MESU 200 and SGPro Plate Solve sync. Help please.

[Star101 1,680]

I recently received my MESU 200 mount and as the weekend was such clear skies, even with the moon being bright, I had to setup and test the new toy.

In the past, using my NEQ6 mount, I would do as most do and start up SGPro, Check with Astrobin for a DSO and add to SGP settings, then off I would go. In this case, M51. SGP would slew to an area where it expected the DSO and take a image, plate solve and then adjust and start imaging.

I removed the NEQ6 mount and installed the MESU 200. I turn on the SiTech controller and no matter what I do I cannot get SGP to plate solve in the usual manner. It fails. Yet, if I do a Frame and Focus, then Plate Solve the image collected it shows the Success Icon but again, no matter which button I press of leave alone, it does not appear to Sync with the controller and will not move towards imaging. I have reverted to old school and using Cartes du Ciel to direct the scope to where I want to image and then PHD2 to track. 

I know I am missing something but cannot find it or see it anywhere.

How can I get SGP's plate solve and SciTech to sync?

Thanks in advance.

[Star101 1,680]

?

[frugal 385]

Is SGPro slewing to the target in the first place? If it is not, then that would suggest that SGPro can not talk to the mount. Daft question, but have you changed the Telescope settings in the Equipment Profile, and the Control Panel? You will need to change it from "Ascom NEQ6" to "SiTech Mesu200" or similar. The Equipment Profile settings will only be applied to newly created sequences, if you are reusing an existing sequence, then you need to make the changes in the Control Panel.

If it is slewing, then is it taking an image for the plate solve?

Does the Plate Solve actually solve the image?

Does it then fail to re-sync the scope to the adjusted position?

[Star101 1,680]

Yes, SGP does slew. But it slews to a place maybe 30 degrees away from where it is supposed to go.

I created a new project! Was trying to image M51. at the end of the pan handle. SGP went way off, more towards Polaris. It was as though it was not taking notice of the sync from when I was using Carte Du Ceil. SGP worked fine with my NEQ6.

In Equipment Profile it shows SiTech II. It also shows it in Control panel. I have not changed any settings for it, just took it as that is what I need when starting up a new instance and choose SiTech II as Mount.

When I set it going it slews, takes an image and tries to plate solve but fails. If I then right click the image and chose Plate Solve, it solves OK but I cannot get it to sync the new plate solved coordinates with the mount!! The coordinates in the "Success" image do not match those next to the Sync icon.

Not using Plate Solve but if I chose to use CdC, I find the star, sync and can navigate via CdC. But SGP must have something set incorrect, I think.

[Zakalwe 3,406]

Try a blind solve to issue an initial Init by skewing to any random part of the sky and platesolving it. It sounds like AGO is platesolving the Astrobin image and issuing a slew, but the scope doesn't know where it is pointing at the start of the slew.

 

[Star101 1,680]

I will try again tomorrow night. The cloud gods have changed their mind and said not tonight !!

I will report back.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Star101 1,680]

It looks like patience is the answer. 

I tried to slew to a part of the sky. I took an image using frame and focus. Right clicked and selected Plate Solve then chose Blind Solve. After maybe 3 minutes Blind Solve claimed success. I hit the Sync button on the SciTech control panel. Then I set a sequence to image M63 and watched as the scope slew about 10° north of M63 to the other side of the Pan Handle. It tried to solve but failed...twice.

I opened Cartes Du Ciel and pointed the scope at a well known star. Synced in CdC. Slew to another star, synced. Slew to a third and synced. Then slew to M63. I went back to SGP and again tried to Blind Solve while the Frame and Focus image just downloaded clearly showed M63. Again it failed.

I will try reinstalling SciTech and its in built Platesolve2 again over the weekend.  

I have proven the mount works. Which was my main concern. Now is just a case of getting things to mesh together. I can use CdC but SGP would be much more useful. If need be, I will take a look at other controlling software.

[iansmith 262]

Has SGP got the correct coordinates in the target setting? Might be worth checking, and setting them by hand if they're wrong. SGP seems to like J2000 coords.

Cheers, Ian.

 

 

[Star101 1,680]

On 17/04/2017 at 13:26, iansmith said:

Has SGP got the correct coordinates in the target setting? Might be worth checking, and setting them by hand if they're wrong. SGP seems to like J2000 coords.

 

Im not sure TBH.

I have not had much chance to test the mount since my comments. However, I have been reading the manual. I installed Platesolve 3 in the directory mentioned in the manual. I found, of the three files that should have installed, one failed. So I searched the net for Platesolve 3. Found another source and downloaded. Then copied the required files to the correct directory mentioned in the manual. Since then, SkyView in SiTech.exe shows a star map. Where as before, there was just a blank circle! I am hoping this Friday, when I get home, ( away for work at the moment ). It will be clear skies and I get chance to test again. I have a good feeling this will work.

I am starting to think, the platesolve 2 directories were in the wrong place. C:/...../UCAC3PS/UCAC3PS....Instead of just C:/..../UCAC3PS 

I will know more Friday evening.

 

[steppenwolf 6,712]

It certainly sounds like you have found a major deficiency in the platesolve installation so fingers crossed that this has resolved it. With my own Mesu, I always start each session with a random plate solve and sync (Offset Init) to ensure that all the components agree with where I am starting from.

[iansmith 262]

I haven't used the plate solving with SiTech, just the SGP one. Sounds like you've found and fixed a major bug though. Good luck with your testing and I hope you get some clear skies on Friday.

Cheers, Ian

[Star101 1,680]

Finally found the reason for my self made woes!

My old mount is a NEQ6 Pro. I used a BT2EQ6 Bluetooth adapter to connect the Laptop to the scope mount.

Silly me, removed the mount but forgot to do anything with the Bluetooth settings. Bluetooth was hogging the COMS ports I needed to connect my Mesu to SGP on my laptop.

Once I turn off Bluetooth EVERYTHING worked as it should

I have since reassigned Bluetooth to other COMs ports out the way.

Last night I setup SGPro to image 2 minutes on M101, M92, M13, M57 and M56 in the two hour gap in the clouds. WOW, It just did it without a hitch.

I'm a very happy man. Last night I slept very well.

Thanks for all your help and advice and helping me resolve my silly mistake.

[steppenwolf 6,712]

That's great news - we all like happy endings!