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Re: ASCOM/ACP interface set offline...
Steve Reilly
Certainly sounds like you lost communications with the driver. What other programs are being used and how do you connect to the scope, direct serial port connection or USB to Serial convertor….
Steve
From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2016 7:02 PM To: ap-gto@... Subject: [ap-gto] ASCOM/ACP interface set offline...
Hello again!
I tried to find the proper tech forum for this ACSCOM AP v2 5.09.01 error, and all signs point here. So here goes. (If there is a better forum, please direct me there!). Maybe this is purely an ASCOM or Digital Dome Works problem rather than with the AP V2 driver. Don't know yet...
I am currently using Technical Innovations/Homedome Digital Dome Works (v.5.2) to slave my dome rotation to my AP900 mount. Some hiccups notwithstanding, so far so good. However, I have encountered a problem with DDW and the interface it uses to communicate with the mount, ASCOM Astrophysics V2 5.09.01. Here's what happens...
When I initiate DDW, it invokes the AP V2 5.09.01 driver window. All the fields populate (I presume) with data from the mount. All the buttons on the AP driver (NSEW, etc) work fine. I can slave the dome to anywhere the mount is slewed (via keypad) to. All is good.
However, after consistently slaving the scope for, say, four or five hours, I get an error in DDW:
ASCOM/.ACP interface set offline
https://goo.gl/photos/xM7p9Z1DyLLYhj3H7
and DDW reports operation failed, which I think means DDW could not slave the dome because it no longer is receiving a data stream from the mount. Further, the RA and DEC fields of the AP V2 drive are rendered blank, although all other fields are present. The TIME, however, seems to "freeze" at the moment the failure occurs.
The only way to recover from this is to end and restart DDW, thus reinvoking the AP V2 driver.
Technical Innovations is looking into this as I write, but I thought I'd post it here, too. I Googled the error and didn't come up with anything similar. For some reason, somewhere along the line, the handshake between ASCOM and DDW is being broken. There is no timeout as far as I know. If there is a place in the ASCOM driver set to check for errors, I am not sure where they would be. Everything is up to date also. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Chris |
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Re: ASCOM/ACP interface set offline...
Steve Reilly
Chris,
Are you using ACP in the mix? That’s what it looks like with ASCOM/.ACP interface set offline. If I saw this and was using ACP I would make sure ACP is still connected to the telescope driver. Just a guess.
Steve |
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Re: ASCOM/ACP interface set offline...
Steve Reilly
Chris,
Are you using ACP in the mix? That’s what it looks like with ASCOM/.ACP interface set offline. If I saw this and was using ACP I would make sure ACP is still connected to the telescope driver. Just a guess.
Steve
From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2016 7:02 PM To: ap-gto@... Subject: [ap-gto] ASCOM/ACP interface set offline...
Hello again!
I tried to find the proper tech forum for this ACSCOM AP v2 5.09.01 error, and all signs point here. So here goes. (If there is a better forum, please direct me there!). Maybe this is purely an ASCOM or Digital Dome Works problem rather than with the AP V2 driver. Don't know yet...
I am currently using Technical Innovations/Homedome Digital Dome Works (v.5.2) to slave my dome rotation to my AP900 mount. Some hiccups notwithstanding, so far so good. However, I have encountered a problem with DDW and the interface it uses to communicate with the mount, ASCOM Astrophysics V2 5.09.01. Here's what happens...
When I initiate DDW, it invokes the AP V2 5.09.01 driver window. All the fields populate (I presume) with data from the mount. All the buttons on the AP driver (NSEW, etc) work fine. I can slave the dome to anywhere the mount is slewed (via keypad) to. All is good.
However, after consistently slaving the scope for, say, four or five hours, I get an error in DDW:
ASCOM/.ACP interface set offline
https://goo.gl/photos/xM7p9Z1DyLLYhj3H7
and DDW reports operation failed, which I think means DDW could not slave the dome because it no longer is receiving a data stream from the mount. Further, the RA and DEC fields of the AP V2 drive are rendered blank, although all other fields are present. The TIME, however, seems to "freeze" at the moment the failure occurs.
The only way to recover from this is to end and restart DDW, thus reinvoking the AP V2 driver.
Technical Innovations is looking into this as I write, but I thought I'd post it here, too. I Googled the error and didn't come up with anything similar. For some reason, somewhere along the line, the handshake between ASCOM and DDW is being broken. There is no timeout as far as I know. If there is a place in the ASCOM driver set to check for errors, I am not sure where they would be. Everything is up to date also. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Chris |
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ASCOM/ACP interface set offline...
C. G. Anderson
Hello again! I tried to find the proper tech forum for this ACSCOM AP v2 5.09.01 error, and all signs point here. So here goes. (If there is a better forum, please direct me there!). Maybe this is purely an ASCOM or Digital Dome Works problem rather than with the AP V2 driver. Don't know yet... I am currently using Technical Innovations/Homedome Digital Dome Works (v.5.2) to slave my dome rotation to my AP900 mount. Some hiccups notwithstanding, so far so good. However, I have encountered a problem with DDW and the interface it uses to communicate with the mount, ASCOM Astrophysics V2 5.09.01. Here's what happens... When I initiate DDW, it invokes the AP V2 5.09.01 driver window. All the fields populate (I presume) with data from the mount. All the buttons on the AP driver (NSEW, etc) work fine. I can slave the dome to anywhere the mount is slewed (via keypad) to. All is good. However, after consistently slaving the scope for, say, four or five hours, I get an error in DDW: ASCOM/.ACP interface set offline https://goo.gl/photos/xM7p9Z1DyLLYhj3H7 and DDW reports operation failed, which I think means DDW could not slave the dome because it no longer is receiving a data stream from the mount. Further, the RA and DEC fields of the AP V2 drive are rendered blank, although all other fields are present. The TIME, however, seems to "freeze" at the moment the failure occurs. The only way to recover from this is to end and restart DDW, thus reinvoking the AP V2 driver. Technical Innovations is looking into this as I write, but I thought I'd post it here, too. I Googled the error and didn't come up with anything similar. For some reason, somewhere along the line, the handshake between ASCOM and DDW is being broken. There is no timeout as far as I know. If there is a place in the ASCOM driver set to check for errors, I am not sure where they would be. Everything is up to date also. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Chris |
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Re: AP Mach 1 with GTO 4 and a Hand Controller
Steven
Yeah, that's better! And electric ear muffs too! S From: ap-gto@... on behalf of 'Joseph Zeglinski' J.Zeglinski@... [ap-gto]
Sent: Tuesday, 13 September 2016 6:12 p.m. To: ap-gto@... Subject: Re: [ap-gto] AP Mach 1 with GTO 4 and a Hand Controller Steve,
Instead of a blanket, I saw a movie decades ago with an advanced Japanese amateur astronomer who plugged in his electric heated slippers.
Joe
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Re: AP Mach 1 with GTO 4 and a Hand Controller
Roland Christen
when I had the handset go dark, there was nothing connected to the Kendrick, or the battery except the 15v supply to the mount. If this is a one-off situation, it could have been a loose connection on the CP4. If it does it again, remove the back of the keypad and look inside at the connector to see if it is loose. If you can't fix it, then we will have to look at it here.
Roland Christen
aka Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: billtheastronut@... [ap-gto] To: ap-gto Sent: Tue, Sep 13, 2016 3:52 pm Subject: RE: [ap-gto] AP Mach 1 with GTO 4 and a Hand Controller Hi Marj,
I do use the deep cycle for the other power loads, but the deep cycle is a large 105 amp AGM, and I have no large loads on the Kendrick. I live in a dry environment, no need for dew heaters, and designed the power cable to the Kendricks to carry 20 amps with less that 0.05 v drop. I also use a voltage booster on the feed to the Kendrick so that the power to the Kendrick stays at 13.5 volts continuously. Needless to say, the capability of the power supply far exceeds the demands put upon it. The largest power draw besides the mount is the camera, and it draws only 2.0 A maximum at 12 volts. The other power usage is a focuser that only operates intermittently. Also, the Kendrick has the 15V supply booster for the proper voltage to the mount. I understand what you recommend, and would offer that when I had the handset go dark, there was nothing connected to the Kendrick, or the battery except
the 15v supply to the mount.
Thank You!
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Re: AP Mach 1 with GTO 4 and a Hand Controller
Joe Zeglinski
Steve,
Instead of a blanket, I saw a movie decades ago with an
advanced Japanese amateur astronomer who plugged in his electric
heated slippers.
Joe
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Re: AP Mach 1 with GTO 4 and a Hand Controller
topboxman
Interesting question. If you want to connect PWM dew heater along with other astro devices, I suggest to connect dew heater directly to the battery instead of to power distribution box. For example if your power distribution box is mounted on top of OTA, you don't want to include dew heater to power distribution box because it's too close to other astro devices and dew heater can induce noise into the DC circuit. So connecting dew heater directly to the battery may greatly reduce noise induction into other astro devices. For best results, connect dew heater to another battery.
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
As for affecting voltage regulators, probably not as long as the input voltage to the regulators do not at anytime fall below the required minimum input voltage of the regulator. PWM dew heater can be quite noisy in 12VDC power line. If you have an oscilloscope, monitor the voltage and check if the voltage ever drops below minimum input voltage requirement of voltage regulator. Peter ---In ap-gto@..., <buckeyestargazer@...> wrote : Peter and others, a related question. I too use a deep cycle marine battery for travel purposes and on my battery box I have installed two buck-boost voltage regulators, one set at 15v and one set at 12.8v. I use the 15v socket for my Mach1GTO and the 12.8 for my camera. In this scenario, do you know if the PWM of dew heaters would affect the voltage of the regulators? joel
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Re: AP Mach 1 with GTO 4 and a Hand Controller
Steven
You could hook up an electric blanket and a microwave oven to that setup, too, eh Jo?
S From: ap-gto@... <ap-gto@...> on behalf of 'Joseph Zeglinski' J.Zeglinski@... [ap-gto]
Sent: Tuesday, 13 September 2016 5:00 p.m. To: ap-gto@... Subject: Re: [ap-gto] AP Mach 1 with GTO 4 and a Hand Controller Common (A/C) source power isn’t always a problem.
I run my AP-900 (or AP-1200) from a single 10 amp Motorola (ham radio communications) wall-wart - to power not only the mount, but also the RCOS OTA servo focuser and triple primary PWM fans all running at high speeds, its secondary mirror PWM heater
and PIR field rotator, 8-port Digiport serial hub, a 7-port USB-3 hub, an SBIG STL-11000 CCD with an external RGH guider
.... and finally, a Kendrick Premier PWM dew heater ... powering a 46 inch “LONG”, primary mirror circumferential heater band.
It handled everything without a hitch over the past few years, not even any electrical noise in the images.
With such hassle free performance, I am considering possibly adding a coffee mug warmer :-)
Maybe it is only batteries that can’t handle ta single PWM heater load. Or, I’m just lucky, and this Motorola wall-wart is a real keeper.
Joe
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Re: AP Mach 1 with GTO 4 and a Hand Controller
Joe Zeglinski
Common (A/C) source power isn’t always a problem.
I run my AP-900 (or AP-1200) from a single 10 amp
Motorola (ham radio communications) wall-wart - to power not only the mount, but
also the RCOS OTA servo focuser and triple primary PWM fans all running at high
speeds, its secondary mirror PWM heater and PIR field rotator, 8-port
Digiport serial hub, a 7-port USB-3 hub, an SBIG STL-11000 CCD with an external
RGH guider
.... and finally, a Kendrick Premier PWM dew heater ... powering a 46
inch “LONG”, primary mirror circumferential heater band.
It handled everything without a hitch over the past few
years, not even any electrical noise in the images.
With such hassle free performance, I am considering possibly adding a
coffee mug warmer :-)
Maybe it is only batteries that can’t handle ta single PWM heater load. Or,
I’m just lucky, and this Motorola wall-wart is a real keeper.
Joe
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Re: AP Mach 1 with GTO 4 and a Hand Controller
bill taylor
Hi Marj, I do use the deep cycle for the other power loads, but the deep cycle is a large 105 amp AGM, and I have no large loads on the Kendrick. I live in a dry environment, no need for dew heaters, and designed the power cable to the Kendricks to carry 20 amps with less that 0.05 v drop. I also use a voltage booster on the feed to the Kendrick so that the power to the Kendrick stays at 13.5 volts continuously. Needless to say, the capability of the power supply far exceeds the demands put upon it. The largest power draw besides the mount is the camera, and it draws only 2.0 A maximum at 12 volts. The other power usage is a focuser that only operates intermittently. Also, the Kendrick has the 15V supply booster for the proper voltage to the mount. I understand what you recommend, and would offer that when I had the handset go dark, there was nothing connected to the Kendrick, or the battery except the 15v supply to the mount. Thank You! |
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Re: AP Mach 1 with GTO 4 and a Hand Controller
Peter and others, a related question. I too use a deep cycle marine battery for travel purposes and on my battery box I have installed two buck-boost voltage regulators, one set at 15v and one set at 12.8v. I use the 15v socket for my Mach1GTO and the 12.8 for my camera. In this scenario, do you know if the PWM of dew heaters would affect the voltage of the regulators? joel On Tue, Sep 13, 2016 at 3:06 PM, pnagy@... [ap-gto] <ap-gto@...> wrote:
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Re: AP Mach 1 with GTO 4 and a Hand Controller
topboxman
I have a 12VDC deep cycle marine battery ( https://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStart-Maxx-Group-Size-24-Marine-Battery/20531538 ) and it's connected to the following astro devices:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
1) A-P1100GTO mount 2) QSI660wsg camera 3) Optec/Starlight Instruments Focus Boss II auto focuser hub 4) 12VDC powered USB hub and I have been running like this for 5 years (my previous mount was A-P Mach1GTO) without issues. I agree that Dew heaters should be powered from a dedicated power supply/battery due to their Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) inducing noise. Also, laptops should be powered from a dedicated power source due to large power drain. Peter ---In ap-gto@..., <marj@...> wrote : Bill,
I notice that you are using a Kendrick power distribution module. Do you have multiple items plugged into the same power source with the mount?
Please note that we recommend that the mount have a dedicated power supply. Dew heaters and other accessories tend to pull a lot of power as they cycle, which can cause significant drops in power. If that happens, the keypad will not have enough voltage and may reset.
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@...]
Sent: Monday, September 12, 2016 7:54 PM To: ap-gto@... Subject: [ap-gto] AP Mach 1 with GTO 4 and a Hand Controller
Hi, I have a relatively new AP Mach 1 with GTO4 and a handset. While observing visually a couple of nights ago, I suddenly lost power to the handset. Upon investigation, the following was found:
Battery power was still at full, battery booster was putting out 13.5 volts to the Kenderick power distribution module. The Kendrick was still powered up and working normally, including the AP power socket going to the mount GTO 4 box. The GTO 4 was still powered up. The mount was still tracking.
I rebooted the power quickly, off at the Kendrick, back on in about 5 seconds, and everything came back up normally, including tracking. When I looked at the handset, it had come back up on the normal object tracking screen, and knew where it was...
Any idea what happened, and how to fix it?
Thanks in advance,
Bill Taylor
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Murphy's Evicted
Bill Gardner <gardner.w@...>
After fighting computers, software and who knows what for over two years now in the observatory, Murphy seems to have been evicted. I am starting to get guided images again!
Collected a set of LRGB data for M33 last night, along with this HA data of a section of the California Nebula. Does it ever feel good to have the observatory working again. In the time since I last collected successful data, the OS has changed, and major version revisions on all of the software that I use have occurred along with new versions of all the drivers as well. Image page: 15x10 minute of HA data calibrated in Maxim and processed in PhotoShop. Enjoy (I know I am) Bill PS. It was great to finally meet the AP crew as AstroCATs back in the Spring. |
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Re: AP Mach 1 with GTO 4 and a Hand Controller
Bill,
I notice that you are using a Kendrick power distribution module. Do you have multiple items plugged into the same power source with the mount?
Please note that we recommend that the mount have a dedicated power supply. Dew heaters and other accessories tend to pull a lot of power as they cycle, which can cause significant drops in power. If that happens, the keypad will not have enough voltage and may reset.
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@...]
Sent: Monday, September 12, 2016 7:54 PM To: ap-gto@... Subject: [ap-gto] AP Mach 1 with GTO 4 and a Hand Controller
Hi, I have a relatively new AP Mach 1 with GTO4 and a handset. While observing visually a couple of nights ago, I suddenly lost power to the handset. Upon investigation, the following was found:
Battery power was still at full, battery booster was putting out 13.5 volts to the Kenderick power distribution module. The Kendrick was still powered up and working normally, including the AP power socket going to the mount GTO 4 box. The GTO 4 was still powered up. The mount was still tracking.
I rebooted the power quickly, off at the Kendrick, back on in about 5 seconds, and everything came back up normally, including tracking. When I looked at the handset, it had come back up on the normal object tracking screen, and knew where it was...
Any idea what happened, and how to fix it?
Thanks in advance,
Bill Taylor
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Re: Slewing towards pier: what am I doing wrong this time?
C. G. Anderson
Roland, thanks again. I've used star sync for years and never had issues like the last few days. But I did autoconnect=YES, parked and unparked the mount successfully, and it slewed fine this morning. Viola!
CG |
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Re: AP Mach 1 with GTO 4 and a Hand Controller
bill taylor
Rolando, Thank you for the information. The keypad was purchased and delivered with the mount, I think that was back in May...Basically everything is new. I don't feel any play or slop in either end of the cable connections from the handset or at the GTO 4 box. Bill Taylor |
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Re: AP Mach 1 with GTO 4 and a Hand Controller
Roland Christen
Is it a new keypad, or did you purchase it used?
By the way, losing power to the keypad does not require you to re-boot the CP4 servo. Just unplug the keypad and plug it back into the CP4. Once the CP4 is initialized at the beginning of a session, you can unplug the keypad any time and nothing is lost. The mount knows where it is and any application that sends an RA/Dec will cause the CP4 to go there. The keypad can be hot-plugged at any time.
Losing power to the keypad usually means bad connection at either end of the keypad cable. Older keypads may need to have the connectors cleaned inside the unit. Also make sure the keypad cable locking nut is locked on the CP servo.
Rolando
-----Original Message----- From: billtheastronut@... [ap-gto] To: ap-gto Sent: Mon, Sep 12, 2016 8:03 pm Subject: [ap-gto] AP Mach 1 with GTO 4 and a Hand Controller Hi, I have a relatively new AP Mach 1 with GTO4 and a handset. While observing visually a couple of nights ago, I suddenly lost power to the handset. Upon investigation, the following was found:
Battery power was still at full, battery booster was putting out 13.5 volts to the Kenderick power distribution module.
The Kendrick was still powered up and working normally, including the AP power socket going to the mount GTO 4 box.
The GTO 4 was still powered up.
The mount was still tracking.
I rebooted the power quickly, off at the Kendrick, back on in about 5 seconds, and everything came back up normally, including tracking. When I looked at the handset, it had come back up on the normal object tracking screen, and knew where it was...
Any idea what happened, and how to fix it?
Thanks in advance,
Bill Taylor
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AP Mach 1 with GTO 4 and a Hand Controller
bill taylor
Hi, I have a relatively new AP Mach 1 with GTO4 and a handset. While observing visually a couple of nights ago, I suddenly lost power to the handset. Upon investigation, the following was found: Battery power was still at full, battery booster was putting out 13.5 volts to the Kenderick power distribution module. The Kendrick was still powered up and working normally, including the AP power socket going to the mount GTO 4 box. The GTO 4 was still powered up. The mount was still tracking. I rebooted the power quickly, off at the Kendrick, back on in about 5 seconds, and everything came back up normally, including tracking. When I looked at the handset, it had come back up on the normal object tracking screen, and knew where it was... Any idea what happened, and how to fix it? Thanks in advance, Bill Taylor |
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Re: Slewing towards pier: what am I doing wrong this time?
Roland Christen
Don't do the same thing, you'll get the same results. Don't use Sync unless you fully understand what it does.
Send the scope to a known object via GoTo, then center and Recal. Now set the keypad to Autoconnect = YES. Your problems will melt away.
Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: chris@... [ap-gto] To: ap-gto Sent: Mon, Sep 12, 2016 5:21 pm Subject: [ap-gto] Re: Slewing towards pier: what am I doing wrong this time? Roland: Thanks for this reply.
Yes, it was if the scope thought the counterweight shaft was the scope. This actually occurred to me while I was watching it move.
But the first thing I did was GOTO Denebola again, and it dove further down. The scope was on the west side looking back west towards the Sun. That began the cascade of events.
And I was perplexed by, after I had manually slewed the scope to the east side, the motors would start going the correct way, then reverse, during any GOTO or Park function.
I'll conduct the same tests tomorrow, and will take better notes....
CG
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