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APCC - APPM - and ASTAP
I downloaded and installed the latest version of APCC PRO on my observatory computer and also installed ASTAP and the H18 database. Since it is raining and not predicted to clear for almost a week, I wanted to become familiar with ASTAP and its plate solving capabilities before attempting an APPM run. I tried loading PNG images previously captured with the camera and scope I will be using to do the APPM run into ASTAP, and I consistently get "No solution found. I then upload the image into astrometry.net and quickly get a plate solve. I tried lowering the maximum number of stars to use. I tried changing the Field of View height. I tried changing the Radius search area. Nothing I changed in ASTAP yielded a successful plate solve.
Has anyone else been successful in using ASTAP to do plate solving while doing an APPM run? If so, what did you have to do to get ASTAP to work for you? Yours truly, Jack Huerkamp
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Re: Smart Meridian Flip with NINA
#APCC
Ray Gralak
Okay, is there anything that could interfere with LAN traffic on your network? Also, to what value do you have the network timeout configured in APCC?
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
-Ray
-----Original Message-----
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Re: Smart Meridian Flip with NINA
#APCC
Joseph Beyer
Ray,
I'm connected to the mount by ethernet cable. I've had the computer disconnect from the mount a couple times when I've moved it without holding the cables but it's a simple fix of restarting. It doesn't resemble this situation. In each case last night all connections were as secure as I could make them and each disconnect corresponded to me trying to slew to a star with CdC. I'll post the logs to Google drive and send along relevant information. Thanks, Joe
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Re: Smart Meridian Flip with NINA
#APCC
Ray Gralak
Hi Joe,
Each time a message would come up that the computer had lost connection with the telescope.Losing a connection to the mount sounds like a possible cable issue. How are you connecting to the mount? Via network, serial port, or USB port? I may have some time today to look at the logs if you use APCC's log zipper utility and post a link to the zip file. Include your APCC Logs, APPM logs and PNT files, and ASCOM logs. Also, post descriptions of each issue with that issue's approximate time so that I know where to start looking. BTW, if you are using Dec Arc tracking, I recommend you turn off pointing correction if any of the pointing terms have very high values (greater than 1800 or less than -1800). -Ray -----Original Message-----
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Re: Smart Meridian Flip with NINA
#APCC
Joseph Beyer
It looks like the episode I had with the meridian flip a couple nights ago possibly corrupted something in either APCC or the V2 driver. Last night I was trying to get the mount pointing in the correct direction and tried to slew from CdC a couple times. Each time a message would come up that the computer had lost connection with the telescope. At the same time APCC shut down and if I restarted the program without rebooting the computer the virtual ports had changed and were no longer 20 and 21.
When I get the mount in this morning I thought I'd try loading one of the backup profiles from earlier this week and see if that might correct the problem. Any suggestions are more than welcome. Joe
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Re: WR 134
NIce! I can see the gas cloud coming out better, which I presume is the o3. What is HFG1? I'll collect more o3 if we ever get clear sky. SH2-86 is another nice but fairly dim object that would be good practice. It doesn't get much attention. Here is my take: Steve
On Sun, Oct 3, 2021 at 4:12 AM carlburton2001 <cburton52@...> wrote:
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Re: Final Verdict: Mach 2 Torture Test
Chris White
It's actually been kind of fun seeing Bill and Roland torture test the Mach2 at the same time. I know it wasnt a competition, but I kept signing on to see how one might one-up the other. :-)
Great post Bill, and an amazing feat of this little mount.
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Re: Final Verdict: Mach 2 Torture Test
Fisanotti, John
Regards,
John Fisanotti
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Re: WR 134
Hi Steve
First very nice image, your stars kept their color. I too am new to my processing software, but the data from this object is great practice to develop some sort of workflow in PI. My latest version is on my site https://applewood-astro.com/wr134.html . This was a pretty dim object. I'm working on HFG1 now and the individual 30 min exposures in Ha just begin to show a very faint cloud. I need much more data but the wx here in MI does not look favorable for collecting more data this week. But the leaves are beginning their color here and nature sure does a great job with color... Carl
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Re: Final Verdict: Mach 2 Torture Test
Bill Long
Amen friend. Amen. 🙂
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> on behalf of fernandorivera3 via groups.io <fernandorivera3@...>
Sent: Saturday, October 2, 2021 10:25 PM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Final Verdict: Mach 2 Torture Test Bill, AP mounts are built like a tank. "They take a lickin' & keep on tickin'" 😉
If 3600 GTO mounts in Antarctica can withstand the harsh conditions way down there, this speaks volumes of how well engineered (AP mounts) are- designed to handle anything you throw at 'em.
Fernando
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Re: Final Verdict: Mach 2 Torture Test
fernandorivera3
Bill, AP mounts are built like a tank. "They take a lickin' & keep on tickin'" 😉
If 3600 GTO mounts in Antarctica can withstand the harsh conditions way down there, this speaks volumes of how well engineered (AP mounts) are- designed to handle anything you throw at 'em. Fernando
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Re: Ethernet connection to V2 Driver
Michael Freeberg
Ok, I finally got it working. In the telescope setup in the driver I had to deselect all the boxes and then select the com port that I wanted and hit ok, it would then save the com port. Thanks everyone for the suggestions.
Mike
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Re: Ethernet connection to V2 Driver
Michael Freeberg
I can connect to the mount by ethernet at 192.168.1.36 but the driver has 192.168.1.13 and it will not let me change it in the driver. Somehow I need to clear that ip address from the driver.
Mike
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Re: Ethernet connection to V2 Driver
Michael Freeberg
Tom,
Did the ascom driver act the same way that I have described , not letting you go back to a com port. Mike
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Re: Ethernet connection to V2 Driver
Thomas Giannaccini
Michael, I literally just had this problem…today. Try this: Go to command prompt Type: arp -a There is a space in there. Hit enter The list that comes up are all the IP addresses that your computer is connected to. Try the first one and see if that works. If not, work your way down. Mine was the first. It took me HOURS to figure that out (actually my wife figured it out). Good luck, Tom
On Sat, Oct 2, 2021 at 9:32 PM Michael Freeberg <mdfreeb@...> wrote: I have Ascom platform 6.1 SP1 in fact I just reinstalled, .Net 3.5 is enabled and .Net Framework 4.8 is installed. It seems that Ip address is latched and it will not let me get out. Can the CP5 be keeping this address in memory ...not sure what I need do do to clear this error to get it back working. --
CN: HasAnyoneSeenMyNeblua
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Final Verdict: Mach 2 Torture Test
Hello friends,
It was finally time to bring the mount and telescope inside. The weather has been very poor. Rainy and very high humidity as of late. I finally pulled in the gear. It sat outside from July 25 - October 2, with 104 pounds of counterweights, 70 pounds of scope and accessories, with an OTA 17" in height, and 45" in length at critical focus. On the AP Mach 2 graph this is 5 pounds into the RED.
The rig operated at seeing limited tracking and guiding at all times during the 60 day onslaught. Not once was there ever a problem with the mount in terms of the load, or in terms of its ability to meet the demands I placed on it. I want everyone reading this to be mindful that the mount sat for 2 months on a set of 2x4 piece of wood suspended 2 stories in the air (aka my deck). The deck is old, the wood is worn, and in some places there are holes in the deck. (I do plan to get it replaced next week with some better material). I would not be wrong if I assumed other people are imaging in much better environments than I. Still, even in this environment the mount did exactly what it was asked to do. Be invisible.
I did get some series of mild winds, roughly 4-5MPH sustained, with some 10MPH gusts. The guide graph did show some response to those conditions, but the images were just as good as those without the wind. So, in mild conditions, 2 stories in the air, the system seems to work fine, even under the incredible load I put it under and some, mild winds trying to encroach.
So, in the end I think this mount punches significantly higher than its class would dictate. I have no intentions of posting this same review on CN, as I think it would get drowned out by people fan-boying 10 Micron mounts. That is not really a discussion I want to have, nor want to see unfold. Rather, I would prefer this to be a tale to my friends here, of how I took AP's new hot mount and put it up against the odds I did not think were possible for it. I would also prefer this to be the time where people sat back saying, wow -- that is a remarkable achievement for AP. Especially considering the big bet they put on selling every mount with encoders. I think that was a wise decision, and I hope others with the mount agree.
In closing, I am more than happy with my purchase. But more importantly, I am happy that the mount Roland really wanted to be the next big thing -- is the next big thing. There is no other mount in its class that comes close to it. I believe it to be the shining jewel of A-P engineering, and while the wait list might be long -- trust me -- it is well worth the wait.
-Bill
PS: I sent 10 micron a sales request asking if they would support the scope and stuff I used on the Mach 2, on their 1000 class mount (the Mach 2 competitor) once I hear back from them I will share it with you. I asked Roland the same question before I tested this out, and he was confident the Mach 2 could do it. And, to no surprise, he was right! 🙂
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Re: Ethernet connection to V2 Driver
Michael Freeberg
I have Ascom platform 6.1 SP1 in fact I just reinstalled, .Net 3.5 is enabled and .Net Framework 4.8 is installed. It seems that Ip address is latched and it will not let me get out. Can the CP5 be keeping this address in memory ...not sure what I need do do to clear this error to get it back working.
Mike
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Re: RA Mesh adjustment for 2104 model Mach 1 GTO
Bill Long
No. Read that, do that if your heart so desires. Note the serial number info on it.
I will repeat what I said to you on CN though, that this is the least of your concerns. I would read through what people already spent much of their time typing and sharing with you before you go mucking with things like this, that are irrelevant at this stage
for you and your mount.
The Mach 1 is the superior user at this point. You need to tip that scale before you go and mess with it. I mean this with no offense, but honestly it is getting old telling you the same things over and over and over, and you pay zero attention to them and
go find some shiny other thing that captures your interest. If you want peoples honest advice, you should read, consume, and internalize the things that have already been shared with you -- that you have largely ignored.
-Bill
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> on behalf of nicholas via groups.io <chironik@...>
Sent: Saturday, October 2, 2021 8:03 PM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> Subject: [ap-gto] RA Mesh adjustment for 2104 model Mach 1 GTO I would like to know from other owners of AP mounts if you are fully loaded and you grip the counter shaft and use a small amount though distinctive force through the DEC axis will you notice any discernable movement of the RA structure? I do, when it is fully loaded. It is a small a amount, maybe 1/8 MM or less. but that movement is discernable.
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Re: Ethernet connection to V2 Driver
Ray Gralak
Did you edit that screenshot? There are a couple of checkboxes missing ("APCC Virtual Port" and "Use ASCOM Serial Object"). If you didn't, then you might want to try downloading and re-installing the AP V2 ASCOM driver again. Also, reboot your computer.
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
Also, make sure you have the latest ASCOM platform 6.1 SP1 installed and have enabled .Net 3.5 on your computer, and have the.NET Framework 4.8 installed. These steps are mentioned on the ASCOM website. -Ray
-----Original Message-----
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RA Mesh adjustment for 2104 model Mach 1 GTO
nicholas
I would like to know from other owners of AP mounts if you are fully loaded and you grip the counter shaft and use a small amount though distinctive force through the DEC axis will you notice any discernable movement of the RA structure? I do, when it is fully loaded. It is a small a amount, maybe 1/8 MM or less. but that movement is discernable.
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