Thoughts on which imaging rigs to concentrate on

[Gina]

Now to try re-compiling etc.

[Gina]

make worked.  Now to try

sudo make install

[Gina]

No errors.

pi@raspberrypi:/ $ cd ~/
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ ls
astroberry-svn  bcm2835-1.50  bcm2835-1.50.tar.gz  indi-astroberry  libindi_1.3.1_rpi  libindi_1.3.1_rpi.tar.gz  SSH
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ cd indi-astroberry
pi@raspberrypi:~/indi-astroberry $ make
-- Found INDI: /usr/lib/arm-linux-gnueabihf/libindi.so
-- Configuring done
-- Generating done
-- Build files have been written to: /home/pi/indi-astroberry
[ 37%] Built target indi_rpifocus
Scanning dependencies of target indi_rpibrd
[ 37%] Building CXX object CMakeFiles/indi_rpibrd.dir/rpi_brd.o
[ 37%] Linking CXX executable indi_rpibrd
[ 37%] Built target indi_rpibrd
pi@raspberrypi:~/indi-astroberry $ sudo make install
[ 50%] Built target indi_rpifocus
[100%] Built target indi_rpibrd
Install the project...
-- Install configuration: ""
-- Installing: /usr/bin/indi_rpibrd
-- Installing: /usr/share/indi/indi_rpibrd.xml
-- Installing: /usr/bin/indi_rpifocus
-- Installing: /usr/share/indi/indi_rpifocus.xml
pi@raspberrypi:~/indi-astroberry $ 

 

[Gina]

YESSSS!!!!  It's worked - Yippee

[Gina]

Quick - quick - backup!!

[Filroden]

Apparently, and totally unconnected, NOAA and the MetOffice have announced that global climate change was just a hoax and we are heading for permanent cold, wet weather...

[Gina]

Have they now!!!  Well well

Backup completed

[Gina]

Finally the Astroberry Board driver test - fine

$ indiserver -m 100 -vv indi_asi_ccd indi_asi_wheel indi_eqmod_telescope indi_rpifocus indi_rpibrd

[Gina]

PHEW!!  I've done it   Now I need a short rest - cuppa I think

[Filroden]

This is great news. Field test tomorrow?

[Gina]

I don't think so - rain forecast   In fact rain forecast for the whole week   Guess it gives me plenty of time to make up the electronics though   In fact I think I'll do separate electronics boxes for the scope rig and the rotating camera lens rig.

 

[Gina]

Thinking about the best place to post a tutorial thread about setting up the RPi software.  Ah yes, the last word said it - Software Forum.  Obvious really   Not sure if I'll start it tonight though

[wimvb]

48 minutes ago, Filroden said:

Apparently, and totally unconnected, NOAA and the MetOffice have announced that global climate change was just a hoax and we are heading for permanent cold, wet weather...

I heard a loooong, loooong time ago, that weather prediction models, when left to their own devices, predicted a white earth, where the weather stabilized to an equilibrium of a snow covered earth. Maybe those models weren't so far off after all ...

And totally unconnected to this: Gina, congratulations on your latest victory over Raspberry Pi. I have been following your struggles, but had nothing to contribute.

[Gina]

Thanks Wim

[Gina]

I guess I could publish the latest backup file - need to change the password back to default first though and I'd compress it with zip or whatever.

To go with the software tutorial I think I'll include making the focuser control and modifying the little 28BYJ-48 stepper motor from unipolar to bipolar connection.  But I think that might be more appropriate for the "DIY Astronomer" forum.  They don't have to be together - links from one to the other would suffice.  I do think they both could do with separating from my personal projects though.

Edited January 30, 2017 by Gina

[Gina]

To avoid the dreaded "sticky out" plug for the power I'm going to adopt tekkydave's idea of  soldering the power wires to the test points on the bottom side of the RPi.

[Gina]

After quite a heavy day yesterday, I'm feeling tired today and it's taking me a while to get going.  The weather doesn't help either - persistent fine rain landing on my picture window in the living room plus poor visibility is not giving me any incentive to do anything!

A plus point though - the Baader Delrin spacers have arrived and I've added a 0.6mm one to the two T2 extension tubes and M48-T2 adapter.  Gets the spacing right and helps stop the parts cold welding together.

Edited January 31, 2017 by Gina

[Gina]

I think I can strip the parts out of the current power and focus unit as I can't see any chance of doing any more imaging with it and the Win7 laptop.  The weather looks set wet for the whole week and the laptop is decidedly dodgy and hardly worth bothering with.

[Gina]

Made a start   Now designing the box.

Edited January 31, 2017 by Gina

[Gina]

Initial box design.  Power connector on front in 16mm hole. Connectors to RPi in slot and fuses on front with wiring lugs through holes.  Smoothing and RFI suppression capacitors in space to the left.  Slot on left for motor cable and hole on right for camera power cable.  Lid will be separate and clip onto top of box.

[Gina]

Bits fit in alright so I should be able to get them all installed tomorrow

[Gina]

Hmm... found when fitting the RPi that there's slight curl in the corner and the RPi raised mounting point is slightly too high and would cause the RPi to bend so a slight design change and reprint indicated I think.  I guess I could use just three rather than four RPi mounting points.

Edited February 1, 2017 by Gina

[Gina]

Now printing a base plate to attach the box to the dovetail bar and allow spacing for the screws that attach the RPi and HAT to the box.  This will be solvent welded to the bottom of the box.  Decided to mount RPi with three screws and opened up the curly corner hole to allow attaching HAT to RPi but not to box.  Three supports are quite adequate for the RPi/HAT combination and saves another nearly 2 hours of box printing.  For anyone using PLA rather than ABS, the box and base plate could be printed as one item, using support material.

[Gina]

Base printed and glued to box.  Inserted and wired up all the components (I think).  Designed and now printing the lid.

Here are some photos of the electronics box with stepper motor attached to dovetail bar.

[Gina]

Lid printed and put on box.  Here's a rather poor photo of the full rig - I'll take better one later...  Maybe I'll put it on the NEQ6 mount   Not that I can test it much.  Maybe tomorrow I can point it out the window if the rain stops!