TheSkySearchers

I am having a very difficult time with this pesky issue.

Briefly when the software (SGP) goes to slew and center a certain target NGC 3368 at around 10:10 pm the target is located about 10 degrees east of the meridian, near zenith towards the south.

I had the switch limits for the mount set to -5 on both east and west RA axis. Which 'should' have it start with scope on the east side of the mount with a flip in about 20 minutes after.

When the mount goes to slew to the target it hits the switch limit and just kind of stops. SGP tries over and over again to 'center' the target, but it fails by the same amount each time of course because it cannot slew past the set switch limits.

Now if I go out to the hand controller (human intervention) and check the Meridian settings it was evidently defaulted to 'favor west' . I change the Meridian settings to 'disable' and off the mount goes working just fine. Slewing to (on the other side of the mount) and centering the target quickly.

Thing is I had already set the HC setting for Meridian to disabled previously?

Note that once this human intervention is done the sequence continues throughout the night with no issues capturing until the time limit (two more targets).

I have also attached the relevant section of the CGX-L manual for reference. Also, a screen shot from Starry night showing the targets relative position at the 10:10pm mark.

I cant just disable the RA limits due to pier crashes.

Any thoughts ideas suggestions?

Well I dont know what the heck to think.

Tonight sequence started just fine and the slew to the second target and it failed again because of the switch limits. This time I set the switch limits way out -10 on either side!

Went out checked the hand controller and it had once again evidently reset Meridian settings to "Favor West". I had made it a point to check it when starting up the mount and had set Disable!

Im thinking about resetting the hand controller to factory settings and just starting all over. I am at a total loss on this one.

You may be right Tom. A reset may give you the fastest route to quick relief. (that sounds like an Alka-Seltzer commercial)

Cheers,

I put a support ticket into Celestron about this. Not holding my breath but will see what they say.

Well I went and re-set the hand controller to "Factory Reset" and after filling out all the relevant info, re-started and now it defaults to "Meridian disabled" in lieu of favor west it was 'stuck' in.

Now of course I will have to wait several days / weeks for the weather to clear again to test things.

Good to hear Tom!

Juno16 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 11, 2022 10:52 pm Good to hear Tom!

Oh no. Don't declare this bug squashed just yet.

The proof is in the pudding, or behind the clouds. Looks like about a week.

UlteriorModem wrote: ↑Tue Apr 12, 2022 12:54 am

Juno16 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 11, 2022 10:52 pm Good to hear Tom!

Oh no. Don't declare this bug squashed just yet.

The proof is in the pudding, or behind the clouds. Looks like about a week.

Yes it is. Its a positive (hopeful) sign though!

A brief update on this issue.

I received a well thought out and composed response from Celestron support! Took a day or two but nice to see a good response from them on such a weird issue.

I will post back once I gather the info he requested and see where it goes from there

Just wanted to give some Kudos to Celestron!

Well the saga continues!

After re-setting the HC to factory defaults and quite confident the bug had been squished, the HC had other plans as evidently it has a mind of it's own.

Started the sequence last night making damn sure the Meridian preferences were disabled. First target went fine, in fact watched as it performed a meridian flip which solved and centered in the second try. Perfect!

A little while later time to start the second target. I watched as the mount moved a little with the weights out west and stopped. It 'should' have slewed to the other side of the mount as the target was a ways east of meridian. Of course it tried to center the target but missed by over 20,000 pixels again and again. Each time fail by the same amount (up against the switch limits). Went out and checked the HC and guess what? It had reset the Meridian preferences to "Favor West" again!

Went out to the HC and re-re-reset the Meridian preferences to disabled without stopping the sequence. Then the mount slewed to the other side, sequence resumed. and ran the rest of the night without incident! Bizarre!

Celestron's suggestion was to update the firmware but wanted to see if the factory re-set had fixed things. It had not!

So next stage of the saga is to update the firmware(s) and wait several days for clear weather again

Aw, crap!

We have all encountered AP Gremlins, it is the nature of the AP Beast. I'm sorry that yours is so pesky. It appears to have had both water and food after midnight. Keep at it, I know you will conquer it.

Ive had my share of gremlins, from forgetting the bathinov mask to pine needles in the optics. But have never experienced anything like this.

A hand controller with a vendetta it seems!

The most frustrating part is that it can take days, weeks, even months to get to where you can check any changes and observe it's behavior. Test one nigh, make a few small changes, wait several days again to test again....

Have you considered unplugging the HC? Here's a thread on CN about this, https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/7842 ... avx-mount/ . Here's another one talking about CPWI, https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/6722 ... r-handset/ .

I have no handset for my G11S/OnStep and run my OnStep controller from Ekos that has its own virtual handset. Likewise I have also controlled it using an EqStar controller using EQMod. In both cases Ekos and EQMod take full control.

I have controlled my AVX using Ekos too through the hand controller'sserial port. My impression is that the HC initializes the mount (day time location for sure), but that Ekos then takes full control and the HC is cut out of the loop.

I don't know how SGP works, it should be similar to Ekos and have its own drivers I presume? The Ekos drivers assume full control, maybe SGP doesn't? Just curious how much SGP is part of the problem.

Indeed SGP is quite similar and more or less uses the connection to the HC as sort of a 'port'. In fact you can do a plate solve and synch where SGP does the plate solve and updates the mounts pointing model. Not real sure how PHD2 parses it's pulse commands through the HC. But basically SGP will 'command' the mount to slew to a new coordinate, then SGP does a plate solve and correct the pointing until the target is 'centered'. I assume it also synchs the HC's pointing model with each plate solve.

It is a USB connection to the HC, however the HC has an internal Prolific USB to serial converter inside of it. The Celestron CGX-L mount head has a USB port built into it, however it is only for updating the firmware at this time. Direct control of the mount head is not possible as far as I am aware.

The 'drivers' or mount control software is ASCOM. Also made sure I have the latest greatest version of ASCOM as well.

I am fairly certain the fault here lies in the hand controller itself as it keeps resetting the Meridian preferences on it's own with no 'input' from SGP. It just decides it prefers west on it's own.

Updated the firmware for the HC and the motor controller yesterday, but will have to wait a day or two to test things. Actually looks like I might get lucky and be able to try tomorrow (Friday) night.

UlteriorModem wrote: ↑Thu Apr 21, 2022 5:24 pm It is a USB connection to the HC, however the HC has an internal Prolific USB to serial converter inside of it. The Celestron CGX-L mount head has a USB port built into it, however it is only for updating the firmware at this time. Direct control of the mount head is not possible as far as I am aware.

That's why I sent those links because they claim it is possible. Here's the direct link to Celestron CPWI, for the CGX you just need the USB 2.0 cable on the mount apparently not through the HC so that suggests that you can simply disconnect the HC when you use CPWI.

https://www.celestron.com/pages/celestr ... l-software

Actually I think your post showed up 'after' my last post :shrug:

Anyhow I am aware of the Planewave interface, but I resist going to it after years of successful (until recently) control via the ASCOM.

If this crazyness is not sorted out soon I will strongly re-consider my position.

I also need to see how well SGP plays with it.

Also note I have not had any issues with target acquisition and centering and for the most part scope control and tracking. The only issue is now the damn thing keeps re-setting the Meridian preferences which keeps causing 'slew limit' switch warnings and the mount stops responding.

You could always tear the mount down and really bunk it up (like I did with my AVX).
I was bummed for a few days, but then ordered a new Skywatcher mount. It turned out to be a really good thing!

I know. This post was absolutely no help!

Juno16 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 21, 2022 8:37 pm You could always tear the mount down and really bunk it up (like I did with my AVX).
I was bummed for a few days, but then ordered a new Skywatcher mount. It turned out to be a really good thing!

I know. This post was absolutely no help!

Oh I've done Excrement like that. One time I tore down an Atlas Pro and when I put it back together managed to somehow bend the heck out of the caged roller bearing disk. Took alot of research and like 6 months to get a replacement It never was the same. Was not a really great mount to begin with.

Nah fortunately it is not anything mechanical in nature. Mount works great guides well, quite aware of where it is pointing. So yea no tear downs.

Well this is getting kind of crazy!

I found a different GEM hand controller similar to the first one. Figured I would try that one to rule out that it 'may' be a fault in the first controller.

Sequence started fine, witnessed a successful meridian flip, come time to start a new target and same thing. Weights out west, wont center target, up against switch limits. Check the 'new' controller and sure enough Meridian had be set to "Favor West". Change that to 'Meridian Disabled" mount flips to the other side (east) and target centers on the second try and the sequence continued for the rest of the night!

So different HC same failure!

Only thing left to try is to update the firm ware for the HC and try again but frankly not holding my breath. I might be able to test tonight. Will see.