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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Meridian flip not working consistently

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I have been unable to fix this issue. I have reset the mount to factory defaults. It has auto-meridian flip set as a default.
I rebuilt my Linux machine and installed the latest version of KStars 3.5.2 2021-03-01 and tested. Meridian flip worked, once, then would not work again. When it reaches the meridian + 0.1 it states "Meridian Flip Planned". No further captures take place and it just sits there and does nothing.
However I have found that if I uncheck the Meridian Flip if HA>0.1 before a run and then check it again then it will meridian flip during the run - hence the title of my topic.

I see from the changelog that there were a number of changes made around the meridian flip part. Is it possible that something has gone awry?

 
Last edit: 2 years 11 months ago by Terry McKnight.
2 years 11 months ago #70260

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My iOptron mount, failed to do a MF last night, because my mount stops dead at the meriddean. (Not sure if this is Firmware?)
My ask is that we have the capability to say Flip Early (-ve) or Flip Late (+ve).

Thus I can say 10 minutes before the meridean schedule the flip, then it will wait for the last image to come in and do the flip.
Currently what happens is that if the image is still being taken on the meridean, then the mount aborts and stops on the meridean and just hangs there till the morning and my last image has star trails.

This should be pretty easy change as all we need is to unlock the setting to allow a negitive number?
Or have i missed something here, as i am pretty new to scheduler.
Christopher | Sussex England | n2042.blogspot.com
iOptron GEM45 | Altair Mobile Pier | TSPhoton 154 @ F3.7
ASI 294MM Pro | ASI EFW | ASI EAF | ASI 120MM
Mini PC | Quad 4GB 64GB 5G | Juice USB Harness
Last edit: 2 years 11 months ago by christopher.
2 years 11 months ago #70364

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No. The problem is most mounts do not even have a 'flip' command, so EKOS only sends a 'slew to target' after it has crossed the meridian. The mount firmware then sees that it's in the other hemisphere, and performs the flip.

In your case, you have to set the mount (via the hand controller) what to do. You can usually set the acition (stop or flip), and the limit when to perform this.
Standard is to set the mount to a 'safety setting', i.e., set it to flip (or stop) quite late (like 5 degrees past meridian), and then set EKOS to flip, say, 2 degrees after meridian.

What happened in your case most likely was that the mount stopped by itself before EKOS could initiate an action. The above settings will prevent that situation.
The following user(s) said Thank You: christopher
2 years 11 months ago #70365

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Thanks, new mission is to update driver to set the flip location as i sold my handcontroller.
Christopher | Sussex England | n2042.blogspot.com
iOptron GEM45 | Altair Mobile Pier | TSPhoton 154 @ F3.7
ASI 294MM Pro | ASI EFW | ASI EAF | ASI 120MM
Mini PC | Quad 4GB 64GB 5G | Juice USB Harness
2 years 11 months ago #70407

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Depending on what mount it is, you can also set that via serial commands. From the command language description:
It should be saved to eprom, and survive power cycling.
Some mounts also allow to query the current setting via “:GMT#”.
2 years 11 months ago #70414

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In the past I only managed an auto flip about 40-60% precent of the time. So I always set an alarm to wake me up so I can watch it. Every time it fails there is a different sequence. (no flip or says it flipped but did not or flips then solves the wrong way.....)

Anyway my last "FIX" was to clear ALL alignment and sync settings and turn off ALL sync and align functions in EKOS, there are 3 tabs under EQMOD-EKOS. This is not remembered by EKOS so needs doing after every restart.

It now works about 90% of the time.

I have never had a flip work near the zenith.

I will look into mount settings mentioned above to see if I can get nearer to 100%.

(This is all on SW EQ5, 6 and 8 )
Last edit: 2 years 10 months ago by John. Reason: 8 became and emoticon.
2 years 10 months ago #70854

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Sorry for stepping in again...
For me MF works most of the time (HEQ5, no hand controller, Stellarmate latest stable).
I just had a flip 2 minutes ago imaging the Whale Galaxy (close to Zenith).
It went just fine.

What doesn't work consistently since a few months ago is the Guider calibration step after the flip.
The calibration goes in a wrong direction and fails.
If I stop the calibration and restart (or wait for it to fail and restart) then it calibrates correctly.
Is this just me or anyone else has the same issue?
-- Max S
ZWO AM5. RST-135. AZ-GTI. HEQ5. iOptron SkyTracker.
TPO RC6. FRA400. Rokinon 135 and other lenses.
ZWO ASI2600MC. D5500 modified with UVIR clip-in filter.
ZWO ASI120MM Mini x 2. ZWO 30F4 guider. Orion 50mm guider.
ZWO EAF x 2.
2 years 10 months ago #70943

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