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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Problem with Polar Alignment

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I recently started having a problem with the polar alignment routine on both my OnStep and CGX mounts. I'm using the latest Kstars from the stable PPA on Ubuntu 20.04. To reproduce, I created a profile that is just my mount and gpsd, astrometry.net, ccd simulator, filter simulator, and focuser simulator. Options are set to have GPS update time and location.

I'm attaching a log of a session using the OnStep mount.

When I click start for the polar alignment routine, the first image solves and the mount starts slewing. However, it doesn't stop after 30deg of motion, instead it just keeps going and I have to stop movement manually before it tries to rotate all the way around.

Looking at the logs, it looks like KStars isn't seeing how much the mount is moving:
[2020-10-04T15:39:30.385 EDT DEBG ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - First mount rotation remaining degrees: 30.0042
[2020-10-04T15:39:31.513 EDT DEBG ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - First mount rotation remaining degrees: 30.0083
[2020-10-04T15:39:32.643 EDT DEBG ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - First mount rotation remaining degrees: 30.0125
[2020-10-04T15:39:33.775 EDT DEBG ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - First mount rotation remaining degrees: 30.0083
[2020-10-04T15:39:34.901 EDT DEBG ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - First mount rotation remaining degrees: 30
[2020-10-04T15:39:36.029 EDT DEBG ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - First mount rotation remaining degrees: 29.9875
[2020-10-04T15:39:37.155 EDT DEBG ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - First mount rotation remaining degrees: 29.9708
[2020-10-04T15:39:38.281 EDT DEBG ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - First mount rotation remaining degrees: 29.95
[2020-10-04T15:39:39.408 EDT DEBG ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - First mount rotation remaining degrees: 29.925
[2020-10-04T15:39:40.540 EDT DEBG ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - First mount rotation remaining degrees: 29.9
[2020-10-04T15:39:41.667 EDT DEBG ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - First mount rotation remaining degrees: 29.8667
[2020-10-04T15:39:42.794 EDT DEBG ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - First mount rotation remaining degrees: 29.8333
[2020-10-04T15:39:43.935 EDT DEBG ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - First mount rotation remaining degrees: 29.7958
[2020-10-04T15:39:45.063 EDT DEBG ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - First mount rotation remaining degrees: 29.7542
[2020-10-04T15:39:46.196 EDT DEBG ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - First mount rotation remaining degrees: 29.7125

The logs make it look like it is moving extremely slow, but the mount is actually rotating at about 4 degrees per second.

Do I just have something configured incorrectly? Slewing to targets works great, but I currently have to do the legacy polar alignment to get started, which is much more time consuming than the newer automated one.
3 years 5 months ago #61089
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In both the INDI Configuration Panel and the Polar Alignment tab there are controls for the mohnt speed. The one in the Polar Alignment tab is for polar alignment only and the other one a general one. Are you sure you set the mohnt speed correctly?
3 years 5 months ago #61090

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When I change the mount speed in the alignment tab, the speed the mount moves changes, but it still overshoots.
3 years 5 months ago #61091

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Same problem here with Astroberry and OnStep PAA. By chance I've two microSD with Astroberry and KStars compiled on two different points in time. It works with one of them and doesn't works with the most recent one.

The one that doesn't works was compiled from this commit:
commit 8ad8739310276dd2e7c25b9e3861d79b7634f029 (grafted, HEAD -> master, origin/master, origin/HEAD)
Author: Jasem Mutlaq <mutlaqja@ikarustech.com>
Date:   Wed Sep 30 11:42:30 2020 +0300
 
    Fix wrong static cast to int for double value

The one that works was compiled from an older commit:
commit c9cc6bfcae4514dd844091e8b474a269f0c7b15a (HEAD -> master, origin/master, origin/HEAD)
Author: Eric Dejouhanet <eric.dejouhanet@gmail.com>
Date:   Fri Sep 25 14:53:42 2020 +0000
 
    Color scheme update through d-bus
 
commit 183ad39bccf41f896ab19516beccf709cdecdab8
Author: Jasem Mutlaq <mutlaqja@ikarustech.com>
Date:   Fri Sep 25 13:49:14 2020 +0300
 
    INDI drivers sync
3 years 5 months ago #61098

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Ok, I don't understand what's happening here. I've read all the code changes between this two points and I can't find anything that I think could interfere with the PAA. Yesterday, I've tested again with the failing RP4 and it keeps failing. Then I changed the speed from Max to Half-Max and it worked!. After this first alignment, I change the speed again to Max and it keeps working. Close KStars/Ekos, stop OnStep and boot both again: all keeps working at Max speed. So, now I'm really confused. I've the logs from the failing runs and from the success ones and I can't see any difference on the info sent and received from and to OnStep. The only difference is that on the first one, once issued the command to move west, the mount start to move west but the information retrieved by Ekos was not consistent.

The only thing that I can think about is an uncontrolled state of the Park position on OnStep. But I don't have more information. I'll attach the logs for reference only.

File Attachment:

File Name: failure_lo...6-11.txt
File Size:407 KB

File Attachment:

File Name: success_lo...8-42.txt
File Size:134 KB
3 years 5 months ago #61115
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I’m having a similar error. EKOS thinks my mount is moving too fast when trying to polar align. I tried slowing it down to 8x and it still stays it’s too fast!

I can’t use the polar align feature now.
3 years 5 months ago #61410

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Replied by Odiug on topic Problem with Polar Alignment

I can confirm, that I experienced the same issue: Mount not stopping on moving to the next position in polar alignement.
I also remember having that issue quite a while ago and then it was fixed for a while. But currently (latest up to date Astroberry) it is again present.

I am anyway desperately waiting for a new stable release to have this bloody OnStep issue (crash on unpark) fixed.
INDI/EKOS/Kstars is great, but sometimes drives me nuts!

Regards + CS
Guido
3 years 5 months ago #61600

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Replied by Jambbe on topic Problem with Polar Alignment

I have exactly the same problem, mount not stopped when moving to the next position on the polar alignment. In the attachment is my log-file if it helps. Is there any suggestions how to fix this?

File Attachment:

File Name: log_18-44-38.txt
File Size:1,309 KB
3 years 1 month ago #67158
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Is this issue fixed or is there any plan to address this issue?
 
2 years 11 months ago #70526

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One more here.  A few days ago I was sitting inside doing the 30 degree rotation and it never showed signs of ending.  When I went outside my 12" astrograph was upside down as far as it could and had slammed into the mount.  No damage fortunately.

I tried again last night sitting right by the scope ready to press Stop.  When it kept moving I pressed Stop and nothing happened.  I ran to the power strip and turned everything off as fast as I could.  Later I noticed the "Are you sure?" dialog, lol.  In emergency situations in the dark I could do without the confirmation request!

Meanwhile BTW I am enjoying Ekos a lot, it is fantastic, very solid and thanks to all developers working on it.

PS reading the other comments. I should mention that I am using OnStep too.  It's rather striking to see how many responders are using OnStep.
Last edit: 2 years 10 months ago by Henk Aling.
2 years 10 months ago #71235

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I have always had this issue with my CGEM mount as well. It also comes up with crazy numbers for how much the mount should be moved during PA. I set the PA option to manual move, then I open up the "motion control' panel in the mount tab and note the 'hour angle' I then use the 'motion control' panel to move the mount 1 hour for each 15 degrees of motion I intend to use for PA. I don't have to go outside to see the mount, the panel tells me what direction the mount is moving, I can control the speed of motion with the 'motion control' panel. It works fine and quick and performs PA exactly as it should. The only time I have to go to the mount is to make the final PA adjustment, for that I start the PA looping (after it has presented the correction arrow or line) and at the scope I monitor the progress of my 'adjustments' using a tablet that is linked wirelessly to the Rpi running Ekos using VNC.

I never have resolved why the PA angle motion numbers are so large or that it does not move as intended, I have just continued to manually move it and it works just fine.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Henk Aling
2 years 10 months ago #71249

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HI CapnRon

I followed your advice doing the slew manually and everything works fine like you said. Who needs an automatic slew, anyway. I'm fine with it now and am certainly impressed with the feature, having used it once now.
2 years 10 months ago #71339

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