Question relates to connecting SS7Pro to CP3 via bluetooth.

 

What park position does SS7Pro assume the mount is in when connecting if the CP3 has not been initialized? I've read that it used to be Park 4 but then it was updated to allow a selection but I do not see that on connect - I do see the selection on disconnect.

 

If the CP3 has been initialized already SS7Pro works fine, I would just like to know if possible to entirely rely on SS7Pro for basic mount operation i.e. no PC or KeyPad connected at any time.

 

Cheers

 

David

David,

Make sure the CP3 is NOT initialized at the time SS connects.  Otherwise, the unpark menu will not appear.

Mike Hanson

That is more in line with what I hoped to see my SS7/CP3 doing because it makes sense - if the CP3 is initialized then SS7 does not have to do anything on startup. By the way I have V2 firmware in the CP3, what are you using Mike?

Unfortunately, that is not what I am seeing. SS7 seems to think the mount is initialized even though it is most certainly not, skips the unpark menu and goes straight to displaying the scope position, which is of course right on the pole at ra 0 dec 90.

David,

I do not have Sky-Fi, so I am using a CP4.  The criteria for deciding whether a box is initialized should be identical, with identical responses.  I also have SS6+, not SS7 Pro.  Again, this should not make any difference, so I can't explain the difference in behavior.  I thought Howard Hedlund tested SS6 with a CP3 and Sky-Fi, I will try to confirm.

Nonetheless, if your concern is how to get "un-lost" if you get lost, consider the following work-around for the CP3.  
1) Loosen the clutches
2) Manually orient to Park 3
3) Park to Park 3 with clutches still loose and holding the mount in the Park 3 position.
4) When the motors have stopped turning and the mount is parked, tighten the clutches.
Note that SS provides "Find Home" for a clutch-aware mount like the Mach 2, so do not use this work-around with a Mach 2, it won't work.

Regards,
Mike Hanson

On Mon, Feb 6, 2023 at 01:46 PM, Mike Hanson wrote:

I thought Howard Hedlund tested SS6 with a CP3 and Sky-Fi, I will try to confirm.

I recalled I still had SS6 installed on my phone (for a long while I preferred the SS6 user interface versus SS7). Just tried but unfortunately it behaved the same - no unpark menu comes up on connection to an uninitialized CP3. I would be very interested to hear from Howard if you can ask on my behalf Mike. Could it be some setting on the CP3 that I am not seeing because I don't have a keypad? I've just used ASCOM and SkySafari so far.

The trouble with your procedure Mike is that I have no way to unpark the mount! 

Thanks Roland, I understand that regarding the ASCOM driver (and APCC of course). In my OP I said "I would just like to know if possible to entirely rely on SS7Pro for basic mount operation i.e. no PC or KeyPad connected at any time.". The way things are looking, it appears I can't with the CP3 because of this unpark problem I am having.