Arduino Focus control and Cloud sensor

[Reggie]

I didn't use poth, just disconnected in FM and connected in maxim, as long as the position matched between the driver and the app in question, then everything was working as it should do. Not sure why it's seeing it as relative in maxim, you might need to go into the setup of the driver in maxim if it's at all possible?

I did see the lag earlier though, that *isn't* normal but everything else you are seeing is pretty standard (apart from the maxim weirdness), maxim shouldn't be setting speed or no of steps directly like that, I really don't understand how that is happening.

[Euan]

The real test didn't go very well. I've went right back to basics and just have Focusmax connected using the ASCOM driver and it goes haywire when I run an auto-focus

Here is a video showing the same effect but using the jog function. Thanks for your help so far, I really need this working as it breaks my whole setup.

hEUtUQtJmiE

[ncjunk]

You could try an old pde and see if that makes a difference. Basic code is the same but i dont think its the pde but please try it.

Also try an older driver as the latest was a major change.

Its all a bit strange i am not sure why it is flicking between 1000 and 0 in your latest video.

I'll go outside later and have a test with my system and focus max, poth and maxim. Its too cold at the moment :-). I only use fm and am running an old version of our driver as i am in the middle of resetting everything up....might as well update and check it today ;-)

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[ncjunk]

Oohh observatory computer is still on bonus!

Mine works fine with v2.00.00B.

Now insyalling 2.00.07

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[ncjunk]

Ok technical term here....oh no wait... I cant use my technical terms on this forum....

Errr its not working very well and its the driver. I'll recheck everything and post a working update for you by Monday.

Please use version B in old.versions or version c on current versions until normal service can be resumed.

My excuse is it is a beta version! (i'll keep everything as betas)

Of course its all Reggies fault....I just now need to falsify the evidence to prove it and bribe witnesses

Regards

Neil c

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[ncjunk]

Euan,

I have done another version 2.00.07 and uploaded it to the Beta version folder on the SGL automation group.

It appears to be working correctly but I can´t run a focus routine to test.

Basically the reporting of the Absolute mode was incorrect. I have updated this and now when I set the Jog to 5000 it moves to 5000. I previously had a similar error you.

Could you do me a favour and test it when you have a second?

sorry for all the problems

Neil C

[Reggie]

Hmmmmmn, I can go for it that it might've been my fault But I notice that Euan didn't quite run the test as I had described, he didn't make sure that the position in the driver matched the one in FM by going into setup and hitting ok!! I most certainly had it reporting fine here, in absolute or relative (I did have to make sure it was in absolute mode in both apps. via setup though)

What was the issue in the end neil? as I think there may still be lag in maxim.

[ncjunk]

Its not always reporting the mode back correctly. I found that it doesnt always send the settings down to the arduino on the form.activate command.

I changed the code so that on a connect request after it checks the comms it sends the settings down to the arduino.

Also used the settings value for sending the mode to the ascom devices.

The version posted for euan is a quick version for testing.

I think we may have a few other issues not sure...

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[Euan]

Thanks for that Neil, it does seem to be responding correctly now. Is it also meant to change "No of Steps" as well? I was sure that stay static before

Any ideas why it is still broken via POTH? It's like it still runs as a relative focuser. If I can run both Focusmax and Maxim via POTH then I'm sorted!

[Euan]

Oddly enough, when I connect directly using Maxim it shows as a relative focuser, even though it is set at absolute in the settings, as it does in POTH.

[Reggie]

I noticed that and it's crucial that you do click the 'setup' in maxim when swapping, it reasserts all of the settings!

[ncjunk]

Ok so we've got an improvement so i'll install poth on the observatory and get that working next.

I thougjt when i tested it earlier that on changing the settings you haf to reload maxim for it to take effect....not sure....i'll have a play tomorrow and post another version.

It does change number of steps b.t.w.

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[ncjunk]

It seems to be working through poth for me using both fm and maxim at the same time.

You do have to set up the focuser driver in poth as it doesnt retain the values from your testing in other software. (uses a different instance of the driver)

I am testing on xp, maxim 5.08, fm not sure version, Ascom 6.0.

If you have any more details let me know but first recheck all focuser setup settings through the poth setup as mine was set to relative the first time i connected through poth.

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[Euan]

Yes!! It's working

Reggie was right, although it took me a few goes going into the setup page before the absolute value would stick in both apps. It now moves fine via POTH for both Maxim and FM, and they both report the position as the other is moving it.

Look at this video you can see it won't change while connected but does change after you disconnect it.

moopOj_akcU

Anything that can be done about the relative / absolute values being more robust? No rush though, I know what to look out for if it's stuck in relative and how to get around it.

Thanks for your help guys

[ncjunk]

We'll have to look at that, thanks for all the videos and info for testing....i'll have a play this end.

It may not be possible to fix that as software like maxim will request the focuser mode on connection. If you change it whilst running you would need to disconnect and reconnect.

Reggie, i'll send you a code update today.

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[Reggie]

So I was right eh? I had forgotten that you were using POTH, if I'd realised then I would've definitely mentioned that you need to disconnect/reconnect POTH in maxim. It's the apps. not us, we appear to be doing most things right, probably over thinking them but our driver is our template for our standalone app.

[ncjunk]

I never doubted you Reggie

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[teh_feckerer]

Just an update for anyone who is interested.

Finally got the Arduino board working with an Easy driver stepper module and a 200 step stepper motor.

I'm trying to build a board for a stepper motor to drive my EQ5 mount. Is there any advice you could give me or links that would be useful? I'm a real newby with electronics but would love to make a start by powering my 'scope

Thanks!

[ncjunk]

The electronics will be the easy bit. You can buy a stepper motor driver board like the easy driver and connect it to a stepper and Arduino.

You can then easily write a bit of code to drive the stepper motor at different speeds.

The important bit, i'll get very vague here, is to connect the motor mechanically in such a way as to give you sufficient resolution to track the stars. So you will need to take the speed of rotation of the stars and provide sufficient gearing to smoothly move the mount. For example, if you directly coupled a 200 step stepper then every step would move the scope 1.8 degrees and you would therefore be performing a step then waiting for the stars to catch up and performing another step. So the time for one rotation of the earth is about 23 hours 56 minutes which is 86160 seconds so 360/86160 gives you 0.0041 deg per second.

So dividing our resolution by the sidereal rate gives 1.8/0.0041 = 440.

So make sure your mechanical gearing/connection can produce a ratio to meet at least double that in an ideal world so 880:1.

I've pulled a few numbers out of the air to give you an idea. The other issue will be buying a stepper which has enough torque to move everything this is where the balance of the scope comes into play. With it all balanced nicely the stepper should have only a little work to do but i'm not sure what one you would need 12v 200 step 4 wire would probably do.

I'll let everyone correct me now!

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[ncjunk]

Sidereal info here-

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidereal_time

I have rounded up in my above calculations and not taken into account microstepping which would be able to split each stepper motor step into 8 small steps by regulating the current between the phases. Page 11 on the a3967 datasheet sheet see the link at the bottom of the following page-

www.sparkfun.com/products/9402

Not sure how much experience you have in all this but i'd say give it a go. Just dont plug or unplug the motor with the power applied as you could burn out the driver board.

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[Euan]

One odd thing that I've noticed about POTH is that if I close both Maxim and FM, then leave the machine on for a while and restart both of them, no matter what I do I can't get it to register as an Absolute focuser until I reboot the PC.

For now I've just left them both connected to the arduino 24/7

[Reggie]

By the sounds of the HEQ/NEQ mounts, they are wave driving the steppers, it's a steady swishing sound coming from the motors. for a realworld idea of what everyone is using checkout EQmods information for the various mounts it supports:

EQMOD

Regards,

Reggie.

[Komet]

Cloud Sensor query ...

My cloud sensor works well but only when there is no dew. Once dew hits it it becomes useless.

Has anyone else experienced this and got round it?

I was considering using the 5v line but what, apart from a simple bulb, would you suggest to heat the sensor slightly to stop dewing?

Cheers

[Reggie]

That would be a question for Neil to answer, I don't have a cloud sensor myself, just off the top of my head, would clear glass above the IR sensor help? If it's in a sealed unit, the dew shouldn't be able to get at it? I'm not sure messing around trying to heat the unit up will do, you don't want it skewing data.

[Komet]

You put anything above it and you would have to heat that also. The IR sensor will read the temp from that whether it be warm or cold. It has to be open to the sky.

I have two 330ohm resistors wired to a 12v supply at the moment. I will give that a try and see what happens.