What would be the basic start up procedure for running EKOS the first time? I don't have an observatory, so I'm moving my equipment to the back yard each time. My intention with EKOS is to build a queue of sequences, then have them automate each night I set up my telescope.
I'm assuming it would go something like this:
1. Polar align my AVX mount and build it's GOTO model using the hand controller.
2. Launch KSTARS/EKOS, connect to equipment and check polar alignment.
3. Set park location?
4. Start focus routine
5. Pick targets in sequencer
6. Slew to first target and align
7. Start guiding
8. Start sequence
I set up my equipment every time since I don't have an observatory. I would say a slightly different set of steps though.
1. Set up equipment.
2. Polar align with polar align scope.
3. Balance and Collimate the scope. (If needed)
4. Turn it all on and go inside. (my Raspberry Pi is strapped to the scope).
5. Connect via KStars from my Laptop inside and focus with the focus routine
6. Use the skymap or mount model tool to slew to several objects and plate solve to align the telescope
7. Use KStars skymap or "Whats Interesting" to locate an interesting target and slew to it.
8. Plate solve again for good measure.
9. Calibrate and Start Guiding.
10. Set up sequence in Capture Module
11. Start the sequence and watch a movie.
This is really interesting, I had no idea you could build the goto model within EKOS. I'll have my laptop outside, but can connect to it via my desktop inside, which is usually how I do this. I'll give this a go for my first attempt. Is there really no reason to set a park location?
Yes, you definitely don't have to do an alignment before with the hand paddle, and to be honest (even though I often try to do it) you really don't even have to build a very precise/complex pointing model. If you plate solve a few times in different areas of the sky, then your mount will get a sync/align command and that will probably be good enough. If you have a Gemini mount like mine or an EQMod mount, the driver/mount can build a very complicated pointing model if you like by plate solving in many areas of the sky and correcting for errors using different variables in the pointing model. But the model only needs to be good enough to get your object on the chip, so just a few plate solves (maybe 3?) in different areas of the sky is all that is really needed. You can treat plate solves like pepper, add a little more to taste if it is not good enough
The park position is only really useful for people who leave their scopes set up in an observatory. For people like you and I who set up our scopes every time, it doesn't do anything since we need to build a new pointing model and redo the alignment every time. Now of course, you should set up the scope in the position the mount expects it to be in for a cold start so that it knows fairly well where it is pointed. For mine, that spot is pointing at Polaris with the counterweight down.
I have a Celestron AVX, so don’t use EQMod. I also don’t have site of Polaris. So I might have to run through the initial all-star polar align routine then supplement it with some plate solves.
Ekos does have a polar alignment tool, but I haven't used it. You might try it. You don't need to see Polaris, but it does use plate solves near the pole. I still use my polar align scope on my mount because it is quick and gets me close enough. I do make sure that no matter where I set up I have a sight line to Polaris. If I more permanently mounted my scope, then the polar alignment tool and/or drift alignment would be useful.
You don't need EQMod or Gemini to align your scope with plate solves (sorry if this wasn't clear), it just won't be as complex of a model. Many mounts just have two star or three star alignments. That will work just fine.