Celestron hybernation mode

Hi,

I use a Celestron CGEM DX Mount and wondering if StellarMate can send out a hybernation command to the mount. Have you ever heart of such option or how to do it?

Thanks Gunter

If your mount supports Hibernate then the Enable Hibernate button will be highlighted. The CGEM does.
Now, when you park the mount moves to the INDI defined park position and calls the mount Hibernate function. This saves the alignment in the HC. You can power cycle the mount.
When you unpark the mount the Wake up command is sent to the mount, this restores the alignment and as long as you haven't moved the mount while it was parked it should now have the same alignment.

Any application that supports Park/Unpark should be able to use this.

While the mount power can be cycled while the mount is parked and hibernated this is not compulsory.

Some later mounts have home switches, these can do a basic alignment by moving to the mount home position - pointing at the pole, counterweight down - and doing a last align.

Hello GGTux,

Hibernate requires specific hand controller (HC) and power switch sequences to achieve. It requires entering the HC utilities menu, selection of hibernate mode, a mount move command to the desired hibernate position, and then a mount power shutdown. There are also wake up HC command requirements. HC "enter" commands (multiple times) are needed to get through the site/time settings before the mount is ready for generalized moves again.

From the (CGX) manual:

– Hibernate allows the telescope to be completely
powered down and still retain its alignment when turned
back on. This not only saves power, but is ideal for those
that have their telescope permanently mounted or leave their
telescope in one location for long periods of time. To place
your telescope in Hibernate mode:
1. Select Hibernate from the Utility Menu.
2. Move the telescope to a desire position and
press ENTER.
3. Power off the telescope. Remember to never move
your telescope manually while in Hibernate mode.
Once the telescope is powered on again, the display will
read Wake Up. After pressing Enter, you have the option of
scrolling through the time/site information to confirm the
current setting. Press ENTER to wake up the telescope.
HINT: Pressing BACK at the Wake Up screen allows
you to explore many of the features of the hand control
without waking the telescope up from hibernate mode.
To wake up the telescope after BACK has been pressed,
select Hibernate from the Utility menu and press ENTER.
Do not use the direction buttons to move the telescope
while in hibernate mode.

I worked with the Celestron developers to arrange a set of RS232 commands that allowed the mount to be hibernated and woken up without having to touch the HC. I implemented it in the ASCOM driver some time ago and more recently in the INDI driver. This was designed so that a remote user can power cycle the mount and resume without touching the HC. It's for the NexStar Plus HC only, not the StarSense HC.

Chris

ChrisRowland wrote: I worked with the Celestron developers to arrange a set of RS232 ...
It's for the NexStar Plus HC only...

Chris

Only for Plus version? .. is not possible port also in non Plus version ? ( NexStar 4.22 )
Thanks

The earliest is NS+ HC 5.22 for gems and 5.24 for fork mounts. This is when Celestron implemented the command in their HCs.

Chris

ChrisRowland wrote: The earliest is NS+ HC 5.22 for gems and 5.24 for fork mounts. This is when Celestron implemented the command in their HCs.

Chris

Version 4.22 also has the hybernation function, I use it every night.
No problem, I continue to do it manually.
Bye

Hi guys,

thank you for so many informations. I have understood a "Nexstar +" controller is needed. No chance with the old RS232 connected controllers, right? I have one of these unfortunatly. But anyway. I have to unpark and wackeup my mount manually anyway.
But in Ekos mount controll modulo I have not seen the option of wackup or hiberate my mout. Is that due to the "wrong" Nexstar controller? Would that option appear in case of a Nexstar+ box? Did I get that write?
Thank you in advance

Gunter

Yes, you need a NexStar Plus HC to get hibernate and wake up using Ekos. The earlier HCs had hibernate and wake up in the HC but it was not available remotely until the NexStar Plus HC.

Hi Chris,

I do have a Nexstar + handcontroller but with a RJ11 plugin. In Ekos I haven't seen an option like park and hibernate. I fully aware of the handcontroller options to use manually.
Gunter

Actually, my request would be to lead me to the option in EKOS, because I dont see or find it.

Thanks Gunter

Gunter,

Any NexStar Plus HC is fine, it doesn't matter if it has a RJ11 or USB connector on the base of the HC.
To check look in the INDI Control Panel, the Celestron GPS tab. The Mount Info tab should show the Model and HC version. What are they?
And the Options tab should show Hibernate with the Enable button highlighted.

Then clicking on Park(ed) in the INDI Control Panel Main Control tab OR the Park button on the EKOS Mount tab will park the mount AND Hibernate it when the park has completed. You can disconnect and power cycle the mount.
Unpark will then wake the mount up and unpark it.
The mount info will show what's happening, this is what it looks like for my tests:

2020-01-17T16:14:01: [INFO] Slew complete, tracking...
2020-01-17T16:13:26: [INFO] Slewing to JNOW RA 0:11:33 - DEC 29:06:30
2020-01-17T16:13:17: [INFO] Mount is unparked.
2020-01-17T16:13:17: [INFO] Waking up mount...
2020-01-17T16:13:15: [INFO] Observer location updated: Longitude (-0.717) Latitude (51.6)
2020-01-17T16:13:14: [INFO] Device configuration saved.
2020-01-17T16:13:14: [INFO] Saving device configuration...
2020-01-17T16:13:14: [INFO] Device configuration saved.
2020-01-17T16:13:14: [INFO] Saving device configuration...
2020-01-17T16:13:14: [WARNING] Mount is NOT aligned. You must align the mount first before you can use it. Disconnect, align the mount, and reconnect again.
2020-01-17T16:13:14: [INFO] Mount UTC offset is 0.00. UTC time is 2020-01-17T16:12:50
2020-01-17T16:13:14: [INFO] Mount is parked.
2020-01-17T16:13:14: [INFO] Mount tracking is off.
2020-01-17T16:13:12: [INFO] Mount model: AVX
2020-01-17T16:13:12: [INFO] Controller version: 5.31
2020-01-17T16:13:11: [INFO] Celestron GPS is online.
*** Power on and Connect

*** Disconnect and power off
2020-01-17T16:12:55: [INFO] Celestron GPS is offline.
2020-01-17T16:12:48: [INFO] Mount hibernated. Please disconnect now and turn off your mount.
2020-01-17T16:12:48: [INFO] Hibernating mount...
2020-01-17T16:12:48: [INFO] Mount is parked.
2020-01-17T16:12:13: [INFO] Parking is in progress...
2020-01-17T16:11:17: [INFO] Slew complete, tracking...
2020-01-17T16:10:42: [INFO] Slewing to JNOW RA 0:10:49 - DEC 27:56:39

Hope that helps, maybe it's too easy. There are no hibernate and wake up controls because they are not needed. Park does the hibernate and unpark does the wake up.

Chris