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AstroEQ for EQ mounts


Oily

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I think that would be well worth a try, the gears on the dual axis kits are very basic better gears would mean less backlash which would improve things no end. The synscan upgrade had much better gears and they would improve things greatly. I think Tom was working on getting some fittings made so better gears could be installed but don't remember how far that project came along.

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Hi everyone....hope someone might be able to help me out here?


 


I'm using astroeq and eqmod. 


 


I start in the home position and then slew to a target. Looking through the viewfinder, the target is not centered...which is to be expected.


 


My problem is, when I come to use the eqmod controls, to correct, the N,S,W,E buttons don't do anything. I cant move the scope at all. I can move it manually but this defeats the object.


 


I haven't got a game controller yet so have to use those buttons.


 


Not sure if this is an astroeq issue or ascom/eqmod? Anyone had similar.


 


Having a bit of a nightmare here.....on hols in Cornwall......Canon 350d developed a problem..bent CF reader pins......posted this current topic in wrong forum....hardly any internet signal......gorilla fingers not used to small keyboard!


 


Thanks, Howard



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If your buttons in eqmod are not working that may be down to your settings in the ASTROEQ utility and in eqmod. If the slew speeds are not set right the nudge buttons won't move the mount.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

Thanks. Do you know what I should set the slew speeds to? I've tried various...up to 800x?

Regards, Howard

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Howard, reference atoms last post, I spent 2-3 evenings backwards and forwards to Tom and QM. I felt a right plonker when I realised I was only clicking the NESW buttons. Lol. Hope this is all that is causing your problem...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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I cant remember what my setting where now Im sure Tom can clarify that for you though, but yes make sure your holding the slew button down as well. Do down load and try Astro Tortilla its a great bit of software and will get you on target very quickly. When you install it just make sure you get your fov correct though. Best try all this when you have the time do it as it takes a while to sort it all out but once you have eq mod astroeq and astro tortilla working together its brilliant. Pm me if you get stuck I still have a note pad some where with all my setting written down. :smiley:

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Still struggling with this one. Everything else works great and it's reasonably accurate slewing to targets. But unless I can align the targets centrally, using the nudge buttons, instead of undoing the clutch and moving the mount manualll, I'm never going to get the accuracy I need. I reinstalled all the drivers several times. I'm running XP SP3. Quatermass, thanks for your offer, I'll PM you.

Howard

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You need to install Astro tortilla it will take all the hard work out of getting your targets lined up once its installed you just need one button press and it will have your target bang in the centre of your frame easy as pie. I used it with astro eq and I am still using it cant recommend it highly enough.

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I think that would be well worth a try, the gears on the dual axis kits are very basic better gears would mean less backlash which would improve things no end. The synscan upgrade had much better gears and they would improve things greatly. I think Tom was working on getting some fittings made so better gears could be installed but don't remember how far that project came along.

ok, that's confused me.... are you saying the motors/gears on the synscan eq5 upgrade are better than the original vixen motors/gears???

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QM, please will you email me your note pad settings file.

I've now installed belt drives on the EQ5 using the SW motors you sent me.

Beltingonline were very helpful.

Just had to move the motors out to get 31.5mm centers in order to use standard parts.

2x MXL # 4580 belts

2x MXL # 5173 pulleys bored to 6mm

2x MXL # 5173 pulleys bored to 5mm

Works like a charm.

Rich

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Something odd, I'm trying to update my box however I am unable to select the com port. Using the firmware utility under Debian.

I can see the box is there with lsusb and /dev/ttyACM0 is there, but nothing shows up in the drop menu.

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forgot to give this earlier:

stephane@lamb:~$ astroequploader 
/usr/share/doc/astroequploader/
WARNING:  RXTX Version mismatch
        Jar version = RXTX-2.2pre1
        native lib Version = RXTX-2.2pre2
ControlP5 0.7.5 infos, comments, questions at http://www.sojamo.de/libraries/controlP5
x=0, y=154, width=516, height=372
buildBeginScreen --- ID is: begin
buildVersionCheckScreen --- ID is: versionCheck
buildFirmwareFetchScreen --- ID is: firmwareFetch
buildEEPROMWriterScreen --- ID is: EEPROMWriter
buildCheckEEPROMScreen --- ID is: checkEEPROM
buildRecoverEEPROMScreen --- ID is: recoverEEPROM
buildEnterConfigScreen --- ID is: enterConfig
buildProgramConfigScreen --- ID is: programConfig
buildDownloadFirmwareScreen --- ID is: downloadFirmware
buildTestFirmwareScreen --- ID is: testFirmware
buildFinishedScreen --- ID is: finished
Board Version: AstroEQV4-DIYBoard(includingKits)
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You need to do:

ln /dev/ttyACM0 /dev/ttyS64

For some reason the processing serial library can't detect ports on Linux that aren't named 'ttyS##'. A symbolic link will allow it to work fine.

If ttyS64 is already used, you can substitute it for one which is not - 64 was unused on my Ubuntu installation.

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It wasn't as easy as I thought, in further testing I discovered the reason why I kept giving up each time I tried to implement this. Fortunately I have finally figured out something I was missing in what the numbers from EQMOD mean when it 'shifts gears'. The good news is I now have it working, high speed go-to movements are accurate, manual slews seem to work, and most importantly the mount stops when it is supposed to and doesn't randomly keep going during go-to operations which it was for a while in the beta version.

Short of actually testing it on a telescope (need clear skies for that), it seems that this will be a feature in version 7.1 - I'm going to wait until I get some clear skies to test it out before releasing it.

Hi Tom, Hows version 7.1 coming on?

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You need to do:

ln /dev/ttyACM0 /dev/ttyS64

For some reason the processing serial library can't detect ports on Linux that aren't named 'ttyS##'. A symbolic link will allow it to work fine.

If ttyS64 is already used, you can substitute it for one which is not - 64 was unused on my Ubuntu installation.

cool thank you for this, I was able to connect with the astroequploader however I'm now getting the following error:

avrdude: Version 5.11, compiled on Sep 7 2011 at 19:34:6 Copyright Copyright System wide configuration file is"/usr/share/doc/asteroequploader/avrdude.conf"User configuration file is "/root/.avrduderc"User configuration file does not exist or is not a regular file. skippingUsing Port :/dev/ttyS64Using Programmer :arduinoOverriding Baud Rate :57600avrdude: ser_recv(): programmer is not respondingavrdude: stk500_rcv(): programmer is not responding avrdude done. Thank you.
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  • 2 weeks later...

Not sure what happened earlier, I thought I did post an update.

Anyway, finally I have wired up the stepper motors, all working fine.

I do have one question however, how come slewing to a new target is slow despite setting up the slew rate to 800x?

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Not sure what happened earlier, I thought I did post an update.

Anyway, finally I have wired up the stepper motors, all working fine.

I do have one question however, how come slewing to a new target is slow despite setting up the slew rate to 800x?

I have found that you can set the slew rate in the config tool... doh.... all fixed now.

Slewing to a new target is now quite fast.

I have set to 800x in the config tool, is it too high?

How do I calculate the optimal slew rate for my motors please?

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Hi

I am trying to get rid of slow Skywatcher motors and getting better steppers.

for Skywatcher EQ5 mount, if I understand well, I have to use 15 and 40 pulleys for each motor.

If I want to use clutches that I already have, do I have to get different 40 teeth pulley ?

also noticed that http://www.beltingonline.com/eq5-telescope-belt-mod-drive-kit-12097 offering EQ5 kit

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