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Mesu e200


tooth_dr

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12 minutes ago, Laurin Dave said:

What direction does Sitech say its pointing when you do an offset init?..  and is it really pointing that way ? if not check the appropriate "radio" button  ..  Hopefully I remembered this correctly..

I was caught out by this - make sure the scope is on the east side pointing west (or the other way if you prefer). Choose a target and manually point the scope (i.e. power off, motors disengaged) to a target you can find the easily find the coords for. Only a rough point is needed.

Engage motors.

Make sure your lat / long is correct in sitech.exe config.

Switch on and you should see (if connected correctly) the sitech.exe say 'not initialised' or similar.

Do a 'sync' on the goto page and it will either moan that you're pointing the opposite way, or will accept the objects coords as you enter them.

Once, this is ok'd, slew the scope to your preferred park position and then 'set park'.

After this, it should be fine.

I found I accidentally synced when the side of pier was opposite, so although it was pointing at the object I chose, both axis were out by 180degrees and this caused all sorts of issues - pointing down, slewing 'upside down' etc....which justifies the bent knee pier by the way!

I can't play tonight, it's raining all day /night so I'll try and remember what else I got wrong if you have any other issues.

Just take your time, it certainly isn't plug and play!

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Cloudy (95%) - found arcturus and syncd on it.  Then when I moved to park I get an Encoder error on both axis.  I have read the help file and it says this is due to not ticking ignore.  From the Sitech Help File:

"Az/Ra Encdr Track Err: We get a lot of callson thisone, and the answer isso simple. In SiTechExe/Config/ChangeConfig/Scope Encoders, you don't have "Ignore" selected. So, let'sassume for the moment, that you do have a scope encoder on your Primary (Azimuth or Right Ascension) axis. For some reason, the scope encoder angle doesn't agree with the motor encoder angle by 10 deg's. Don't thinkof it asa nuisance, it'sprotecting your equipment. Best thing to do isclickon the FeaturesTab, then clickon "ControllerStuff". Take a lookat your Primary AxisMotor Angle and the Scope Encoder angle. You'll see that they're different by more than 10 deg's. Nowuse the handpad and move your primary axiswith the right button. What should happen isthe angle for the motor increases, and the angle for the scope encoder also increases. If the scope encoder decreases, then you have the scope encoder configured backwards. Use ServoConfig to fix this. If the scope encoder isn't moving, then you have an encoder or wiring problem, or maybe a mechanical problem (scope movesbut encoder isn't turning). If the angleschange, but they are changing differently, you probably have the TICKS Per Rev configured wrong. Use ServoConfig to correct. Al/Dec Encdr Track Err: Same asAz/Ra Encdr TrackErr, except for your secondary axis."

 

I have polite ticked and 10 degrees set

 

Any help welcomed.

image.thumb.png.baee1f33ac4a805c32d7c4db432c502a.png

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That’s right, if you choose to ignore then the mount won’t stop if the encoders think you’re moving in the wrong direction or something else isn’t right.

I have set to ignore but then I can’t crash into the pier if I tried!

Regardless of the encoders, did you manage to init correctly?

Also, make sure the motor encoder plug isn’t plugged into the shaft encoder input! 

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24 minutes ago, Jonk said:

That’s right, if you choose to ignore then the mount won’t stop if the encoders think you’re moving in the wrong direction or something else isn’t right.

I have set to ignore but then I can’t crash into the pier if I tried!

Regardless of the encoders, did you manage to init correctly?

Also, make sure the motor encoder plug isn’t plugged into the shaft encoder input! 

Thanks Jon for your patience.

I will check, but all connectors came plugged in on purchase so I didnt touch or even look at them.

I am quite sure the init* went correctly, and it was tracking ok after sync.

 

*(What does init mean?)

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1 hour ago, tooth_dr said:

*(What does init mean?)

Initialise?

BTW Can you see the components of the friction drive in this mount? With a desire to DIY build something similar I'd love to see a few seconds of video of it in action.

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No, if it were to be opened, any dirt or debris could cause issues... not to mention bits flying out!

There is a spring system in there as it can be heard when uncoupling the motors and moving by hand.

I’d also love to see the inner workings.

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12 minutes ago, Jonk said:

No, if it were to be opened, any dirt or debris could cause issues... not to mention bits flying out!

There is a spring system in there as it can be heard when uncoupling the motors and moving by hand.

I’d also love to see the inner workings.

Makes sense. I just wondered if any part of it were visible. The claimed 2000:1 reduction ratio is significant, so I'm trying to work out how it's done (I'm assume multiple stages, as otherwise the main disc would have to be huge).

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8 hours ago, sploo said:

Makes sense. I just wondered if any part of it were visible. The claimed 2000:1 reduction ratio is significant, so I'm trying to work out how it's done (I'm assume multiple stages, as otherwise the main disc would have to be huge).

It works in stages. Below is a 3000:1 version from the original Mesu mount project:-

friction_drive.png.207c1d86b5ae4be6540034dd77b06fb4.png

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13 hours ago, steppenwolf said:

It works in stages. Below is a 3000:1 version from the original Mesu mount project:-

friction_drive.png.207c1d86b5ae4be6540034dd77b06fb4.png

Many thanks. Interesting to see the use of a long axle and double disc for the first reduction pairing. My current plan (waiting on parts) is a 100:1 harmonic drive reducer, followed by a DIY 10:1 friction reducer. Based on the above, it at least looks as though my 10:1 design should be feasible.

BTW Steve... The Chanctonbury Observatory... I've just bought a book about photons by some bloke called Steve 😉

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2 hours ago, steppenwolf said:

‘The Chanctonbury Observatory’ you say? I heard that Steve bloke was a bit of a rogue and didn’t know his photons from his protons 😁

Well, from the few pages I've read so far it looks as though he knows what he's talking about. But, you think I might get my camera hit by protons? Are you positive?

(I'll get my coat)

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  • 4 weeks later...

I’m a bit further on with the mount. I’ve ordered a few Lindy cables. They should arrive tomorrow.  I’m in the process of setting up a multi camera rig.  Easily balanced on the mesu.

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On 05/03/2020 at 21:47, steppenwolf said:

It works in stages. Below is a 3000:1 version from the original Mesu mount project:-

friction_drive.png.207c1d86b5ae4be6540034dd77b06fb4.png

 Very interesting Steve. Is this info on the original Mesu mount design available on the Internet, it would be great to get more insight into how the design came about.

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44 minutes ago, tomato said:

Very interesting Steve. Is this info on the original Mesu mount design available on the Internet, it would be great to get more insight into how the design came about.

Yes it is - clicky clicky

There is also some really interesting additional information here

I hope you find the articles interesting.

 

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Looking some help regards my meridian flips.   The flip works and centres the object as expect.  Once guiding resumes it heads off in one direction, and keeps going!  I think something must be set or not set to reverse direction after MF.  Means that I have to babysit my flips, and redo PHD2 calibration each time.  Anyone help me out here?

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51 minutes ago, tooth_dr said:

Looking some help regards my meridian flips.   The flip works and centres the object as expect.  Once guiding resumes it heads off in one direction, and keeps going!  I think something must be set or not set to reverse direction after MF.  Means that I have to babysit my flips, and redo PHD2 calibration each time.  Anyone help me out here?

Adam...  these settings may help ..  copied from Sara..    you probably have reverse guiding checked in two places.... I  did at first and this sorted it

Dave

Sitech PHD SGPro Settings - Sara Wager (004).pptx

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10 hours ago, Laurin Dave said:

Adam...  these settings may help ..  copied from Sara..    you probably have reverse guiding checked in two places.... I  did at first and this sorted it

Dave

Sitech PHD SGPro Settings - Sara Wager (004).pptx 1.42 MB · 5 downloads

Thanks Dave, I have it set up as per Steves guide, where those boxes are ticked.  PHD2 is not ticked to reverse direction.  But I'll try it as Sara has recommended with the opposite boxed ticked!  In the past where I used my EQ6, I had that box in PHD2 unchecked to make it work - if the PHD2 reverse DEC was ticked then the mount behaved incorrectly after the flip!

Thanks for your input

Adam.

 

image.png.994611317e03c14780b46faa3c7a2651.png

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 16/04/2020 at 13:19, jaspalchadha said:

Did you sort it? 

Hello Jaspal.  I'm not convinced it's sorted.  I did choose a target across the meridian, manually choosing to move the scope, and PHD worked ok.  I have just been getting up/staying up to do the MF, the weather was too clear and I didnt want to risk it failing all night.  If we get less good clear spells I will experiment.  With everything more or less working and the sky being clear I didnt want to create any issues investigating and changing settings.

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