Hi Ray,

Hi Ray, trying to create a simple model with my Horizon and Meridian limits turned on. It generates a set of points but fails every solve. When I manually try a solve in APPM (using Pinpoint) I get this message:

Hi Brian,

When you run APCC it will indicate a new version is available in the title. Then from APCC's help menu you can use Check for updates to get the download link.

-Ray Gralak
Author of APCC (Astro-Physics Command Center): https://www.astro-physics.com/apcc-pro
Author of PEMPro V3: https://www.ccdware.com
Author of Astro-Physics V2 ASCOM Driver: https://www.siriusimaging.com/apdriver

--

Running APPC 1.8.0.4 with GTO4 on my Mach1 it appears there are only four rate settings now; formerly there
were several more?

That was fixed in 1.8.0.8/9.

-Ray Gralak
Author of APCC (Astro-Physics Command Center): https://www.astro-physics.com/apcc-pro
Author of PEMPro V3: https://www.ccdware.com
Author of Astro-Physics V2 ASCOM Driver: https://www.siriusimaging.com/apdriver

-----Original Message-----
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io [mailto:main@ap-gto.groups.io] On Behalf Of Peter Bresler via Groups.Io
Sent: Thursday, March 19, 2020 8:11 PM
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Subject: [ap-gto] APCC rate settings

Running APPC 1.8.0.4 with GTO4 on my Mach1 it appears there are only four rate settings now; formerly there
were several more?

Running APPC 1.8.0.4  with GTO4 on my Mach1 it appears there are only four rate settings now; formerly there were several more?

Jack, Ray, I’ve been meaning to do the same. Ray will the user lose all their horizon, meridian settings etc. If they
upgrade to the new version? Is there a step by step instruction on the how to update? Thx in advance Dui.
what specifically does the update do? I have the PRO Version.

You will not lose any settings by upgrading. Even uninstalling and reinstalling won't affect settings.

The changes are all bug fixes resulting from user feedback. The changes can be found at this link:

https://www.siriusimaging.com/Help/APCC/version_history.htm

-Ray Gralak
Author of APCC (Astro-Physics Command Center): https://www.astro-physics.com/apcc-pro
Author of PEMPro V3: https://www.ccdware.com
Author of Astro-Physics V2 ASCOM Driver: https://www.siriusimaging.com/apdriver

-----Original Message-----
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io [mailto:main@ap-gto.groups.io] On Behalf Of Dui @ DDHO
Sent: Thursday, March 19, 2020 6:34 PM
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] APCC V1.8.0.4 Upgrade

Jack, Ray, I’ve been meaning to do the same. Ray will the user lose all their horizon, meridian settings etc. If they
upgrade to the new version? Is there a step by step instruction on the how to update? Thx in advance Dui.
what specifically does the update do? I have the PRO Version.

Jack, Ray, I’ve been meaning to do the same. Ray will the user lose all their horizon, meridian settings etc. If they upgrade to the new version?  Is there a step by step instruction on the how to update?  Thx in advance Dui.
what specifically does the update do?  I have the PRO Version.

Jack
May not be the entire answer to your problem but.....
Look for some glow in the dark tape called SAFETY  TAPE. It is a light green cream color and with  a few seconds of exposure to a light or LCD white light flashlight, will glow in the dark for 7 hours or so. It is just a glow and not a light source so won't bother your night vision.  I use on scopes, tripods, etc. to help locate tripping hazards in the dark. I learned about it when I was working as a Safety Engineer before retiring. They use it in building exit hall ways placed low on walls. If lights go off in an emergency you can get low to avoid the smoke and breath as you leave the building in a fire. I introduced it to the astronomy club I belonged to in San Francisco and later when I retired in Michigan 14 years ago...to the club here. Virtually everyone in the three clubs I belong to here uses it. We buy it in 100' x 2 " rolls. It is so popular here we already went through one roll and 1/2 way through our second.

Look for it if you think it might solve your problem....if you want a small sample I could mail you a piece if you send me your address....
biker123 at att dot net

I have a 900 and 1100 mount mounted on flat pier adapters on a permanent pier and also a heavy duty tripod for my own use. I don't think there is any existing riser for that but you could simply build a spacer using  hardwood stacked up and cut round to match the flat plate ring. The wood would actually be beneficial in vibration damping. Alternatively you could have a machine shop built a box riser although that would obviously involve a lot more expensive material and machining. I have my own welder, metal lathe and milling machine so that would be easy in my case. 

Also....how is that double pier working? I have used the single pier model on a 14" Celestron HD SCT mounted on a Celestron CGE-Pro mount in an observtory I designed and manage for boy and girl scouts here. For visual it is just barely usable but horrible vibrations that last a long time so useless for photography. I finally had to build reinforcements but that eliminates some of the ability to raise and lower it that we wanted.  The sad part is the company that makes it guaranteed it would be fine and after installation said "Guess we were wrong." And told us we couldn't return and get credit for the larger capacity model. Needless to say we weren't happy.

--
Karen Christen
Astro-Physics

On Tue, Mar 17, 2020 at 05:19 PM, uncarollo2 <chris1011@...> wrote:

Now, to make it even more interesting, I never used a guider for the entire 2 weeks that I was imaging. Rather I was testing the pure tracking ability of the encoder mount with a tracking model. I took hundreds of exposures with almost no rejects. I had only a couple of exposures with slight oval stars which were caused by 30mph wind gusts.

 

The encoders eliminate periodic error and make it possible to drive both axes at very precise custom rates that are created in a tracking model. The model I was testing happens to be the one we are adding to the new keypad software, but it applies equally to the APCC-APPM tracking model. Once you have modeled the sky, and you don't move the mount or scope, you can indeed eliminate guiding. I spent the early part of one night creating the tracking model and used it for 2 weeks. Worked perfectly every night.

 

If you don't have a permanent setup with good polar alignment, then guiding works fine too - as long as you have good parameters dialed in.

 

Roland,

How is the keypad upgrade project going?

This new keypad feature was something that tipped the balance in deciding whether to purchase a Mach2 and is definitely something that I will use.
 
--
Dean Jacobsen
http://astrophoto.net/wp/ 
Image Gallery - http://astrophoto.net/wp/image-gallery/
Astrobin - https://www.astrobin.com/users/deanjacobsen/ 

--

Hi Tom,

So , to be clear, if I am out in the field and using my CP4 and hand controller with the older firmware (not mach 2
new) and I am using an older atlas that has J2000 coordinates I need to convert them to JNOW before entering on
HC? Be kind, you are dealing with a pilgrim here. Tom FIscher, Indy

From the keypad's manual:

Important Note: When you enter custom R.A. and Dec. coordinates they should preferably be entered as precessed
coordinates (JNow or Topocentric coordinates). The Keypad automatically precesses objects in its database, and any prior
ReCals will have been done on precessed coordinates. However, the keypad cannot know the epoch of the coordinates
that you are entering, so it only applies the small refraction transformations. Therefore, for accurate pointing, you will want
to maintain consistency and enter precessed coordinates.

-Ray Gralak
Author of APCC (Astro-Physics Command Center): https://www.astro-physics.com/apcc-pro
Author of PEMPro V3: https://www.ccdware.com
Author of Astro-Physics V2 ASCOM Driver: https://www.siriusimaging.com/apdriver

-----Original Message-----
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io [mailto:main@ap-gto.groups.io] On Behalf Of Thomas Fischer
Sent: Thursday, March 19, 2020 3:45 AM
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Mach1 Unable to Find Home Position Suddenly

So , to be clear, if I am out in the field and using my CP4 and hand controller with the older firmware (not mach 2
new) and I am using an older atlas that has J2000 coordinates I need to convert them to JNOW before entering on
HC? Be kind, you are dealing with a pilgrim here. Tom FIscher, Indy

On Mar 18, 2020, at 22:58, Ray Gralak <groups3@gralak.com> wrote:

Hi Mikko,

The mount's coordinates are JNow. And it does make a difference.

-Ray Gralak
Author of APCC (Astro-Physics Command Center): https://www.astro-physics.com/apcc-pro
Author of PEMPro V3: https://www.ccdware.com
Author of Astro-Physics V2 ASCOM Driver: https://www.siriusimaging.com/apdriver

-----Original Message-----
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io [mailto:main@ap-gto.groups.io] On Behalf Of Mikko Viljamaa
Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2020 5:20 PM
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Mach1 Unable to Find Home Position Suddenly

Well actually my original issue is still unsolved, meaning the Platesolve not working out of blue after being
flawless for years. What I do see is that the mount coordinates don't match the SG Pro coordinates. Further I

don't

know if AP V2 uses J2000 or JNow and if this makes any difference. I've asked the same question from the

SGP

developers but didn't hear anything constructive back yet.


Thanks,

Mikko

Roland,

I eliminated the shaft extension and 10# weight yesterday and reversed the order on the 24# and 30# weights.  Now all I have to do is wair for the skies to clear to try out moving around in the dome at night and seeing if I can avoid bumping into the weights!

Thanks,

Jack

So , to be clear, if I am out in the field and using my CP4 and hand controller with the older firmware (not mach 2 new) and I am using an older atlas that has J2000 coordinates I need to convert them to JNOW before entering on HC? Be kind, you are dealing with a pilgrim here. Tom FIscher, Indy

Hi Mikko,

The mount's coordinates are JNow. And it does make a difference.

-Ray Gralak
Author of APCC (Astro-Physics Command Center): https://www.astro-physics.com/apcc-pro
Author of PEMPro V3: https://www.ccdware.com
Author of Astro-Physics V2 ASCOM Driver: https://www.siriusimaging.com/apdriver

Well actually my original issue is still unsolved, meaning the Platesolve not working out of blue after being flawless for years. What I do see is that the mount coordinates don't match the SG Pro coordinates. Further I don't know if AP V2 uses J2000 or JNow and if this makes any difference. I've asked the same question from the SGP developers but didn't hear anything constructive back yet.


Thanks,

Mikko