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Dumb Meridian Flip with SGPro
#APCC
#ASCOM_V2_Driver
Hello, I've been trying to puzzle through setting up simple meridian flips with APCC, the ASCOM V2 driver, and Sequence Generator Pro. I know there is provision for Smart Meridian Flips by using the Meridian Tracking Limits Explorer, but that looks a little daunting at the moment. My old configuration with an iOptron mount was something like:
Is there a setting in the ASCOM driver that also needs to be set? Thanks for any help, Tom
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Re: APPM + ASTAP - Inaccurate FOV
ap@CaptivePhotons.com
Ray said:
Ray,
So I think I finally know the answer to this by experimenting. The documentation is not clear.
If you put in “-fov 0” then it appears to guess and then iterate.
If you leave it off entirely, i.e. no -fov parameter at all, then it calculates it from the header information.
I ran the same (unmodified) image both ways, and the log is very clear, as zero it iterates a few times, the one with it omitted immediately solves.
It appears that using -fov 0 is telling it not to use the calculated fov at all, perhaps its purpose (speculating here) is if you know your fov related info is wrong, to tell it to derive the fov not calculate.
Any chance it just gets omitted from your passed command line in a future version? At least for the NINA integration, as FITS coming from NINA are going to have the right fields (and if they are wrong, the user needs to fix their parameters).
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Re: APPM + ASTAP - Inaccurate FOV
Ray Gralak
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
-----Original Message-----
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Re: APPM + ASTAP - Inaccurate FOV
ap@CaptivePhotons.com
Ray said:
I did some experimenting, and in the command line version with -fov 0 ASTAP is guessing not calculating, which causes it to loop a couple times. The GUI immediately calculates the FOV and nails it. That is a bit odd.
I’ll see if someone knows ASTAP better to know if that’s correct, or figure out where to ask. Unless anyone out there listening knows?
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Re: APPM + ASTAP - Inaccurate FOV
Ray Gralak
And the reason for the log message was as I suspected. The image scale was not passed to ASTAP from APPM's user interface because the intent was to let ASTAP pull information from the FITS header. I'll fix the log message in the next build.
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
-Ray
-----Original Message-----
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Re: APPM + ASTAP - Inaccurate FOV
Ray Gralak
Hi Linwood,
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
After looking at the code, I recall what I did. APPM purposely sets "-fov 0" in some cases because that is supposed to tell ASTAP to use the FITS header information to calculate image scale. Assuming the FITS images you gave me had not been modified in APPM's plate solve attempt, they had the necessary keyword/value pairs in the FITS header for ASTAP to extract and solve. Thus, explicitly setting a FOV value should not change anything unless the ASTAP documentation is wrong. -Ray
-----Original Message-----
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Re: Keypad : some buttons not responding too well
So my next question is when you expect the keypad software version 5 to be available to those with CP4 control boxes. I was thinking that it would be nice to send in my keypad to get the RA DEC REV button replaced with the new version that is compatible with the new software. Then, at the same time have the new software loaded and battery replaced.
Mike
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Re: Keypad : some buttons not responding too well
On 10/5/2021 11:39 AM, M Hambrick wrote:
How long can we expect the keypad battery to last ? I have had mineI bought my 1200 used in 2008, and replaced the battery in 2018. Don't know how long the battery was in the keypad before I bought it. --- Mike
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Re: Keypad : some buttons not responding too well
George
Steve,
If the battery is changed promptly, a capacitor holds the database charge for a short bit.
Regards,
George
George Whitney Astro-Physics, Inc. Phone: 815-222-6538 (direct line) Phone: 815-282-1513 (office) Email: george@...
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io>
On Behalf Of Steve H
Sent: Tuesday, October 5, 2021 11:31 AM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Keypad : some buttons not responding too well
Ok. Thanks, but it sounds like you don’t loose the database when you change the battery. Is that correct, and if so, why?
Sent from Steve's iPhone
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Re: Keypad : some buttons not responding too well
The battery lasts about 5 years - can be shorter, can be longer - and you do loose the star database, so you need to go through the database upload procedure after replacing the battery. All info on the AP website. I put a little sticker on the back of the keypad with the date of battery change, then change after about 5 years or when the database gets corrupted. Best regards, Geert Op di 5 okt. 2021 om 18:30 schreef Steve H <shoff535@...>:
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Re: Keypad : some buttons not responding too well
Ok. Thanks, but it sounds like you don’t loose the database when you change the battery. Is that correct, and if so, why?
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
SteveH
On Oct 5, 2021, at 11:00 AM, Howard Hedlund <howard@...> wrote:
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Re: Encoder Availability
Mike,
We anticipate offering them in late winter or spring.
Clear Skies, Marj Christen Astro-Physics 11250 Forest Hills Road Machesney Park, IL 61115 Phone: 815-282-1513 www.astro-physics.com
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io>
On Behalf Of M Hambrick
Sent: Tuesday, October 5, 2021 10:47 AM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Subject: [ap-gto] Encoder Availability
The A-P website says that the encoder upgrades for the 1100 and 1600 mounts will be available in Fall 2021, but I have heard rumors that this will be pushed back. Are the rumors true ?
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Re: Keypad : some buttons not responding too well
No. Only age can give you a guesstimate. When it fails, it will result in immediate corruption of the database. Stars and planets will still be OK, but M, NGC, IC etc. objects will no longer have valid data.
Mag. 7 or Better Skies!
Howard Hedlund Astro-Physics, Inc. AP Phone: 815-282-1513 Direct Phone: 815-315-7015 Please include this e-mail with your response.
P Consider the environment before printing this e-mail.
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io>
On Behalf Of Steve H
Sent: Tuesday, October 5, 2021 10:57 To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Keypad : some buttons not responding too well
Are there any “tell-tale” signs of a failing battery? SteveH Sent from Steve's iPhone
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Re: Keypad : some buttons not responding too well
George
Steve,
No. It fails and you lose your database objects info. Stars and planets remain as calculated positions.
Regards,
George
George Whitney Astro-Physics, Inc. Phone: 815-222-6538 (direct line) Phone: 815-282-1513 (office) Email: george@...
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io>
On Behalf Of Steve H
Sent: Tuesday, October 5, 2021 10:57 AM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Keypad : some buttons not responding too well
Are there any “tell-tale” signs of a failing battery? SteveH Sent from Steve's iPhone
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Re: APPM + ASTAP - Inaccurate FOV
ap@CaptivePhotons.com
Ray wrote:
Isn’t that what is in the log zip I sent? I haven't looked at your link yet. You said you sent a log, but I didn't know it also contained a FITS image.Your zipper is smart, it found the images also. 😊 And ideally, it should be an image right out of NINA before the FITS header has been modified by the plate solver.Your call in APPM to ASTAP doesn't use the "-update" parameter (a good thing IMO), so ASTAP is not rewriting the header when it solves, so the file should be fresh from NINA. See what you can find there, and let me know what you might need otherwise.
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Re: Keypad : some buttons not responding too well
Are there any “tell-tale” signs of a failing battery?
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
SteveH Sent from Steve's iPhone
On Oct 5, 2021, at 10:42 AM, George <george@...> wrote:
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Re: APPM + ASTAP - Inaccurate FOV
Ray Gralak
Isn’t that what is in the log zip I sent?I haven't looked at your link yet. You said you sent a log, but I didn't know it also contained a FITS image. And ideally, it should be an image right out of NINA before the FITS header has been modified by the plate solver. -Ray -----Original Message-----
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Encoder Availability
The A-P website says that the encoder upgrades for the 1100 and 1600 mounts will be available in Fall 2021, but I have heard rumors that this will be pushed back. Are the rumors true ?
Mike
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Re: APPM + ASTAP - Inaccurate FOV
ap@CaptivePhotons.com
Ray wrote:
Isn’t that what is in the log zip I sent?
If not, help me understand what you need – that’s the image fits file saved by APPM during the run (I had it set to save all, not just failed).
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Re: Keypad : some buttons not responding too well
George
Mike,
It is probably fine, but I would recommend replacing it soon.
Regards,
George
George Whitney Astro-Physics, Inc. Phone: 815-222-6538 (direct line) Phone: 815-282-1513 (office) Email: george@...
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io>
On Behalf Of M Hambrick
Sent: Tuesday, October 5, 2021 10:40 AM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Keypad : some buttons not responding too well
How long can we expect the keypad battery to last ? I have had mine since 2017 and never replaced the battery.
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