Skywatcher AZ GTI mount owners thread

[Pixies]

Can I join your gang, please?

 

54 pages! Can someone catch me up with what I've missed?

[Pixies]

Ah - got excited too soon! It has the problem where the local wifi AP is showing a SSID that starts ESP_xxx and I can't connect.

I've tried a reset (4 hours left alone) but that made no difference. I've moved out of range of local wifi, but that didn't help either.

It looks like I need a WiFi dongle or EqMod FTDI cable in order to do a firmware update. 😠

Unless anyone has any other suggestions? The seller swears it was working OK before he sent it.

[knobby]

Have you tried leaving it (unpowered) over night, then moving away from other WiFi and then doing the 4 hours wait ?

I know that means waiting til tomorrow but it's worth a bash.

I'm in Essex, otherwise you could have borrowed my eqmod cable.

Also, how long did you wait for the ESP network to change to the proper one, it can take a while sometimes ... It's far from instant 🙄

Edited July 2, 2022 by knobby

[Priesters]

What a shame, hope you get it sorted soon.  I reckon an FTDI cable wouldn’t be a bad investment but I’m biased as I am one of the few on here who just use a wired connection.  Reason was I didn’t want to invest in an ASI Air and have to learn new software.  I’m set up now so it all works with Sharcap, PHD, CDC etc.  

Anyhow, maybe someone with a bit more experience than me might be able to offer a different solution but I reckon the FTDI is the way forward.

In terms of summarising the last 55 pages the original poster  @AstroNebulee has said he might do links to the key points but I guess he might also have a life outside of this thread so it may be some time before that happens 😂.  Anyway I’m presuming you have the same amount of cloud up there in Edinburgh as we do here in Lancashire so what else are you going to do of an evening other than read 55 pages?

welcome to the thread 🙂

[StevieDvd]

58 minutes ago, Pixies said:

Ah - got excited too soon! It has the problem where the local wifi AP is showing a SSID that starts ESP_xxx and I can't connect.

I've tried a reset (4 hours left alone) but that made no difference. I've moved out of range of local wifi, but that didn't help either.

It looks like I need a WiFi dongle or EqMod FTDI cable in order to do a firmware update. 😠

Unless anyone has any other suggestions? The seller swears it was working OK before he sent it.

I'd seen that mentioned in the firmware release notes which says:

• Version 3.14
•   Sep 25, 2018
•     1. Fix a problem that causes SSID "ESP_xxxxxx" broadcasted instead of "SynScan_xxxx", and mount not working with SynScan App.

If it is worded that way it may only be the Synscan app which looks for the SSID starting with Synscan...,

Have you a laptop that has wi-fi to see if that can connect? Then see if the MCFirmwareLoader is able to report your firmware version, if so then you may be able to do the firmware update over wifi.

[Elp]

I don't think the ssid specific name causes an issue, I've got two azgtis both with custom ssid which I changed myself and the laptop, synscan app, motor controller update software, mobile phone all connect to them both fine over WiFi.

[Pixies]

Ah - an update. With my local router and WiFi mesh turned off, for a brief moment I got the SysScan_xxx name. I managed to connect and change the SSID and also the channel number from 6 (congested). I was going to pick 3, which is unused, but like a muppet I hit '1' for some reason. Now channel 1 is busy with lots of local signals, although all low strength. But now I can't reconnect at all.

So it's going to be a case of getting in the car and going for a drive into the country!

[Elp]

Are all your surrounding networks set to connect automatically on your computer network settings (it's generally bad practice to do this)? You should not have an issue connecting to the azgti as long as your ssid, password and security type is correct for the azgti network. For some hidden networks which don't show up on the device you're trying to connect with (as they're set to be hidden and not broadcasting) you have to enable the hidden network option in your device network settings.

 

Edited July 2, 2022 by Elp

[Pixies]

1 hour ago, Elp said:

Are all your surrounding networks set to connect automatically on your computer network settings (it's generally bad practice to do this)? You should not have an issue connecting to the azgti as long as your ssid, password and security type is correct for the azgti network. For some hidden networks which don't show up on the device you're trying to connect with (as they're set to be hidden and not broadcasting) you have to enable the hidden network option in your device network settings.

 

I think the issue is down to a poor implementation, rather than the client side. The ESP_xxx name is the start-up SSID when the ESP wifi card starts up. It should switch quickly to the SynScan name (or whatever it's subsequently been programmed too). Last night, it was just sticking to 'ESP_xxx' indefinitely. I could see it even with the WiFi Analyser.

After a (4hour) reset, I can now see it switch to the new name after a few seconds, but it's coming and going, even when I'm 1m away and the other signals on the same channel are -80dBm and lower 

I'm hoping to be able to get it switched over to channel 3 and get connection times long enough to flash the firmware. I am aware from previous posts that I mustn't reboot the mount if the updates fail - just keep trying.

If no luck by tomorrow, I'll order a cable.

[Pixies]

SUCCESS! 🕺

That appears to have fixed it. Got it on to channel 3 and it was plain sailing from then on. Flashed the firmware up to 3.39 (just Alt-Az mode for now) and it appears to be working fine.

Dare I mention it! 

[knobby]

Really glad you're sorted ! Consider yourself 'inducted' 🤣

[Elp]

Good luck for tonight

[bomberbaz]

My clear outside and ventusky apps are slightly at odds with each other, I am trying a different camera tonight to try and get to bottom of the odd star shapes. I am of the opinion that it may well be my ASI 183 mc pro where the fault lies but I need another set of files to compare. 

If it is the camera at least that would eliminate my tracking concerns with the AZ/GTi.  I will try and grab a little data on the owl to see.

@Pixies, welcome to the gang, have you had the welcome initiation ritual done on you yet 😉🤣

[Elp]

What scope are you using to guide with? I use the 183mm with the main scope FL at 370mm, the guide is just over 200mm with a 290mm, so the FLs are near enough matched.

[bomberbaz]

49 minutes ago, Elp said:

What scope are you using to guide with? I use the 183mm with the main scope FL at 370mm, the guide is just over 200mm with a 290mm, so the FLs are near enough matched.

I use a 224mc as guide with a 30mm F4 guide. Main scope used with the 183mc is a 50mm F4.8. Similar FL.

I have actually just tweaked my calibration settings taking account of the short FL and the binned tracking image, I am hoping for a quicker calibration (5 or 6 steps) that in turn adds a little more accuracy.

Edited July 2, 2022 by bomberbaz

[Elp]

Does it look the same if you don't bin, as I understand bin is not hardware dependent with most modern CMOS cameras and can be achieved via software post processing, you're probably getting decent guiding as it is, even mine around 1.5 RMS looks fine.

[bomberbaz]

22 hours ago, Elp said:

Does it look the same if you don't bin, as I understand bin is not hardware dependent with most modern CMOS cameras and can be achieved via software post processing, you're probably getting decent guiding as it is, even mine around 1.5 RMS looks fine.

Are we on a different thread of thought here. I am referring to the guide scope which I understood automatically binned it's images as the system works on b&w only

[Elp]

I thought you were referring to the subs regarding the bin. I've just read a bit about it and apparently you can now choose the bin mode on the guide camera when guiding though I've never enabled it. The only changes I've made which made a significant instant difference to my guiding was when I changed from a 30mm to 50mm guidescope or via the use of an OAG.

Edited July 3, 2022 by Elp

[bomberbaz]

I had a quick bash at grabbing the Veil on my rig but as you can see A. it is just a little too big to fit well, @Priesters rig does a much better job and B. I tried to squeeze too much out of the camera and ended up with a lot of amp glow bleeding into the left hand side.

Still, it's not bad for 15 minutes of data and the stars are looking much tighter..

[Elp]

Some detail in there for 15 mins, one for the mosaic. I tried it with 200mm which is ideal to fit it into frame, 135mm works also.

[bomberbaz]

2 minutes ago, Elp said:

Some detail in there for 15 mins, one for the mosaic. I tried it with 200mm which is ideal to fit it into frame, 135mm works also.

I will try again on it but try to frame it a little better and reduce the gain. Visually this is a great object to look at and imaged correctly it is also a pearl.

[bomberbaz]

Hello all, quick update on the rig.

I have managed to source a 2nd hand WO wedge for £150,  heard nothing but good about them so why not. TBF I have really got better with the SW star adventurer one but I am given to believe this is another step up. I may keep the SW one unless someone wants one for the AZ Gti!

Also just bought one of these new ZWO ASI 120MM Mini USB 2.0 Mono Camera | First Light Optics  For the difference between new and 2nd hand I couldn't be bothered waiting. 

I am going to do some tinkering with the ZWO 224mc to make it a worthwhile winter option when the evenings are cooler. 

[bomberbaz]

Re-process of the Cygnus Loop, I found some extra data and also added some new darks to the frames to calibrate out the amp glow.

Data is now at 30x 30secs Gain 212 (unity111) and 10x60secs gain 212, Total of 1 hours data. I am as much pleased with the processing (although a tad red/over stretched) as I am with my data grab. 

[herne]

4 minutes ago, bomberbaz said:

Hello all, quick update on the rig.

I have managed to source a 2nd hand WO wedge for £150,  heard nothing but good about them so why not. TBF I have really got better with the SW star adventurer one but I am given to believe this is another step up. I may keep the SW one unless someone wants one for the AZ Gti!

Also just bought one of these new ZWO ASI 120MM Mini USB 2.0 Mono Camera | First Light Optics  For the difference between new and 2nd hand I couldn't be bothered waiting. 

I am going to do some tinkering with the ZWO 224mc to make it a worthwhile winter option when the evenings are cooler. 

That’s the same guide camera I use - it sometimes had trouble finding a decent guide star to use.  That is until I realised the Gain was set too low.  Things became much clearer after I turned it up 🤣.

[Elp]

The difference between colour and mono guide star visibility is like night and day. I still use the 224mc for guiding duties sometimes, been trying to use it more for DSO imaging as it frames up close to certain objects but can't expose long with it. It's kind of useful for live viewing though.