Arduino Ascom focuser Mark2

[Kawa400]

Release 2.3.0 is now available on the SF site https://sourceforge.net/projects/arduinoascomfocuser/files/Mark2/Software/V2.3.0/

Highlights:

Changes in Version 2.3.0

Enhancements

* The Arduino now saves it's current position in EEPROM (non-volatile memory). It will remember the position it was at between

  focuser and client application restarts / disconnects. The chooser dialog has been modified to enable you to override the initial

  starting position if required.

* Some users in countries other than the UK reported issues with the temperature not being interpreted correctly due to the use

  of a dot as the decimal separator. This has been removed and the Arduino now returns the temperature in 100ths of a degree (no decimal).

  The driver has been updated to divide by 100 prior to returning the value to the calling client program. Windows should put

  the correct decimal separator in the value according to the PC's international settings.

  I have also blocked the reading of the 1-wire temperature sensor whilst the motor is moving as it interferes with smooth movement.

  During movement it will return the last read value. When the motor is not moving it will re-read the sensor. This is because many

  client applications seem to read it every second which seems excessive. The FocusAAF2 test program now also reads every second for testing.

Bug fixes

* Changed some int variables to unsigned int

* Fixed a minor bug in the motor hi/lo speed detection - it was only working in one direction.

Can anyone who had problems with the temperature decimal separator please test to confirm this is now fixed. Thanks.

I still haven't fixed the driver registration issue - I wanted to get these enhancements out asap.

Enjoy.

I from Ukraine. I repeated your scheme. It is very happy. But I suffered with temperature sensor, I tried to determine week but anything it was impossible I didn't change to the razdelena a comma for a point yet. Очань good project. Thanks (Izvenyayus for the translation in English isn't strong)

[SUNJiaLin]

Release 2.3.0 is now available on the SF site https://sourceforge.net/projects/arduinoascomfocuser/files/Mark2/Software/V2.3.0/

Highlights:

Changes in Version 2.3.0

Enhancements

* The Arduino now saves it's current position in EEPROM (non-volatile memory). It will remember the position it was at between

  focuser and client application restarts / disconnects. The chooser dialog has been modified to enable you to override the initial

  starting position if required.

* Some users in countries other than the UK reported issues with the temperature not being interpreted correctly due to the use

  of a dot as the decimal separator. This has been removed and the Arduino now returns the temperature in 100ths of a degree (no decimal).

  The driver has been updated to divide by 100 prior to returning the value to the calling client program. Windows should put

  the correct decimal separator in the value according to the PC's international settings.

  I have also blocked the reading of the 1-wire temperature sensor whilst the motor is moving as it interferes with smooth movement.

  During movement it will return the last read value. When the motor is not moving it will re-read the sensor. This is because many

  client applications seem to read it every second which seems excessive. The FocusAAF2 test program now also reads every second for testing.

Bug fixes

* Changed some int variables to unsigned int

* Fixed a minor bug in the motor hi/lo speed detection - it was only working in one direction.

Can anyone who had problems with the temperature decimal separator please test to confirm this is now fixed. Thanks.

I still haven't fixed the driver registration issue - I wanted to get these enhancements out asap.

Enjoy.

Hi Tekky, I had problems with the temperature decimal separator.

Your new version is perfect and solve it very well !

By the way, do you know how to apply half step for the motor steppers ?

Currently I'm using the focuser to control the focuser ring of my Nikon lens which is doing full scale (0,5m to Infinte) on 90° only.

My puley system is 1/4, so I get 1 turn for the motor with about 500 positions : I'm not sure that's big enough.

My sky & job don't give so many opportunities for checking.

I like your work so much that I am trying to make a small weather station...

Didier S-C

[tekkydave]

Thanks - Im glad it has solved your problem. The focuser is already using half-stepping but it steps 4 times (8 half-steps) per unit of movement. This was done for simplicity so the sketch doesnt need to store which coil is last used.

[redtail]

Hi

I am new to the nano but can wire it up from the picture and have the parts ordered .

I have downloaded the files from the website and also the ide.

Once i have it built what files do i install,is there an order of install?

If someone could give me an idiots guide to the install i would be very happy.

Thanks.

[tekkydave]

Hi

I am new to the nano but can wire it up from the picture and have the parts ordered .

I have downloaded the files from the website and also the ide.

Once i have it built what files do i install,is there an order of install?

If someone could give me an idiots guide to the install i would be very happy.

Thanks.

The wiki section of the sourceforge website contains instructions http://sourceforge.net/p/arduinoascomfocuser/wiki/Home/ Also, see the readme.txt file in the Files section http://sourceforge.net/projects/arduinoascomfocuser/files/Mark2/Software/V2.3.0/

Basically:

Download and Install the arduino libraries

Download the sketch, compile & upload to the nano

Install the Ascom Platform 6.1 on your PC

Download the AAF2Setup.msi and run. This installs the driver & test programs.

You may need to manually register the driver - see instructions in wiki on sf site.

I think thats correct

Edited November 4, 2014 by tekkydave

[redtail]

Thank you.

[redtail]

Seems to me and feel free to correct me but it looks like this project in the right hands (not me) could be converted to drive a filter wheel.

I have powered my orion wheel and use a stepperbee board to control it.I am not happy with it as it only reports as a relative and not absolute.

A little jigery pokery by folks that know how would turn this code into ascom filter wheel or am i wrong or has it already been done ?

[tekkydave]

Seems to me and feel free to correct me but it looks like this project in the right hands (not me) could be converted to drive a filter wheel.

I have powered my orion wheel and use a stepperbee board to control it.I am not happy with it as it only reports as a relative and not absolute.

A little jigery pokery by folks that know how would turn this code into ascom filter wheel or am i wrong or has it already been done ?

The nano could certainly be used to drive a filter wheel. I dont have one so I'm not sure how they work. The driver will only work with focusers - there is a different ascom template for filter wheels, mounts etc.

[redtail]

WOW!!! i cant thank you guys enough.

I have it all working including temp .

Thank you so much.

[tekkydave]

WOW!!! i cant thank you guys enough.

I have it all working including temp .

Thank you so much.

Well done. I'm working on a version of the nano sketch that does one half-step of the stepper for each ascom position increment/decrement. At the moment it does 4 steps (8 half-steps).

[redtail]

Good move it will be ultra fine then.Just wish i could get a sketch for a filter wheel then i would be full auto on the obsy.Been looking ALL day.

[wuthton]

Good move it will be ultra fine then.Just wish i could get a sketch for a filter wheel then i would be full auto on the obsy.Been looking ALL day.

From my limited understanding a driver and sketch for a filter wheel will be way more complicated than a focuser.

The driver needs to be able to calibrate so it knows the position of each filter which is easier said than done.

[tekkydave]

From my limited understanding a driver and sketch for a filter wheel will be way more complicated than a focuser.

The driver needs to be able to calibrate so it knows the position of each filter which is easier said than done.

The easiest path for a complete beginner would be to use an existing ascom filter-wheel driver and just build the hardware & sketch to simulate the filter-wheel. You would need to choose a commercial FW where the comms protocol between the FW & driver is documented. I dont use a FW so I can't comment on that. I know in the case of focusers that people have used the Moonlight protocol to avoid having to write their own ascom driver. They then just had to make their focuser 'look like' a real moonlight focuser to the driver. I decided to invent my own protocol for 2 reasons:

1. I wanted to learn how to write an ascom driver as well as build the focuser hardware & write the arduino sketch

2. I'm an awkward b***er

[redtail]

This is the kind of thing i am after http://www.astronomymark.com/filterwheel.htm. I have the wheel driven by a stepper but cant keep track of what filter is in place.

[wuthton]

This is the kind of thing i am after http://www.astronomymark.com/filterwheel.htm. I have the wheel driven by a stepper but cant keep track of what filter is in place.

You'll need some form of mechanical/sensor feedback from the wheel so the driver can calibrate which filter is which and when each is centred.

I'll have a closer look at mine this evening and try to work out how it's been done.

If you start a new thread you'll get much more help. I'll add some photos of the internals of my wheel if that would help.

Edited November 10, 2014 by wuthton

[redtail]

That would be good ,thanks.I think a  reed  switch or hall sensor would be needed.

[wuthton]

That would be good ,thanks.I think a reed switch or hall sensor would be needed.

If you start a new thread I'll post pictures there and let this thread get back to Dave's focuser.

[JAS]

I built my own filter wheel and drove it with a stepper motor. I used a switch for the home position and used a step count for each filter position. I have used it for about a year and have not had any issues. See my thread here: http://stargazerslounge.com/index.php?/topic/186095-DIY-remote-filter-wheel

My arduino code is there too, feal free to use it. Its probably not the most elegant of code but it has worked for me, no Ascom driver though!

Jason.

[Gina]

One design of a home made filter wheel in contained in this thread of mine   I use optical sensing.

EDIT... And this thread shows an earlier filter wheel which I built before I had a 3D printer   Various drive and sensing systems were discussed.

Edited November 11, 2014 by Gina

[wuthton]

Gah, bah, grrrr.... I've just spent an hour scratching my head as to why my subs were not in focus. The autofocus routine did it's thing, I set the camera running and the subs were junk each time.

On closer inspection a dew heater had decided to pack it in and something resembling the Atlantic had formed on the objective.

[tekkydave]

I've just spent all day trying to track down why the AAF2 installer doesnt correctly register the focuser driver. It seems to me that it does correctly create all the right registry entries except for one:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\ASCOM\Focuser Drivers\ASCOM.AAF2.Focuser

Now this is the one that makes the driver appear in the drop-down list in the chooser dialog. If I enter it manually everything works. You only have to do it once as it persists across uninstall/reinstall of the driver.

Im not sure why this is happening but its a step closer to solving the problem. I could add a manual step in the setup project to add the registry entry as a last resort. Maybe thats what others are doing. The Celstron scope driver installs an entry in

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\ASCOM\Telescope Drivers

perfectly so it's nothing to do with user permissions.

[blackdragon72]

When I looked at DS18B20 datasheet, looks like it either needs a pull up, or needs to connect pin3 to VDD. I am using external VDD which works fine.

[blackdragon72]

When I connect the focuser in Nebulosity and FocusMax, both grey out temp.compensation option. FocusMax says Temp.compensation available=False. Is it supposed to be supported?

[tekkydave]

When I looked at DS18B20 datasheet, looks like it either needs a pull up, or needs to connect pin3 to VDD. I am using external VDD which works fine.

There is a 4k7 pullup on my circuit diagram on SF http://sourceforge.net/p/arduinoascomfocuser/wiki/Schematic/attachment/AAF2_V2.2_crop.png. The schematic in the wiki section is the latest version.

[tekkydave]

When I connect the focuser in Nebulosity and FocusMax, both grey out temp.compensation option. FocusMax says Temp.compensation available=False. Is it supposed to be supported?

No its not supported in the driver.