SGPro and Pulsar motorised Dome slaving an AZEQ6 mount

[alcol620]

Anyone out there using the above set up or similar who can comment on the following situation.

Most of the time with SGPro slaving the dome against the mount movements works fine. However, occasionally (once every 4 or 5 nights) the dome stops slaving. The box is still ticked to slave in the SGPro control panel. Obviously the mount continues to track and eventually starts taking pictures of the inside of the dome's roof! The only way to get the dome active again is to pull it's power plug or USB lead. This, however, crashes SGPro and turns off and has to be restarted (along with camera, filter wheel, focuser, dome etc. in the SGpro Sequencer window). Having got it all running again, clicking the slave to telescope function gets the dome following the mount again.

Comments welcome, not sure if it is a SGPro, Pulsar or Windows issue or a bit of each

[PhotoGav]

Hi, I have a Pulsar Dome and HEQ5 mount running with SGP. I haven’t had that exact problem, but my best guess is that you are experiencing a USB issue. What versions of SGP & Pulsar software are you running? How are things connected with USB? Are they direct into the PC or through a hub?

My current problem with dome slaving is that when I tick slave in SGP (v3.0.0.2 beta), the dome doesn’t move to slave with the mount. If I nudge the dome a couple of degrees from within SGP, it moves and then moves to slave with the mount and works fine. What I am realising is that all the disparate bits of software and hardware involved in an automated dome are basically a house of cards which rarely stays up for more than an hour or so!

[alcol620]

2 minutes ago, PhotoGav said:

Hi, I have a Pulsar Dome and HEQ5 mount running with SGP. I haven’t had that exact problem, but my best guess is that you are experiencing a USB issue. What versions of SGP & Pulsar software are you running? How are things connected with USB? Are they direct into the PC or through a hub?

My current problem with dome slaving is that when I tick slave in SGP (v3.0.0.2 beta), the dome doesn’t move to slave with the mount. If I nudge the dome a couple of degrees from within SGP, it moves and then moves to slave with the mount and works fine. What I am realising is that all the disparate bits of software and hardware involved in an automated dome are basically a house of cards which rarely stays up for more than an hour or so!

Thanks Gav

Running them through a powered USB2 hub, only a short USB2 lead to the laptop. Hub also has mount and focuser on it. Camera and filter wheel run off a separate USB3 powered hub (same laptop). SGPro is version 2.6.0.23 and Pulsar Observatory package is 1.0.12.0. I am always relieved when I power up and click the slave to telescope button and the dome cranks into action to slave to the Mount position

I think your last comment is spot on.

[PhotoGav]

54 minutes ago, alcol620 said:

Thanks Gav

Running them through a powered USB2 hub, only a short USB2 lead to the laptop. Hub also has mount and focuser on it. Camera and filter wheel run off a separate USB3 powered hub (same laptop). SGPro is version 2.6.0.23 and Pulsar Observatory package is 1.0.12.0. I am always relieved when I power up and click the slave to telescope button and the dome cranks into action to slave to the Mount position

I think your last comment is spot on.

Mmm, I remain suspicious of the USB connections... most of my issues boil down to flakey USB technology. It could be any of the connections though, not necessarily the Dome connection. I have had freezing dome problems when the focuser has dropped out and they are on completely different hubs and pc ports! As for my CCD, that has a nasty habit of dropping out when it’s cold, hence my pc now resides in a cardboard box! Oh, and my Lodestar guidecam drops out at random intervals too.

Sorry I can’t be of more help...

Good luck and hopefully tonight will be clear and give us another opportunity to watch the circus and see who the clown is this time!! It is wonderful when it works though and I wouldn’t want to be without it now!

[alcol620]

Thanks Gav, food for thought. Will certainly be having a more careful look round the connections. I suppose a look at the logs might show something (if I knew what I was looking for!)

 

[KyleStoke]

Hi are you using poth hub?

I say this because that is where i slave the dome to the mounts movement which i have to tick to put into action. 

If it is a USB drop out which is common you can test it by disconnecting the dome from SGP then opening the Pulsar utility and try to move it through that. if no movement then connection has been lost. you can double check this if there is still no movement by seeing if the dome will move by pressing the directional buttons on the controller.

If it still will not move then that may suggest an issue with the unit.

[alcol620]

12 hours ago, KyleStoke said:

Hi are you using poth hub?

I say this because that is where i slave the dome to the mounts movement which i have to tick to put into action. 

If it is a USB drop out which is common you can test it by disconnecting the dome from SGP then opening the Pulsar utility and try to move it through that. if no movement then connection has been lost. you can double check this if there is still no movement by seeing if the dome will move by pressing the directional buttons on the controller.

If it still will not move then that may suggest an issue with the unit.

Hi Kyle, thanks for your comments. I have run it using the poth hub, but for one reason or another I decided dispense with that and to run it as it is now. Your points about checking the connection - noted - I will try this next time it fails. Can you spell out the detailed sequence for checking. Starting from here:

Mount and dome slaving, all connected. Then notice that the dome has stopped slaving. What would be the exact sequence form here?

[KyleStoke]

I would try as follows

Disconnect dome from sgp.

Open the pulsar stand alone program to see if it can communicate with the dome control unit. If it does the usb is still working so perhaps an issue with sgp. 

If there is no communication from the pulsar program to dome I would see if the dome responds to the manual pressing of the button on the unit.

If that works then it seems like a usb issue. Swap it with a new one and try again. 

If it doesn't move I'd contact pulsar because it would suggest some kind of issue with the unit. 

I hope this makes sense I'm typing on my phone. 

 

You can keep testing this in the bad weather aslong as you don't open the lid 

[Matthew-Elecsoft]

I am the developer of the pulsar software. I agree with what Kyle says, feel free to message me if you need to.

[PhotoGav]

Just to add a +1 for Matthew-Elecsoft, one of the most accomodating and helpful developers, in the world!! Welcome to the discussion Matt.

My most recent dome experience is from Monday night and the campsite of SGL SP2017. It was cloudy in Hereford, but beautifully clear back home in Marlborough, so I hooked up my laptop to the internet through my iPhone, woke up the observatory PC and carried out an imaging session from the comfort of my campervan! It was a great night of data collection, though I did encounter the usual array of anomolies, hence I nursed the system through till 5am. The dome related issue was that it stopped tracking at 179.90º. I nudged the dome from within SGP and it got back to the task of slaving the mount. I am hoping that the next beta release of SGP resolves these issues as I am pretty sure that it is a problem from within SGP.

[alcol620]

Hi Kyle

Just one question if I may. When you say "disconnect dome from SGP" are you meaning disconnect/turn off in the SGPro sequencing window? 

Thanks

 

[alcol620]

2 hours ago, Matthew-Elecsoft said:

I am the developer of the pulsar software. I agree with what Kyle says, feel free to message me if you need to.

Hi Matthew

You may have missed my email to you of 12th October.

Regards

Alec

[alcol620]

On 19/10/2017 at 21:20, alcol620 said:

Hi Matthew

You may have missed my email to you of 12th October.

Regards

Alec

Thanks for getting back to me Matthew

[alcol620]

On 19/10/2017 at 18:58, PhotoGav said:

Just to add a +1 for Matthew-Elecsoft, one of the most accomodating and helpful developers, in the world!! Welcome to the discussion Matt.

My most recent dome experience is from Monday night and the campsite of SGL SP2017. It was cloudy in Hereford, but beautifully clear back home in Marlborough, so I hooked up my laptop to the internet through my iPhone, woke up the observatory PC and carried out an imaging session from the comfort of my campervan! It was a great night of data collection, though I did encounter the usual array of anomolies, hence I nursed the system through till 5am. The dome related issue was that it stopped tracking at 179.90º. I nudged the dome from within SGP and it got back to the task of slaving the mount. I am hoping that the next beta release of SGP resolves these issues as I am pretty sure that it is a problem from within SGP.

Hi Gav

You say you "nudged the dome from within SGP" can you clarify exactly what you did?

Thanks

[PhotoGav]

13 minutes ago, alcol620 said:

You say you "nudged the dome from within SGP" can you clarify exactly what you did?

In the control panel or observatory module you can enter a number of degrees and then click the left or right arrow (in green in the screen grab below) to ‘nudge’ the dome that far in that direction. 

[alcol620]

Thanks Gav - appreciated. Next time it fails I will run through the processes that you and Kyle set out. I will report back

[PhotoGav]

My pleasure. Here’s to hoping we don’t have to wait too long for clear skies!

[alcol620]

Evening folks, by way of an update.

Been outside tonight got everything running SGPro and the Dome slaving fine. Left the mount moving in sidereal and the dome slaving, No images being taken, only the camera cooling and the filter wheel and focuser turned on.

Returned to the scope after about 30 minutes as the sky was clearing but slaving had stopped.  

SGPro indicated in the Control Panel that the dome was still set to slave. I initially tried as Gav had suggested - to give the dome a nudge by setting the movement at 5 degrees and hitting the arrow key (as in the diagram he posted above). No movement from the dome, although the Azimuth reading changed by 5 degrees. Slaving still ticked/indicated in SGPro. Did the same with slaving unticked - same response.

I then disconnected the dome in SGPro and opened the Pulsar software. The Pulsar panel that opened stated "No domes found". After trying this I then tried to reconnect the dome in SGPro and I get the error message "Error connecting to Pulsar Observatory Dome".

Going to the Pulsar control box, the dome can be moved using the manual controls! But no connection or control from SGPro or the Pulsar software.

Note: the only way I can re-establish contact with the dome is to pull the Dome USB lead, SGPro then crashes and has to be re-started (ie lowering camera temperature, switch on focuser, filter wheel, EQMod, Dome etc. Once running hit SGPro slave and the dome goes to the scope position.

All working again until the next time.

Feedback please, many thanks. 

 

[KyleStoke]

Sounds like a USB problem to me, the unit its self is still functioning but there is no communication between it and your pc. have you got another cable you can try, or even a different usb port.

At the moment my guide cam and filter wheel disconnect on every slew

[alcol620]

Hi Kyle, sounds as if you have as many or more problems than me. After a second loss of slaving after resetting everything, the set up ran for about 2 hours without failing again. Either the lead is flaky or the software is? 

Will next try your idea of changing the USB lead.

Any further suggestions of ides Matthew?

[alcol620]

9 hours ago, alcol620 said:

Hi Kyle, sounds as if you have as many or more problems than me. After a second loss of slaving after resetting everything, the set up ran for about 2 hours without failing again. Either the lead is flaky or the software is? 

Will next try your idea of changing the USB lead.

Any further suggestions of ides Matthew?

Forgot to say, it even followed it round and settled on a full meridian flip.

A question, if it was a faulty USB lead and it lost contact, why when you pull the USB lead out does it crash SGPro?

[Matthew-Elecsoft]

Sorry i have not been keeping up to date with this thread.

I think the USB lead is fine. The reason pulling the USB out is working is because something on the PC still has the dome open so nothing else can find it, pulling the USB lead out resets this. I think it would make sense to update all the pulsar software and go from there. 

[alcol620]

Thanks Matthew, presumably the software is what you updated and previously sent me? or is the latest version on the Pulsar web site. Very appreciated if you can give me a pointer to the latest version.

Many thanks 

Alec

[steppenwolf]

On 10/19/2017 at 18:41, Matthew-Elecsoft said:

 

I am the developer of the pulsar software. I agree with what Kyle says, feel free to message me if you need to.

 

Great to see you on SGL, Matthew, your support has always been of the highest order and very much appreciated.

[KyleStoke]

3 hours ago, alcol620 said:

Forgot to say, it even followed it round and settled on a full meridian flip.

A question, if it was a faulty USB lead and it lost contact, why when you pull the USB lead out does it crash SGPro?

I did wonder about this because if sgp didn't think it was connected why would unplugging it cause a problem