Hi Wildi,
In order to illustrate a bit more the problem I took some pictures of all the sequence of actions that I carried out as you suggested with the GTO CP2 driver. I numbered the actions so that you can follow what I did, and see the result.
1. This picture shows shows the Parking position when the driver is started and the connection is established (in WIndows I would normally use the Parking Position 3).
2. I set the mount as you suggested, as if the telescope was pointing East, and synchronised the mount at that position.
3. I sent the mount somewhere in between the E position and cenit.
4. This picture shows that the mount seemed to do its job correctly, and the scope was sent approximately where it had been sent.
5. Then I selected an object closer to the meridian, in this approximately Aldebaran.
6. This picture shows that the mount flipped its side and went to Aldebaran but from the other side. The mount did a Meridian Flip before it had crossed the Meridian.
7. According Kstars, the scope was indeed pointing to Aldebaran.
8. I finally sent the mount to park, and this is how it ended.
I also sent the log that should show you what the mount did. The Experimental Driver seems to work but not always (it occasionally reminds me that my CP2 does not support "Rev V"), but it produces similar results.
Thanks for your help,
Josep
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Hi Wildi,
After some very busy days, some free time to do some testing.
I did as you suggested. Scope and counterweights off, pointed to E, synched, then moved the mount from there towards meridian. When pointing to a star (Epsilon Gem) which was yet to cross the cenit, but close, the mount did a meridian flip, which I believe shouldn't have done (this is exactly what had been happening on previous occasions, and which I do not understand). FInally when parking the mount, the RA axis is changed roughly about 1-hour where it should be in a perfect pointing-North (Polaris) parking.
Let's see if I can include the log in the message,
Thanks again for your patience.
Josep
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Hi,
Sorry I have not been able to set up and do more testing, but will do ASAP.
As I have the CP2 electronics, the main driver I have been testing is the second on your list. After desperation, I also tried the experimental driver, but I believe this one was meant for the newer cp3 units, after reading the instructions on this driver.
Regarding the specifics of you are asking me to do, I have some doubts:
"Can you try out each of them? You can initially sync the mount in plain daylight (without having mounted the telescope) setting it at HA = 18 hours and DEC = 0 (with its setting circles).
***you mean connect driver, unpark (?), setting at HA (???)=18h ... sorry I do not get it !
Then use kstars and sync it to AZ = 90 degree and Alt = 0 degeree. Then use kstars to move and park it.
***also, lots of douts. Do you mean move manually the mount to that position, then sync "manually" (tell the mount where it really is), then park it ? what parking option ?
Please post the log files together with the driver name and your observations."
*** I need to check how to save the logs in Kstars, as I am not familiar
Sorry about all the questions, I am a bit overwhelmed !
Josep
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Hi Wildi !
Thanks for chimming in. I opened a new thread as I could not see my original post, trying to explain what I have been experiencing. Really it has been difficult to understand what it is going on, but it seems to me there is a mismatch with the time, complicated by the meridian flip options in the AP electronics. Please see my new thread with some further explanation.
Hopefully I can use it more extensively, I really see a lot of promise in Ekos,
Josep
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Hi there,
Reporting back again ...
I managed that the mount recognised its position (astrometry.net) at a particular target (NGC2903 in Leo) then sent it to park. The mount stopped past the polar position, maybe some 15-20º off in RA, but not completely sure. I moved the mount to the exact polar position with the RA drive, then set it as new park position, and "write". Also saved this configuration. After unparking, sent it again to a particular target successfully (again the same Leo galaxy). After that I sent it to parking position ... but again was about 15-20ª off in RA (Dec is fine). I concluded it has to do with the time settings, but I think I have them good.
Josep
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An example of what I am experiencing is as follows:
I am starting from the pointing to North Pole Position. I send the mount to Castor (it is still about 2 hours from transit). However the telescope goes the other side of the sky and ends up pointing somewhere toward the cenit aproximately. In Kstars what I see is the telescope path crossing the ecliptic line in a funny curvy fashion towards Castor. Obviously I infer from this that the unpark move was not carried out as it should.
Josep
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Hi there,
I am trying to get started with this driver with my AP900. The problem I am finding is getting the mount to start from parking. The mount does not seem to know where it is starting from, and does not either know how to park. My mount-telescope always stars pointing to the pole (park position 3 in the ASCOM driver). However, as much as I try to change things it will never seem to find its way. KStars in configured at my exact location (near, Barcelona Spain) and the time zone is UT+1.
Anyone using it with success ? I would appreciate any help on setting up the mount to start from "Park 3".
Thanks,
Josep M.
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Hi there,
Maybe someone knowledeable can chime in.
I am trying my mount with EKOS with the CP2 driver. I am having problems while trying to unpark and go from there. GOTOs seem to be very far from where they should be. Not sure really where I am unparking from. My scope is typically going from the pointing North pole position ("PARK 3" in tha ASCOM parlance). I have the "CMR" option activated, I think this is how it should work safely. EKOS geo location is at my place near Barcelona, Spain, 1 hous diff (+1) from UT, that is how I have it configured.
Josep
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