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Re: Tracking much better after meridian flip
Hi Tom what are you guiding with, and do you have guidelogs to share?
On Sat, Jan 30, 2021 at 8:11 PM Tom Blahovici <tom.va2fsq@...> wrote: Hi --
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Tracking much better after meridian flip
Tom Blahovici
Hi
I'm getting ok guiding when I start my night imaging. At this point, the scope is pointing to the east. Not fantastic but still good enough for my image scale. I do have a bit of backlash in dec and the mount is the AP600e known for a sticky dec axis. However, when the mount crosses the meridian and does the flip, the guiding is way better. What could be the reasons? The mount is counterweight heavy for imaging in the east. I would think it would get worse when the flip occurs. Thanks for any tips.
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Re: APCC emergency stop no longer showing up.
Tom Blahovici
Hi now?
Sure. Send me a pm. I have TeamViewer
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Re: APCC emergency stop no longer showing up.
Ray Gralak
Tom,
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
Would it be possible for me to remote into your computer so I can see this first hand? I can also check on the "Find GTOCP4/5" issue too. -Ray Gralak Author of PEMPro Author of APCC (Astro-Physics Command Center): https://www.astro-physics.com/apcc-pro Author of Astro-Physics V2 ASCOM Driver: https://www.siriusimaging.com/apdriver
-----Original Message-----
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Re: APCC emergency stop no longer showing up.
Tom Blahovici
Hi
I turned off Save windows positions and it does not make any difference. I also checked the task bar to see if the window appears along with APCC and the 3d scope view. Nothing shows up. Normally when a window if off screen you will see the outline and can do a move. But there is not indication of an emergency window. Maybe on a restart. Tom
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Re: APCC emergency stop no longer showing up.
Tom Blahovici
It doesn't show during slewing even if all other windows are closed.
I'll check out the find letter in the evening as well. I'm having my best imaging run in a while. Don't want anything in the way!
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Re: California on fire
KHursh
Gotta be honest, headline scared the bejeezus outta me. I've been evacuated too many times.
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Re: California on fire
Jeff B
Ooooooooh niiiiiiiiiiice!
On Sat, Jan 30, 2021 at 7:56 PM Glenn <public@...> wrote:
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Re: APCC emergency stop no longer showing up.
Ray Gralak
I do have the option "Show emergency Stop Window selected. I even toggled it on and off.Did you try a Goto? The Emergency Stop window will not appear until you issue a slew. If you don't see it still, check if "Save Window Positions" is enabled in the Settings menu. Disable it if it is. If you have multiple monitors, or changed resolution, the window may be popping up outside of your current monitor's field of view. BTW, how about the "Find GTOCP4/5"? Did you try it? -Ray Gralak Author of PEMPro Author of APCC (Astro-Physics Command Center): https://www.astro-physics.com/apcc-pro Author of Astro-Physics V2 ASCOM Driver: https://www.siriusimaging.com/apdriver -----Original Message-----
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APCC emergency stop no longer showing up.
Tom Blahovici
Hi
I do have the option "Show emergency Stop Window selected. I even toggled it on and off. Any ideas? Thanks, Tom
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California on fire
Glenn
I hope my fellow Californians will forgive the topic title—we've had too many fires lately. But this picture does remind me of a long streak of fire in the sky. I've always wanted to image this one. I used my new ASI294MM Pro camera, Starizona Apex ED L reducer, and Astrodon 5 nm filters. My trusty Mach1 performed flawlessly night after night, as it always does. I chose the HSO color palette rather than my usual SHO because the resulting colors enhance the flame-like appearance of the nebula.
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Re: Dec limit in Mach2
Ray Gralak
Hi Luca,
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
I scanned your logs and I don't see any "motor stall" errors, but I do see that the mount was hitting a declination limit. On APCC's AE tab, you might try disabling Dec Limits if it is enabled. -Ray Gralak Author of PEMPro Author of APCC (Astro-Physics Command Center): https://www.astro-physics.com/apcc-pro Author of Astro-Physics V2 ASCOM Driver: https://www.siriusimaging.com/apdriver
-----Original Message-----
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Re: Dec limit in Mach2
Luca Marinelli
On Sat, Jan 30, 2021 at 06:31 PM, Roland Christen wrote:
Thank you, Roland I am just as perplexed by this behavior and am inclined to agree that there has to be some leftover from the Mach1 setting that is messing me up. To your points: 1) and 2) The optics is balanced and the clutches are hand tight. The mount is carrying a FSQ106, so nothing heavy. I don't think I need to tighten the clutches with a hex wrench. I don't have limits set up. As you can see in the screenshot I attached, when APCC gave the error Dec limit was reached, the mount was pointing to the Northwest, on it way to Park 3. I don't what Dec limit it is referring to. As I said, sending it home works, but I don't think I should be sending the mount home a couple of times a session. Obviously, I am doing something wrong or there is a setting that is preventing it from working correctly. I am running APCC Pro version 1.8.8.17, firmware VCP5-P02-08, encoder version A02-08 (see attached screenshot). I don't think there is a more recent version of the software. When I launch APCC Pro, the mount initialization screen includes the field Unpark from: Last Parked. Should it not? Is this mount initialization screen incorrect for the Mach2 (again see attached screenshot). Incidentally, tonight I launched the imaging run without first sending the mount home and it did not give the error. We'll see if it also parks the mount successfully in the morning when it's done. Thanks a lot, Luca 
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Re: Dec limit in Mach2
Roland Christen
Luca,
I have alerted the members of our software team about your issue. It may very well be a simple error in the user entries in APCC. We had one other user last year that had a similar problem and it was fixed in his APCC entries, but I don't remember what specifically we advised him to look for. We'll get your mount running properly with APCC, so hang in there.
Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: Luca Marinelli <photo@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Sat, Jan 30, 2021 3:07 pm Subject: [ap-gto] Dec limit in Mach2 I have been battling an issue with the Mach2 that is difficult for me to pinpoint. I am using the Mach2 with APCC Pro, I finish an imaging session by parking the mount to Park 3. When I start APCC at the beginning of an imaging session, i initialize the mount by unparking from latest park position. The coordinates reported by CP5 are correct. When I launch the imaging run and start by slewing and centering on the target via plate solving, often the mount will hang mid-slew. AP ASCOM and APCC will report that the mount is slewing but the motors are not running. There is usually an error message of motor stall and also a notice of Dec limit reached. I have not set up Dec limits, the mount is not hitting against the mechanical Dec limit.
Last night to avoid this problem I started the session by issuing a Find Home command immediately after unparking from Park 3. The slew and center to the target went well and the imaging run started without errors. This morning when I went to shut down I found that the mount was parked in place close to Park 3 but not exactly. There was a fault triggered northern limit reached error message. I unparked, issued a Find Home command, parked at park 3 and all was well. I am not sure if it is an issue with the CP5 or APCC Pro. It appears that the mount somehow gets lost easily and it requires frequent Find Home commands, even without having issues incorrect recals. I wonder if there are still leftover settings from when I used this computer and APCC Pro with the Mach1 that was recently replaced by the Mach2 that are causing these issues. I am attaching a couple of screenshots demonstrating the messages and problem and a link to log files from the last few sessions. https://www.dropbox.com/s/52ijjx876pjxwh8/ApccZip-Luca_Marinelli-2021-01-30-155940.zip?dl=0 Thank you, Luca  
-- Roland Christen Astro-Physics
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Re: Dec limit in Mach2
Roland Christen
1) Make sure that your mount is balanced.
2) make sure that all 4 clutch knobs are tight. When they are loose the mount may stop slewing which triggers a motor stall.
Unless you have limits set up, the mount will not reach limits until it is totally upside down.
The mount is also never lost unless you send a faulty recal.
If you do lose the position due to faulty recal, the mount's true position in the sky is always recovered when you send it home.
If you are unparking the mount from previous position, you do not have the latest APCC version for the Mach2. The Mach2 does not need to be told to unpark from any position because it has absolute encoders and always knows where the axes are pointed. The correct version of APCC will not prompt you to unpark the mount from any position.
Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: Luca Marinelli <photo@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Sat, Jan 30, 2021 3:07 pm Subject: [ap-gto] Dec limit in Mach2 I have been battling an issue with the Mach2 that is difficult for me to pinpoint. I am using the Mach2 with APCC Pro, I finish an imaging session by parking the mount to Park 3. When I start APCC at the beginning of an imaging session, i initialize the mount by unparking from latest park position. The coordinates reported by CP5 are correct. When I launch the imaging run and start by slewing and centering on the target via plate solving, often the mount will hang mid-slew. AP ASCOM and APCC will report that the mount is slewing but the motors are not running. There is usually an error message of motor stall and also a notice of Dec limit reached. I have not set up Dec limits, the mount is not hitting against the mechanical Dec limit.
Last night to avoid this problem I started the session by issuing a Find Home command immediately after unparking from Park 3. The slew and center to the target went well and the imaging run started without errors. This morning when I went to shut down I found that the mount was parked in place close to Park 3 but not exactly. There was a fault triggered northern limit reached error message. I unparked, issued a Find Home command, parked at park 3 and all was well. I am not sure if it is an issue with the CP5 or APCC Pro. It appears that the mount somehow gets lost easily and it requires frequent Find Home commands, even without having issues incorrect recals. I wonder if there are still leftover settings from when I used this computer and APCC Pro with the Mach1 that was recently replaced by the Mach2 that are causing these issues. I am attaching a couple of screenshots demonstrating the messages and problem and a link to log files from the last few sessions. https://www.dropbox.com/s/52ijjx876pjxwh8/ApccZip-Luca_Marinelli-2021-01-30-155940.zip?dl=0 Thank you, Luca  
-- Roland Christen Astro-Physics
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Re: Find my CP4!!! How annoying!
Ray Gralak
The first 4 are not the case. DHCP did assign an IP address. The Fifth, broadcasts, might be the case. It's a newAssuming you can now connect APCC via the network to your CP4, you can narrow down the reason for the original problem by using the Find CP4/5 feature in APCC. To use the feature, you will have to disconnect from the mount first, then click the button with the magnifying glass. If APCC finds your CP4, that means one of the first four items likely applied. If APCC does not find your CP4, you should check your router's settings to see if it is blocking broadcasts. -Ray Gralak Author of PEMPro Author of APCC (Astro-Physics Command Center): https://www.astro-physics.com/apcc-pro Author of Astro-Physics V2 ASCOM Driver: https://www.siriusimaging.com/apdriver -----Original Message-----
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Re: Find my CP4!!! How annoying!
Tom Blahovici
The first 4 are not the case. DHCP did assign an IP address. The Fifth, broadcasts, might be the case. It's a new router but I would think it would enable broadcasts by default.
Tom On Sat, Jan 30, 2021 at 12:51 PM, Ray Gralak wrote: Hi Tom, On Sat, Jan 30, 2021 at 12:51 PM, Ray Gralak wrote: Hi Tom, The first 4 are not the case. The fifth though might be. I'll need to investigate.
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Dec limit in Mach2
Luca Marinelli
I have been battling an issue with the Mach2 that is difficult for me to pinpoint. I am using the Mach2 with APCC Pro, I finish an imaging session by parking the mount to Park 3. When I start APCC at the beginning of an imaging session, i initialize the mount by unparking from latest park position. The coordinates reported by CP5 are correct. When I launch the imaging run and start by slewing and centering on the target via plate solving, often the mount will hang mid-slew. AP ASCOM and APCC will report that the mount is slewing but the motors are not running. There is usually an error message of motor stall and also a notice of Dec limit reached. I have not set up Dec limits, the mount is not hitting against the mechanical Dec limit.
Last night to avoid this problem I started the session by issuing a Find Home command immediately after unparking from Park 3. The slew and center to the target went well and the imaging run started without errors. This morning when I went to shut down I found that the mount was parked in place close to Park 3 but not exactly. There was a fault triggered northern limit reached error message. I unparked, issued a Find Home command, parked at park 3 and all was well. I am not sure if it is an issue with the CP5 or APCC Pro. It appears that the mount somehow gets lost easily and it requires frequent Find Home commands, even without having issues incorrect recals. I wonder if there are still leftover settings from when I used this computer and APCC Pro with the Mach1 that was recently replaced by the Mach2 that are causing these issues. I am attaching a couple of screenshots demonstrating the messages and problem and a link to log files from the last few sessions. https://www.dropbox.com/s/52ijjx876pjxwh8/ApccZip-Luca_Marinelli-2021-01-30-155940.zip?dl=0 Thank you, Luca  
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Re: Find my CP4!!! How annoying!
Ray Gralak
Hi Tom,
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
APCC broadcasts a message to your entire LAN so some reasons why the CP4 would not have responded are: 1. The CP4 wasn't powered on. 2. The CP4 or computer were not connected to the same LAN subnet. 3. The CP4 was configured incorrectly for the LAN (e.g. a static IP inconsistent with the router's subnet). 4. The router hadn't provided an IP address to the CP4 via DHCP. 5. The router blocked the broadcasts. In cases where you can't figure out the problem, it might be worthwhile to have an alternate way to connect (i.e., serial or USB cable). -Ray Gralak Author of PEMPro Author of APCC (Astro-Physics Command Center): https://www.astro-physics.com/apcc-pro Author of Astro-Physics V2 ASCOM Driver: https://www.siriusimaging.com/apdriver
-----Original Message-----
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Re: Find my CP4!!! How annoying!
Tom Blahovici
Marj,
You need a user ID and password to download the mount finder. Really not needed. Tom
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