Arduino Ascom focuser Mark2

[silios]

Got back after almost a years break from anything to do with astronomy, due to work, and wanted to update the focuser with the latest arduino file.
It all went great and just wanted to thank you Dave (and everyone else involved of course ) for the awesome project!

This build combined with big easy driver and a NEMA17 42BYGHM809 is a BEAST, I am moving a 4.5kg weight attached to a steeltrack focuser as I am writing this post

The only things I had to touch was the following in case anyone out there tries to make the combination :

Quote

#define MOTOR_STEPS_PER_DRIVER_STEP     16                 // Motor steps per Ascom movement Unit (old method = 8)
#define MOTOR_SPEED_DEFAULT             100             // Default motor step speed (uS)(failsafe operation)
#define MOTOR_SPEED_LO                  100             // Motor step delay for Lo speed (uS)
#define MOTOR_SPEED_HI                  25              // Motor step delay for Hi speed (uS)
#define MOTOR_SPEED_THRESHOLD           10               // motor speed Hi if steps to go is higher than this

Hope the weather allows to test on the field once again soon
 

[tekkydave]

Hi, glad you are finding it useful

 

[terryb]

Hi, I recently found your project, and have tried with the uln board with the 28byj motor. I'd like to use the easy driver, so is there still a sketch?

cheers

[tekkydave]

Hi Terry. My sketch wont work with the easydriver but I believe someone did create a version. I cant remember who it was.

[CedricTheBrave]

hi I took the leap and upgraded my focuser to Bluetooth but no matter what I do  I cannot get it to work.

I have changed the sketch so it enables Bluetooth and I get the flashing lights on the hc05 but then they go out after a few seconds and the Bluetooth stops broadcasting.

also notice that when the lights are on its broadcast as a hc05 and not focuser as in the sketch!

I have rebuilt the wiring completely and get the same result!

any help gratefully received

[tekkydave]

Are you using the v2.5.0 version of the sketch?

[CedricTheBrave]

Hi Dave yes using the v2.5.0 with the bluetooth section in it and i have removed the \\ infront of that section.

there was only one place to remove it wasn't there?

[tekkydave]

Yes, nothing else to change to get it working. If you are 100% sure it is connected up ok then it could be the HC05. I know there are lots of different types out there and a lot of variation. Also my sketch will only work if the device is initially setup as a slave. A brand new one should be by default.

I can only suggest swapping out various components (nano, hc05, transistor etc) one at a time to try to isolate the issue.

These are the pages I got most of my ideas from if you want to test the HC05 separately:

http://phillipecantin.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/hc-05-bluetooth-link-with-zero-code.html

http://www.martyncurrey.com/arduino-with-hc-05-bluetooth-module-at-mode/

Can you post some shots of both sides of the HC05 so I can see if it is similar to mine. Thanks.

Has anyone else added a HC05 to the focuser following my schematic & sketch?

[CedricTheBrave]

OK Dave I looked at the link above and changed my connection that your diagram shows going to the EN port on the BT module and connected it to PIN 34 instead and bingo i now have a BT broadcasting as Focuser and pairs with 9999 and it all works

see the pics of my module

any ideas why this would be?

[tekkydave]

Looking at the images you have kindly posted they look to be the correct modules. There is known to be a lot of variations in the manufacture of these and some, like mine have the pin 34 connected internally. I will update the notes on Sourceforge when I get a minute. Thanks for the feedback. It's useful to know what issues others have. You are the first person I am aware of to do the BT upgrade.

[silios]

On 15/9/2016 at 21:29, terryb said:

Hi, I recently found your project, and have tried with the uln board with the 28byj motor. I'd like to use the easy driver, so is there still a sketch?

cheers

I am using the script as is with the big easy driver only change are

The wiring is http://www.schmalzhaus.com/EasyDriver/Examples/EasyDriverExamples.html Example1: Basic arduino setup, plus a temp sensor

Edited October 17, 2016 by silios

[feilimb]

Hi Dave , I was considering building an Esp8266 based focuser and came across this project . Can you tell me if this project has any support for the Esp8266 module ? 

[tekkydave]

The ESP8266 should work as it is code-compatible with the Arduino although you need to do some fiddling to get the Arduino IDE to talk to it. I was thinking of trying it myself but decided not to as the bluetooth option turned out to be much simpler. Bluetooth on a PC presents itself as a COM port which is what the Ascom driver needs. A Wi-Fi solution like the ESP8266 needs an extra layer of middleware running on the PC to create a COM port from an IP address. I decided it was too complex for just a simple focuser. Bluetooth is designed for simple point-to-point devices like the focuser so I went with that.

If you fancy it - give it a try

Instructions for setting up the Arduino IDE for ESP8266 are here.

Edited November 2, 2016 by tekkydave

[skybadger]

I recommend the wireless esp too. the ode is easy to setup. the programming process is also trivial as long as you have a good power supply.

I have one on the bench being a web server to drive some motors. there's an encoder module, a pid module , the web server, and a json module. what could go wrong ?

Mike

[msh1]

hi dave trying to set up aaf2 on a new computer ,i downloaded everything uploaded sketch to new arduino nano(i broke the usb port doh) included one wre and dallas temp now i cant get aaf2 to work its saying input string was not in a correct format 

any ideas

mark

[tekkydave]

Are you getting the error message from an Ascom application? If so it sounds like you have the wrong driver or COM port selected. Can you send commands to the nano from the Arduino Serial Monitor (e.g. V# should return the version number of the sketch). Check you have the correct baud rate set (9600).

[msh1]

1 hour ago, tekkydave said:

Are you getting the error message from an Ascom application? If so it sounds like you have the wrong driver or COM port selected. Can you send commands to the nano from the Arduino Serial Monitor (e.g. V# should return the version number of the sketch). Check you have the correct baud rate set (9600).

hi dave its  windows that comes up with the error i did check with ascom diagnosis its says same thing 

[tekkydave]

Sounds like the AAF2 ascom driver is not installed correctly, is not correctly selected in the ascom application or is not connecting to the correct COM port.

[msh1]

tried it on 2 different computers saying same thing on both im stumped ,it was working fine i broke usb port on the arduino, just put new arduino in uploaded sketch now its not working wonder if its the arduino

[tekkydave]

Sounds like it. Check you have the correct board and port selected in the Arduino IDE. Also try uploading one of the example programs such as 'Blink' which flashes the onboard LED.

[msh1]

hi dave good news all working now, the arduino ide programmer was set for arduino as isp i changed it  to arduino isp and now it works what the difference is god knows but its alive

 

[tekkydave]

Good news 

[Shelster1973]

Have finally gotten ropund to mounting this properly and also getting it up and running.

Have not added the temp sensor, just running with it as a pure focuser.

Video of current setup

As you can see...when the motor gets down to fine running, the steps are going to be rather wee....

[tekkydave]

You've made a nice job of that. Thanks for using and also posting the finished item. If you need to change the step speeds there are some parameters in the sketch that can be played with.

[Shelster1973]

9 minutes ago, tekkydave said:

You've made a nice job of that. Thanks for using and also posting the finished item. If you need to change the step speeds there are some parameters in the sketch that can be played with.

Thanks for putting it up here Dave....feel it will be a god send in the upcoming months.

Am quite happy with the speed steps at present...plus am not that great when it comes to tweaking code...give me a hammer and some other tools and I am sorted