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PoleMaster - results
email@...
Ok, I've tried PoleMaster 4 times now with my AP900. I have the camera mounted on the dovetail of my Planewave scope as I've previously explained. It is very easy and quick to use. However, I'm disappointed in the results. Everything I've heard says it's possible to get within 30" of alignment. I've used PEMPro to measure my results. At best I'm getting an error of 7' in RA and 12' in dec. This is not very good. If I was off by 2' or 3', I'd say I just needed to be more careful, but this error tells me something is wrong. I used my RAPAS which normally gives me an error of about 3' (yes I should calibrate it better), then let PoleMaster tell me to move it way off this point. The procedure is so simple that I don't see how I could have messed it up this bad. I really think there is an error in the PoleMaster software (version 1.3.0). Maybe it's not correctly figuring out the displacement of Polaris. The procedure is so fool proof it should give better results. All I really know is that I can't get anywhere near the accuracy I've heard others get. 30" might be a dream but it seems like the procedure should easily get me with 2' or so. I guess spending more time with PEMPro is my only option for improving polar alignment. I'm really eager to hear well PoleMaster works as more people try it out. Surely I'm not the only one having problems with it. Greg
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Re: SkyX parking bug
My AP900GTO never did that either. Stuart
On Sun, Apr 17, 2016 at 4:29 PM, James Janusz jjanusz@... [ap-gto] <ap-gto@...> wrote:
--
Stuart Heggie
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Re: SkyX parking bug
James Janusz
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
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AP-1600 Fuse
BigE Astro
Hello folks, Quick Question, I am installing a fuse to the power supply for my AP-1600. My observatory is solar powered with two golf cart batteries running the scope, focuser, camera, and cool down fans as well as my flat panel. Dew zappers and computer on AC circuit. I belive everything is well grounded. What size fuse should I install in the positive line going to the telescope. 5 amps? or a little less like 4 amps. I know this may be redundant but I figures I would fuse things to death. One other thing I have been wondering. Why no power switch on the controller?
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Re: Troubles with Park 1 position AP1200 GTO
Hi Rolando,
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
many thanks for your quick responce! As everything should work in my observatory via CCD Autopilot in the future, i must control the mount with Sky X. I read your perfect explanation several times, i try to repeat the necessary details for controlling the mount with Sky X to see if i get it. 1) Set keypad to Autostart = EXT. 2) Always initialize the mount with Sky X 3) Park the mount always from computer The procedure to get back the position of the scope is clear. I will drive up to my observatory when the weather becomes better and try to fix everything, i let you know. Thanks and kind regards, Wolfgang Am 16.04.2016 um 23:43 schrieb
chris1011@... [ap-gto]:
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Re: SkyX parking bug
chris maier
I have noticed this, but didn't understand why it slewed twice to park. I got used to it. The second slew was always a small move. Thanks so much for bringing this to SB's attention.
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SkyX parking bug
Some of you may have noticed some odd behavior when parking your mount with the SkyX.
First, SkyX will send the mount to its saved park position that you had created in SkyX. Then, it issues the ASCOM park call which will send it to the park position that you defined in the V2 driver. So, your mount will slew twice in order to park. This can be quite disconcerting since these positions may not be the same and it may head in an unexpected direction.
George and Howard of our technical support staff discussed and demonstrated to bug to Richard Wright of Software Bisque at NEAIC. He had been unaware of this issue and assured them that it would be fixed.
Clear Skies,
Marj Christen Astro-Physics, Inc 11250 Forest Hills Rd Machesney Park, IL 61115 Phone: 815-282-1513 Fax: 815-282-9847 www.astro-physics.com
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Re: Is there "Backlash control" in the current CP3?
Roland Christen
These settings are not recommended to be used when autoguiding. They were originally meant for manual guiding with crosshair eyepiece. Those days are pretty much gone forever. Set all backlash to zero for autoguiding.
Rolando
-----Original Message----- From: Marj marj@... [ap-gto] <ap-gto@...> To: ap-gto Sent: Sat, Apr 16, 2016 12:07 pm Subject: RE: [ap-gto] Is there "Backlash control" in the current CP3? There are RA and Dec backlash compensation settings in the keypad and ASCOM driver. The GTOCP4 includes the commands to implement these settings, if desired.
Clear Skies,
Marj Christen
Astro-Physics, Inc
11250 Forest Hills Rd
Machesney Park, IL 61115
Phone: 815-282-1513
Fax: 815-282-9847
From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Sent: Saturday, April 16, 2016 3:31 AM To: ap-gto@... Subject: [ap-gto] Is there "Backlash control" in the current CP3? Hi Marj,
As I read the web page description for the new GTOCP4. there was one point which I don’t understand.
Under the heading ... “Includes features from the lastest versions of the GTOCP3 that you rely on”
it says that it includes ... “Allows R.A. and declination backlash control”.
What is that “backlash control” talking about ? - I thought that it has only applied to backlash on the DEC gear, and NOT the RA gear.
Please explain what CP3 function, method, or command, this is referring to. I have used the Pempro Backlash Tab, to adjust the DEC gear mesh backlash, but obviously it doesn’t apply
to RA.
Thanks,
Joe
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Re: Troubles with Park 1 position AP1200 GTO
Roland Christen
Hello Wolfgang,
This is very common occurrence when you mix startup and park positions between two programs. You are using the keypad program to start the mount (makes no difference if Autostart Yes or No), but then you try to park the mount using another program, the SkyX. The problem is that the clock times of the keypad and the clock time of the SkyX are slightly different.
Since Park1 is right at the meridian, starting with one program and parking with another can easily cause the mount to park on the other side of the meridian, with the scope on the east side. This is because of the small time difference of the keypad clock and your computer clock. The mount CP3 controller determines which side to flip the scope to depending on the time, and even a few seconds is all it takes to flip the mount to the other side of the meridian.
If you must control the mount using SKY X, then always initialize the mount with that program. Set your keypad to Autostart = EXT. Initialize the mount from your computer and park your mount always from your computer. Then you will not send wrong time instructions to the mount for starting and parking the mount, and the scope will always be on the correct side when pointing to a celestial object.
If you always want to initialize and park the mount with the keypad, then set your keypad to Autostart = YES. No need ever to set it to NO because your setup is permanent. Then always park the mount using the keypad park positions, or simply place the scope where you want it via the direction keys and turn off the power. Either way, with Autostart = YES, the mount will always know where it is because it uses its own keypad time to calculate the position of the scope. This is very robust and will never fail.
Now to fix your scope position. To get your scope started properly when you have lost the mount pointing, simply follow these simple steps (remove external programs, they can be used later):
1) Set the keypad to Autostart = YES
2) Loosen all clutches and hang onto the scope.
3) With the keypad in Setup/Park, send the scope to Park3
4) When the mount has stopped slewing, place the scope in approximately Park3 position
5) Tighten all clutches again
Now your scope is back to being where it should be. You can verify the other two park positions, Park2, and then Park1. With the mount in Park1, you can use a bubble level on the two axes to determine if you are accurate, or you can send the mount to a known star, center it in your crosshairs and use the RECAL button to fix your position accurately.
Now you have a choice, will you be using the keypad always to park the mount correctly in Park1? If so, leave it in Autostart = YES. You can park the mount with the SKY X, BUT you will have no control over which side the Sky X will choose, East or West. If the clock on your computer is just a few seconds faster than the clock in the keypad, The Sky X will choose the East side. Even if you do that, next time you start the mount with Autostart = YES, the mount servo will forgive you and always go to any celestial object properly.
Will you instead want to park the mount correctly always with The Sky X? Then you must always initialize it always with this program. Therefore you must set the keypad to Autostart = EXT. You still can park the mount with the keypad, but you will have no control over what side the mount parks on in Park1.
In either case, under no circumstances should you set the keypad to Autostart = NO in your setup. That is ONLY for first time setups in a new location with new scope and unknown mount positions.
I hope that the above is clear.
Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: Wolfgang Zimmermann vergoldermeister@... [ap-gto] To: ap-gto Sent: Sat, Apr 16, 2016 4:02 pm Subject: [ap-gto] Troubles with Park 1 position AP1200 GTO Hi to all, i am new here in this group, my name is Wolfgang and i live in Austria/Europe. My AP1200 GTO CP3 is permant mounted in my roll-off roof observatory. In January i changed from Sky 6 to Sky X as i prepare everything for remote imaging. Since a few days nothing works like it should....when i park the mount (Park 1) via Sky X the OTA is in the East side and not like it should be in the West. The room for the mount and scope (12" f/4 Newt) was build for parking the OTA in the West. In Sky X i use the Setup for AP mounts. I also used the Ascom Setup and i updated the Ascom Astro Physics V2 driver but the OTA is still parking in the East. I have been setting the Autostart feature of the AP1200 to “No” and used the keypad for initialization but i got the same troubles again, OTA in the East. So I set the keypad to "EXT" and restart the mount. Resuming from Park in Sky X, the map shows the scope in the park position but when i try a go-to it takes off in a totally inappropriate direction. The mount has no idea where it is pointed. I never had this troubles before with Sky 6..... Does anybody else have troubles like this? Hope i get some help..... Thanks and kind regards, Wolfgang ------------------------------------ Posted by: Wolfgang Zimmermann <vergoldermeister@...> ------------------------------------ To UNSUBSCRIBE, or for general information on the ap-gto list see http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ap-gto ------------------------------------ Yahoo Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ap-gto/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ap-gto/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: ap-gto-digest@... ap-gto-fullfeatured@... <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: ap-gto-unsubscribe@... <*> Your use of Yahoo Groups is subject to: https://info.yahoo.com/legal/us/yahoo/utos/terms/
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Re: Installation instructions - CBAPT for pier mounted CP4
Joe,
>>>>> As for the “Keypad Lanyard”, it would be far harder to “hook it onto something”, just using a single hand, in pitch darkness, than even the original sliding “thin circle” hook
On the contrary, the lanyard vastly simplifies the process.
Clear Skies,
Marj Christen Astro-Physics, Inc 11250 Forest Hills Rd Machesney Park, IL 61115 Phone: 815-282-1513 Fax: 815-282-9847 www.astro-physics.com
From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Marj,
As I said later, those “two now unused screw holes” which retained the old CP3 on the adapter, can now serve as cable clamp positions(s) for the new CP4, while still keeping the old adapter – which now has new “platform” uses when the CP3 is no longer there. I just brought all that up because I would hate to see people needlessly toss the adapter, when it can in fact be recycled for other telescope purposes.
As for the “Keypad Lanyard”, it would be far harder to “hook it onto something”, just using a single hand, in pitch darkness, than even the original sliding “thin circle” hook, many of which out there, I suspect have been snapped off long ago. I will eventually replace the entire keypad’s sliding hook plate with a brass one, but I managed to Krazy Glue the broken part back on for now, when I was fortunate enough to find the fallen piece in the grass.
Joe
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Re: Installation instructions - CBAPT for pier mounted CP4
Joe Zeglinski
Marj,
As I said later, those “two now unused screw holes”
which retained the old CP3 on the adapter, can now serve as cable clamp
positions(s) for the new CP4, while still keeping the old adapter – which now
has new “platform” uses when the CP3 is no longer there.
I just brought all that up because I would hate to see people needlessly
toss the adapter, when it can in fact be recycled for other telescope
purposes.
As for the “Keypad Lanyard”, it would be far harder to
“hook it onto something”, just using a single hand, in pitch darkness, than even
the original sliding “thin circle” hook, many of which out there, I suspect have
been snapped off long ago. I will eventually replace the entire keypad’s
sliding hook plate with a brass one, but I managed to Krazy Glue the broken part
back on for now, when I was fortunate enough to find the fallen piece in the
grass.
Joe
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Troubles with Park 1 position AP1200 GTO
Hi to all,
i am new here in this group, my name is Wolfgang and i live in Austria/Europe. My AP1200 GTO CP3 is permant mounted in my roll-off roof observatory. In January i changed from Sky 6 to Sky X as i prepare everything for remote imaging. Since a few days nothing works like it should....when i park the mount (Park 1) via Sky X the OTA is in the East side and not like it should be in the West. The room for the mount and scope (12" f/4 Newt) was build for parking the OTA in the West. In Sky X i use the Setup for AP mounts. I also used the Ascom Setup and i updated the Ascom Astro Physics V2 driver but the OTA is still parking in the East. I have been setting the Autostart feature of the AP1200 to “No” and used the keypad for initialization but i got the same troubles again, OTA in the East. So I set the keypad to "EXT" and restart the mount. Resuming from Park in Sky X, the map shows the scope in the park position but when i try a go-to it takes off in a totally inappropriate direction. The mount has no idea where it is pointed. I never had this troubles before with Sky 6..... Does anybody else have troubles like this? Hope i get some help..... Thanks and kind regards, Wolfgang
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Re: Installation instructions - CBAPT for pier mounted CP4
I plan to keep at least one of my two CP3's, although I never expect
to need it.
However I do have spare motor and power cables for both of my AP
mounts that I keep handy.
Not to mention an odd selection of spare screws, knobs and
bolts.
Christopher Erickson
Consulting Engineer Summit Kinetics Waikoloa, HI 96738 www.summitkinetics.com From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...] Sent: Saturday, April 16, 2016 6:43 AM To: ap-gto@... Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Installation instructions - CBAPT for pier mounted CP4 Chris,
That may be true, but in case of some emergency, rather
than being without a CP4 while it is either acting up – as firmware sometimes
does – or it is out for repair, the user doesn’t really need to turn PEM on,
when switching temporarily to the backup CP3. After 9 years, I have yet to use
the PEM, since the mount quality itself is so good to begin with. Besides, there
will always be cases when a controller shows a “suspectedly” odd behaviour, and
it would be nice to switch back, to older firmware/hardware, to compare
results.
That being said, leaving the “Servo Box Adapter” on the
AP-900/1200 RA axis, and adding a Velco strip on top, provides a convenient
“shelf” for the Keypad, which would be much better than using its flimsy hanger
“hook”. The shelf may also be a good spot for a USB hub or a PowerWrx DC
junction box, to handle all the telescope accessories that require it.
Finally, the two CP3 lock down screw holes, at the front
of the adapter, which held the CP3, could be used for a nylon cable grip, to
hold the Y-cable going toward the CP4’s new pier mounted position.
Joe
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Re: Installation instructions - CBAPT for pier mounted CP4
Joe,
You can certainly use the adapter in any way you wish.
Incidentally, we have a short lanyard available for the keypad, if you need one. It attaches to the integral hook. Quite convenient for hanging anywhere you like.
Clear Skies,
Marj Christen Astro-Physics, Inc 11250 Forest Hills Rd Machesney Park, IL 61115 Phone: 815-282-1513 Fax: 815-282-9847 www.astro-physics.com
From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Chris, That may be true, but in case of some emergency, rather than being without a CP4 while it is either acting up – as firmware sometimes does – or it is out for repair, the user doesn’t really need to turn PEM on, when switching temporarily to the backup CP3. After 9 years, I have yet to use the PEM, since the mount quality itself is so good to begin with. Besides, there will always be cases when a controller shows a “suspectedly” odd behaviour, and it would be nice to switch back, to older firmware/hardware, to compare results.
That being said, leaving the “Servo Box Adapter” on the AP-900/1200 RA axis, and adding a Velco strip on top, provides a convenient “shelf” for the Keypad, which would be much better than using its flimsy hanger “hook”. The shelf may also be a good spot for a USB hub or a PowerWrx DC junction box, to handle all the telescope accessories that require it.
Finally, the two CP3 lock down screw holes, at the front of the adapter, which held the CP3, could be used for a nylon cable grip, to hold the Y-cable going toward the CP4’s new pier mounted position.
Joe
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Re: Is there "Backlash control" in the current CP3?
There are RA and Dec backlash compensation settings in the keypad and ASCOM driver. The GTOCP4 includes the commands to implement these settings, if desired.
Clear Skies,
Marj Christen Astro-Physics, Inc 11250 Forest Hills Rd Machesney Park, IL 61115 Phone: 815-282-1513 Fax: 815-282-9847 www.astro-physics.com
From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Hi Marj,
As I read the web page description for the new GTOCP4. there was one point which I don’t understand. Under the heading ... “Includes features from the lastest versions of the GTOCP3 that you rely on” it says that it includes ... “Allows R.A. and declination backlash control”.
What is that “backlash control” talking about ? - I thought that it has only applied to backlash on the DEC gear, and NOT the RA gear. Please explain what CP3 function, method, or command, this is referring to. I have used the Pempro Backlash Tab, to adjust the DEC gear mesh backlash, but obviously it doesn’t apply to RA.
Thanks, Joe
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Re: Installation instructions - CBAPT for pier mounted CP4
Joe,
You certainly can keep the adapter on the RA axis if you wish. You may need to substitute a longer screw at the location of the cable clip.
Clear Skies,
Marj Christen Astro-Physics, Inc 11250 Forest Hills Rd Machesney Park, IL 61115 Phone: 815-282-1513 Fax: 815-282-9847 www.astro-physics.com
From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Hi Marj,
As I read through the Upgrade Instructions, I wonder why it requires the existing “Servo Box Adapter” on the AP-900/1200 RA axis, to be completely discarded – it doesn’t mention it being moved to the pier.
Surely, if as recommended that the user keeps his existing CP3, for emergencies, that adapter should remain on the axis to switch to the old CP3, and the new CP4 cable clip could just as easily by screwed onto the adapter.
Perhaps there is a missing step in the PDF.
Joe
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Re: Installation instructions - CBAPT for pier mounted CP4
Joe Zeglinski
Chris,
That may be true, but in case of some emergency, rather
than being without a CP4 while it is either acting up – as firmware sometimes
does – or it is out for repair, the user doesn’t really need to turn PEM on,
when switching temporarily to the backup CP3. After 9 years, I have yet to use
the PEM, since the mount quality itself is so good to begin with. Besides, there
will always be cases when a controller shows a “suspectedly” odd behaviour, and
it would be nice to switch back, to older firmware/hardware, to compare
results.
That being said, leaving the “Servo Box Adapter” on the
AP-900/1200 RA axis, and adding a Velco strip on top, provides a convenient
“shelf” for the Keypad, which would be much better than using its flimsy hanger
“hook”. The shelf may also be a good spot for a USB hub or a PowerWrx DC
junction box, to handle all the telescope accessories that require it.
Finally, the two CP3 lock down screw holes, at the front
of the adapter, which held the CP3, could be used for a nylon cable grip, to
hold the Y-cable going toward the CP4’s new pier mounted position.
Joe
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Re: [ap-ug] New AP V2 ASCOM Driver Release v5.08.07
Steve Reilly
Ray,
Forget the previous email, I just opened the Setup Telescope dialog under the AP folder and it gave me the information I needed. Seems I have v5.07.02 installed both at home and at SRO. Sorry for the noise.
Steve
From: ap-ug@... [mailto:ap-ug@...]
Sent: Saturday, April 16, 2016 11:00 AM To: ap-ug@...; ap-gto@... Subject: RE: [ap-ug] New AP V2 ASCOM Driver Release v5.08.07
Ray,
This may have been asked and I missed it but did any of the previous drivers require an un-install before installing the newer, like v5.08.04. I can’t tell which version I have installed when I open the driver it blinks to inform me of the new drive and doesn’t display the installed version.
Thanks,
Steve
From: ap-ug@... [mailto:ap-ug@...]
Hi all,
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Re: [ap-ug] New AP V2 ASCOM Driver Release v5.08.07
Steve Reilly
Ray,
This may have been asked and I missed it but did any of the previous drivers require an un-install before installing the newer, like v5.08.04. I can’t tell which version I have installed when I open the driver it blinks to inform me of the new drive and doesn’t display the installed version.
Thanks,
Steve
From: ap-ug@... [mailto:ap-ug@...]
Sent: Sunday, April 10, 2016 9:35 AM To: ap-gto@...; ap-ug@... Subject: [ap-ug] New AP V2 ASCOM Driver Release v5.08.07
Hi all,
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Re: Installation instructions - CBAPT for pier mounted CP4
I think there wouldn't be a problem going back and forth, as long as
you knew that PEM data would have to be re-recorded on whichever box was
currently being used. And that when swapping boxes the current box won't
know where the previous box had parked the mount.
Frankly it has been my experience that the CP3 controller is so
blasted reliable that I can't imagine needing a spare. And if the CP4 is
as reliable as we all expect it will be, a spare CP3 or CP4 really isn't going
to be much of an issue either.
And I certainly won't be going back and forth between the two boxes
on a regular basis.
Christopher Erickson
Consulting Engineer Summit Kinetics Waikoloa, HI 96738 www.summitkinetics.com From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...] Sent: Friday, April 15, 2016 10:13 PM To: ap-gto@... Subject: [ap-gto] Installation instructions - CBAPT for pier mounted CP4 Hi Marj,
As I read through the Upgrade Instructions, I wonder why
it requires the existing “Servo Box Adapter” on the AP-900/1200 RA axis, to be
completely discarded – it doesn’t mention it being moved to the pier.
Surely, if as recommended that the user keeps his
existing CP3, for emergencies, that adapter should remain on the axis to switch
to the old CP3, and the new CP4 cable clip could just as easily by screwed onto
the adapter.
Perhaps there is a missing step in the PDF.
Joe
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