Thanks for all ideas and hard drive information. For my project the Ardufocus look interesting. It can handle two focus motors, for my stationary setup it maybe can be good to have another focus motor on the guide telescope. It also looks easy to address the outputs to different pins.
I updated my page with the new links.
Thank you !
/Lars
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I have now learn a lot from different focuser project I have found and read about. I decided to go for the Focuser Pro 2, an open source project. It use an Arduino to control the stepper motor and it has a software and drivers both for ASCOM and INDI.
Here I have collected the information I found and what options I want to include, very basic because I controlled it from Raspberry:
www.astrofriend.eu/astronomy/projects/pr...or-focus-driver.html
When searching for the items I need to buily this I sometimes have problems to find them, maybe it's an old project and the parts have been replaced by new versions.
/Lars
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Hi,
I'm developing a new focuser to my refractor. It use push pull screws to move the focuser drawer tube. I 3D-print the different items I need.
You can read about it here, from page 12 to 14:
www.astrofriend.eu/astronomy/projects/pr...-focus-friction.html
I'm now ready to start with the controller board for the stepper motor but I don't know where to start.
I use Astroberry and the controller must use some INDI driver.
It must be flexible, I have read about Arduino that many people use. Some standard board that contain the drivers for stepper motor. Something that I use in my 3D-printer.
It must be an open source.
I only controll it from Astroberry, but there can be a focus out and a focus in button for test purposes.
Maybe ready for a micro switch that sense when it is at zero focus position.
Now my question, where do I found the best open source controller project. Instructions what hardware to use, how to install software etc ? I have never worked with an Arduino so it must have the details how to do it.
/Lars
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Hi,
Now when I get the Raspberry system to work better and better I try to organize ny objects planning.
I using KStars Observation Planner, when using the Wizard to add object everything work well until the last step, the magnitude filter/selection. Whatever magnitude I set the the filter to it chose all stars.
Is it doing something I'm doing wrong or is it something with KStars ?
Example:
If I click the Update Count button here, the selected object goes from 3911 to 10316 objects.
/Lars
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Hi Andrew,
Okay, that's the way to go, I'll try it next time I can take out the telescope. Unfortunately they are going to renovate the facade of our house and they have set up scaffolding outside our balcony so I can not do testing from there anymore.
/Lars
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Hi Andrew,
Thanks for fast response. I already tried the settings at the mechanic side. Maybe the Initial Step size can be altered, but the Max Travel doesn't.
I wrote about it on my homepage:
www.astrofriend.eu/astronomy/projects/pr...pentax645-300ed.html
Look at the two last images at that page.
/Lars
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Hi,
A week ago, jan 2022, I updated Astroberry. With that it came a new version of auto focus. It's much better now in precession but it cause one big problem. I use a camera lens and that kind of lenses doesn't have very much extra focus tavel beyond infinity. The new auto focus start with a 1000 step move outwards and then step back 500 steps. 1000 step is pretty long travel for the focuser and it hit the mechanical stop, I have set a max limit of focus position, what happens then is that it block the auto focuser, or pause. Maybe it's very easy to fix, if the movement change direction, mirror, it will go inwards instead. and after that with small steps outwards.
If it could be implemented a box that could be ticket if the other direction is wanted I think it will solve the problem for most lenses.
Example:
I had my max position limit to 60000, I could increase it a little bit and get it to work again, but the margin is narrow and when the temperture change the focus change outwards. A collision will occur.
And another thing, this 1000 step, in my case it to much, 600 had been better, can I change that setting somewhere ? It will speed up the auto focus because every extra focus point take 8 seconds to read out from the camera.
/Lars
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Hi,
I have notice now when I got the GPS dongle to work that I have a little problem when starting up the equipment. The telescope pointing in tottally wrong direction, it's like that I live in Australia buy living in North. It doesn't help to restart KStars, but if I reboot Raspbarry it works after that. But the strange thing is that when I look at KStars window and Ekos mount information it has the correct position and clock.
I think it has something to do with the GPS, it take some time for it to lock on satelittes. From GPSD I refresh the GPS data but that doesn't help either.
Someone else who have this problem ?
Earlier I had it setup that it took the position and clock from internet. Is it possible to setup that it take the position that is stored in Raspberry when it doesn't have a GPS lookup at the start, later when it has a GPS lock it updates the position and clock ? In my case I don't have any battery backup of the Raspbery clock, but the time I can transfer in someway from the smartphone or the pad.
/Lars
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Today I offset my focus position counter. But didnt do it mechaniqucally, I moved to position 5000 and then reseted the counter. Now I have best focus at position 58900.
More details:
www.astrofriend.eu/astronomy/projects/pr...rs-raspberrypi4.html
Now I just have to do a test and see if the wraparound problem has disappear.
Thanks a lot jarno for the info !
Lars
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Hi Jarno (once again),
So if I undersand it correct, when I update Astroberry in a couple of months this problem will be solved, or ?
/Lars
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That wasn't good, I'm satisfaid with my USB-Focus, but next time I build one myselfe, some Aurdino based. Tomorrow I adjust the focus range to 50'000 as you sugested.
/Lars
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Hi Jarno,
Thanks for fast respons. I thought about the wraparound problem, but when I set the max position to 65000 I though it was impossible for it to wraparound. I use a camera lens and don't have much travel beyond the infinity, but still I can mechanically move the focuser so it ends at position 50000 or so. No need to go to lower focus positions.
Thanks a lot !
/Lars
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Hi,
I have some strange problem. Sometimes when doing auto focus it goes allt the way to zero. Not very often but I had this problem at least three times.
I have the USB Focus V3. Astrobarry 204.
Good focus is around 63900, limit at 65000.
Someone have any idea why it doing like this ?
Include some screendumps
One of the focus point almost at zero but correct fous at 63900 where most focus points are..
Limit set to 6500. There are also two error messages:
"WARNING] Error reading response for command FPOSRO: Timeout error. "
"WARNING] Invalid response for command FPOSRO: missing cr+lf "
What does the command FPOSRO do ?
/Lars
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When I try to update comets orbit data I get an error maessage about astroids, no idea why I get this.
/Lars
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