD voltage; the connected device and compatible cable negotiate USB-PD. Port A/B power is not controlled by the front-panel switch or the AHC Power page: live DC input can energize the saddle ports even when the mount switch is off. Before connecting, check each device's required voltage and the different current limits of Ports A and B in 4.9. The supplied 12 V / 5 A output lead is for Port A, not the 3 A Port B.
If input voltage falls, CH1/CH2 output becomes unstable, or a device resets during slewing, stop the observation and reduce accessory load. Check the supplied 24 V adapter, input connector, cable rating, seating and the actual device requirements. Do not use an AHC gauge color or a single zero reading alone to decide that a 24 V WD-20EP supply is invalid; compare the numeric reading with the mount's input specification and investigate any inconsistency. Disconnect a hot or damaged cable and follow 8.3.
7.7 Full hand controller manual
This WD-20EP chapter covers the mount-specific route through common controller tasks. For other controller functions, obtain instructions matching your installed firmware from WarpAstron support.