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Arduino Ascom focuser Mark2


tekkydave

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The line to change to use different pins is:

const int motorPins[4] = {7,8,9,10}; // Declare pins to drive motor control board

The numbers refer to the digital output port number not the physical pins on the nano.

Sent from my Samsung G4S using Tapatalk.

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Thank you Dave :)  I've downloaded the files.  Looks great - nice presentation :)  And thank you for the acknowledgement :) 

Edited by Gina
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Thank you Dave :)  I've downloaded the files.  Looks great - nice presentation :)  And thank you for the acknowledgement :)

I'd forgotten I'd put that in the sketch until I was uploading it. I think it was an arduino project of yours that inspired me to have a go myself. I think some of the stepper code might be 'borrowed' from your project :grin:

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That's fine Dave, I'm pleased if you found some of my code useful :)  And I'm very happy for you to include it in your project :)  Now I plan to take your ideas to make myself a real "auto" focuser :D  I guess I should have been able to sort it all out for myself but I'm still suffering from reduced mental capacity due to "emotional overload".

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Sounds interesting Gina.  I assume when you say 'auto' that you mean it will focus the scope itself using feedback from a camera. Do you plan to make it Ascom-compliant or stand-alone. I can think of a couple of scenarios here:

1. Completely stand-alone system using a micro-controller that connects to a camera and motor.

2. An Ascom client program running on a PC that uses Ascom drivers to connect to the focuser and camera. The Focuser and Camera will both need Ascom drivers. Depending on the camera used the driver may already exist. The focuser driver will probably need to be a custom one like the one I have written

Feel free to use & abuse my code :grin:

Edited by tekkydave
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I would like to build an installer for my driver so users can install & register the driver on a windows PC along with the test client programs without needing Visual Studio. I need to work out how to do that. I think VS has some tools to generate installers for a solution so that will be my next job.

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I have now created an installer and put that with the associated arduino sketch in a release folder on the SF project site:

https://sourceforge.net/projects/arduinoascomfocuser/files/Mark2/Software/V2.0.0/

This requires the Ascom platform 6.1 to be installed first.

It will install:

- The Ascom driver for the focuser. This is a windows COM object which should be registered by the installer.

- A command-line test program, AAF2Test that just reports the focuser version (#V command) from the arduino.

- A GUI client program, FocusAAF2 that allows full control of the focuser. This is also a work in progress.

I have only tested the installer on my PC so I hope it works for other people.

I also apologise for the naff shortcut icons which I created in about 3 minutes - more work needed there I think.

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I've ordered my parts, I should hopefully have it up and running next weekend.

Thanks again!

Good luck. I hope my instructions etc are good enough to follow. It would be good to know if the driver installer works for you.

Also, if you haven't already it is worth looking at the Ascom website http://ascom-standards.org/ to understand how it works and how it uses the drivers. Every Ascom-compliant program puts up a 'chooser' dialog where you pick the driver. You also have to click a button in the chooser to select the port the device is connected to. On my PC the arduino always seems to be on COM5 but it could be different on yours.

Edited by tekkydave
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Good luck. I hope my instructions etc are good enough to follow. It would be good to know if the driver installer works for you.

Also, if you haven't already it is worth looking at the Ascom website http://ascom-standards.org/ to understand how it works and how it uses the drivers. Every Ascom-compliant program puts up a 'chooser' dialog where you pick the driver. You also have to click a button in the chooser to select the port the device is connected to. On my PC the arduino always seems to be on COM5 but it could be different on yours.

I'll keep you posted with my progress. It'll be an acid test of your guide but as far as I can see you've covered everything and more.

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12v stepper, easydriver and arduino. I want mine to drive the 10:1 reducer on my crayford. Closest i've found is a pulley with 3mm bore.

Sounds like a great project, when you're done perhaps you could come down the the obs and give us a bit of a talk. I know quite a few members who are looking at remote focusing I think it would make a really interesting presentation

Darren

Darren

@SalAstroSoc & @astronut1639

www.salfordastro.org.uk

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Sounds like a great project, when you're done perhaps you could come down the the obs and give us a bit of a talk. I know quite a few members who are looking at remote focusing I think it would make a really interesting presentation

Darren

Darren

@SalAstroSoc & @astronut1639

www.salfordastro.org.uk

can do, but i'm no expert (it's my first arduino project), really just winging it on this project lol

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12v stepper, easydriver and arduino. I want mine to drive the 10:1 reducer on my crayford. Closest i've found is a pulley with 3mm bore.

Yes that's what I needed. In the end I bought one with a 3mm bore and drilled it out further to about 6mm, then installed a bush having a 2.5mm bore. If you need help sorting something like that out Dave give me a shout.

ChrisH

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Yes that's what I needed. In the end I bought one with a 3mm bore and drilled it out further to about 6mm, then installed a bush having a 2.5mm bore. If you need help sorting something like that out Dave give me a shout.

ChrisH

That would be awsome Chris :D inasmuch as i can do stuff like that, i'm currently pretty much limited to screwdrivers and a 5 pound lump hammer for my choice of tools at the moment :D

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That would be awsome Chris :D inasmuch as i can do stuff like that, i'm currently pretty much limited to screwdrivers and a 5 pound lump hammer for my choice of tools at the moment :D

Only 5lb,thats's my choice of tool for precision work.

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That would be awsome Chris :D inasmuch as i can do stuff like that, i'm currently pretty much limited to screwdrivers and a 5 pound lump hammer for my choice of tools at the moment :D

I might have a spare toothed wheel I could use for this, I'll check my stock later and let you know what sizes I have... Waiting for a parcel delivery at the moment which is late arriving...

ChrisH

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/facepalm...

just realised i ordered the wrong controller board... easydriver board is for 4 wire bipolar motors apparently.

now, what else can i build with one of the half dozen or so bipolar motors i've salvaged, and an easydriver???

85_1309460292.jpg

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