81 replies to this topic

[Wdh]

FWIW, I have had consistent problems plate solving with CPWI, after several weeks of stable operation. First plate solve works, subsequent ones fail. The problem started flatter a new Starsense Autoalign calibration. Connection was serial via the port on the HC. An uninstall and reinstall of CPWI didn’t help, and the problem was replicated on a second laptop. The problem persisted after a reset of the calibration on the SSAA to default. My recollection is that the problem also occurred when CPWI was connected via my HBG with no HC connected, but I won’t swear to it, since my low speed skew issues documented in other threads were distracting me. 

 

When I get my Evolution mount back from Celestron, presumably with the upcoming beta release of mount firmware installed that is reputed to fix the slew problem, I will verify. 
 

Plate solving has continued to work properly from the StarSense HC used standalone, BTW. My experience with the SSAA periodically losing its alignment without any indication during sessions has relegated my use of it to mostly investigatory. This periodic “loss of mind” has happened since 2018, btw. Non StarSense alignments from the HC, such as solar system object alignments, have always worked flawlessly, and the alignment has never been lost. My WiFi has never been reliable enough to support operations from a mobile client, presumably due to congestion in my suburban neighborhood.
 

As I mentioned, Evolution mount, and Starsense Autoalign, not SSAG. Many revs of firmware over the years. I will report back when the mount is back in my hands, and I will be happy to capture any HBG3 communications logs at that point. 
 

Bill

Edited by Wdh, 12 July 2024 - 09:32 AM.

[roetbr]

Thanks. I'll run it again without hand controller and GPS plugged in.

Works perfectly. Thanks for all your help, Mark. I hope this topic helps others in the future. 
 

Now I am going to look at some doubles while I wait for it to get more dark (instead of going to bed to get up for work tomorrow like I should). 

[mlord]

Works perfectly. Thanks for all your help, Mark. I hope this topic helps others in the future.

Well, let's see if it keeps working.  From what I understand, the issue has been somewhat intermittent.

Also, which model of mount/telescope is this on?

 

PS:  I suppose I should set it up again here now, and see if the hand-controller is messing about with the SSAG enough to cause issues with SkySafari.  Easy enough to check..
 

Edited by mlord, 12 July 2024 - 08:19 AM.

[mlord]

I suppose I should set it up again here now, and see if the hand-controller is messing about with the SSAG enough to cause issues with SkySafari.

Okay, I set this up indoors (daytime here), and my Nexstar+ hand-controller has the current firmware (5.35.3177) loaded.  I hooked up that HC, along with SSAG and a GPS receiver to AUX ports on the mount, plus an HBG3 for WiFi and bus tracing.

 

Powered it on, and the only thing the HC does with SSAG is query its existence with a GET_VERSION command.  And.. new behaviour from some point in the past year:  the Nexstar+ HC does NOT query the GPS until one tries to use the HC to perform an alignment.  So this means that the HC will retain the "GPS Enabled" setting even if one is not attached, so long as one does not attempt an alignment with the HC -- at which point it clears that setting if no GPS is found.

 

I think (not 100% sure) older firmware versions used to query the GPS at startup regardless.  The StarSense HC still does that, I believe.

 

Back to the issue at hand:  the HC and GPS both just sit there passively after startup, and the HC does not query the GPS for anything, and the HC does not communicate any further with SSAG after detecting it with GET_VERSION.  This remains true once one connects from SkyPortal or SkySafari6+ to perform an SSAG auto-align.

 

Being indoors in daytime, I never finished the autoalign (no stars found!), but I don't expect the situation to change from that.

 

Conclusion:  in the absence of electrical loading issues (SE mount owners, I'm looking at you!), having the Nexstar+ HC and/or a GPS receiver attached should NOT impact use of SSAG with the SkyPortal/SkySafari apps.  So while there is no need to have either of those attached, it is also not strictly necessary to remove them from the set-up.

 

But.. as discussed earlier, some mounts don't like some combinations of accessories plugged in together.  This isn't a firmware or protocol thing, but rather an electrical issue with the design of the AUX bus in various mounts.  The SE mounts in particular, with their very high impedance AUX design, don't seem to tolerate multiple accessories in many situations.  The Evo mount is much better in this regard.

 

Cheers

Edited by mlord, 12 July 2024 - 09:40 AM.

[roetbr]

Conclusion:  in the absence of electrical loading issues (SE mount owners, I'm looking at you!), having the Nexstar+ HC and/or a GPS receiver attached should NOT impact use of SSAG with the SkyPortal/SkySafari apps.  So while there is no need to have either of those attached, it is also not strictly necessary to remove them from the set-up.

 

But.. as discussed earlier, some mounts don't like some combinations of accessories plugged in together.  This isn't a firmware or protocol thing, but rather an electrical issue with the design of the AUX bus in various mounts.  The SE mounts in particular, with their very high impedance AUX design, don't seem to tolerate multiple accessories in many situations.  The Evo mount is much better in this regard.

Yes, you are looking at me and my SE mount, and focus motor, and SSAA (and until last night hand controller and GPS). Which is why I expect removing the hand controller and GPS is likely to be the solution. (And I could replicate the problem pretty consistently after the focus motor was installed.) But, as you noted, time will tell.

[rrpallechio]

- I've put YELLOW electricians tape around the sides of the StarSense Camera lens cap.

I've been dealing with my own issues with alignment this week. Once, my 11 year old grandson had to remind me to take the cap off my SSAG. Three other times I watched, alarmed, as SkyPortal informed me that no stars could be found during alignment. The cap was on the SSAG each time.

 

I have white reflective tape around my tripod legs. Gonna steal your idea and put it on the camera cap
 

[mlord]

Yes, you are looking at me and my SE mount, and focus motor ..

Ah yes, the Celestron Focus Motor and an SE mount.  Something about that motor makes the set-up really intolerant of other accessories.  I know of a few people now using the HBG3-Relay to get around that exact problem.  The Relay adds a second, independent AUX bus, which is more like that of the Evo than the SE, and thus has far greater tolerance for added accessories.