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INDI Library v2.0.6 is Released (02 Feb 2024)

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Polar Alignment issue with EKOS and Astrometry

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Hello,

I went back to the FOV calculator and looked up my equipment for to calculate some FOV values. The PoleMaster is always 11 x 8. The ZWO and QHY 5L-IIC are roughly the same in between the QHY Mini scope and the ZWO 60mm F/4.,6. I will try these values next clear night.
4 years 5 months ago #44667

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Hello,

Finally, a clear night has occurred and I was ready. Unfortunately, PolarAlign with EKOS failed. This time the issue is with the QHYCCD driver. I can confirm the QHYCCD driver for PoleMaster is aborting Solver. There is a direct correlation between the -1 messages and aborted Solver messages. I will send a portion of INDI session with the error. I aborted the session as I could not set the alignment.

PoleMaster works fine outside of EKOS With PoleMaster QT. Under EKOS the QHYCCD driver immediately throws an error when getting an image.

Oh, FOV is set by the primary scope. However, the FOV website calculates a different FOV because a eyepiece is included. Having individual piece parts does not assist.
Last edit: 4 years 4 months ago by John Robison.
4 years 4 months ago #45276

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Hello,

Finally, a clear night was in my area. I ensured the nightly build was installed on my PI for ZWO and QHY products. All systems were a go. EKOS was communicating well with all of the devices. I went to polar alignment and this error started popping up in KSTARS bar. ERROR GETFRAME -1 with Polemaster. Mutilple errors showed up in the console of PoleMaster.

Now, the kicker... I set up Astrometry to be Offline. I had the PoleMaster to be the tool of choice. Capture to Solving was 3 secs and a beautiful shot of Polaris. 3 minutes later, Solver timed out. Second attempt. Same result. Astro was the plate solver. I am puzzled. What is preventing Plate Solver for Polar Alignment from not resolving. Every Astrometry file is installed on this system. It should find where it is. GPSD is working. INDI is working. But, Polar Alignment is not.
4 years 4 months ago #45886

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Try giving it an FOV to work from.
4 years 4 months ago #45887

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Hello,

Thank you for this reply. In this thread, it was said, the FOV is calculated. Ok. EKOS says 88’ x 70’.

I went to the offered FOV calculator and plotted three options specific to my equipment. All where significantly less than the lower limits of FOV in EKOS. I accepted the provided EKOS value

This leaves me with do I pick a band in Astrometry of guess at a FOV? The PoleMaster is fixed and explicitly stated by QHY. This value is not accepted by EKOS. PoleMaster_qt has no problems with the PoleMaster device. If only, PoleMaster_qt and EKOS were aware of each other then polar Alignment is one issue.

I am then thinking about plate solving there after. I think the INDI driver might not be getting updated by Nightly Builds. I saw an error message about 85_camera_qhy.rules the last update. Clear sky events are a long shot for a while. These errors generated during solving with the PoleMaster are the root of the problem, possibly? ERROR getframe -1 is many during the session.

I am looking at ASTAP as an alternative.
4 years 4 months ago #45898

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Have you made made sure you have the astrometry database library for that FOV installed?
4 years 4 months ago #45903

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I have the exact same issue and reported on it, too. The PoleMaster would take an image, but then the solver would time out and fail. Polaris beautifully in view, almost dead center.
All databases from the lowest resolution all the way up to ~5' are installed.
The strange thing is that it worked before, but I don't recall when it stopped working. Sometime over the summer. I have been polar aligning with my guide scope since. Works fine, but I want to avoid the possibilty of flexure.
4 years 4 months ago #45904

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Hello,

Thank you for your reply. Yes, I have ensured that Astrometry zone files are downloaded. Astrometry confirms their presence. I have no missing files. I have install ASTAP. Setting the Pole is my biggest problem. I am going to seek the issue with the package update for QHY. The rules file looks to be part of the problem. I looking for the correlation. At the present, log files appear to be lost lately. I cannot find my logs from last night. I created CCD and INDI logs.
4 years 4 months ago #45920

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Hello El Corazon,

I noticed errors in INDI with the QHY driver for PoleMaster. I an thinking something is up with either a rule or the driver.
4 years 4 months ago #45922

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Whatever the issues were, they seem to have been fixed in the latest nightly installation (as of today). PoleMaster is being recognized again, and Polar Alignment routine worked as well. The solver had no problem at all this time. Took 4 s only.
I noticed the update to the 6.0.5 QHY version, that seems to have taken care of it.
Thanks, Jasem!
The following user(s) said Thank You: John Robison
4 years 4 months ago #45923

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Hello El Corazon,

Thank you for your report. This is good news. I will check my configuration to see if this specific update was successful. Now for a clear night to come.
4 years 4 months ago #45935

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Hello,

I went back and reviewed all POLEMASTER.HEX files on my system. I discovered an older version. I then normalize all QHY/FIRMWARE directories with the current version. I then checked to ensure my rules were at the same date. Now, I am back in the saddle again waithng for a clear night.
4 years 4 months ago #45951

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