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INDI Library v2.0.6 is Released (02 Feb 2024)

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Slewing wrong direction

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Hi folks,

I am using Astroberry with an EQ5-type mount with AstroEQ. I'm trying to figure out why it is slewing in the wrong direction. Currently, mount is on patio and it's still daylight, but it should at least slew in the right general direction I would think. I don't know if this is significant, but Ekos shows mount type as EQ6.

From what I've read, the most common cause is incorrect location. I have manually configured Kstars to use Mesa, AZ as my location, and as far as I can tell, it appears latitude and longitude are correct (33:24:53 and 248:10:19). UTC is correct (for now) at 2022-5-24T0:57:45, though I notice in INDI control panel, under mount "site management" this does not appear to update in real time?

In my testing, I
- purged all configuration.
- right-clicked on mount location (near Polaris) and told Ekos to goto that position and set it to park.
- slewed to Mizar, but the mount slewed West.
- Parked and unparked mount.
- enabled "Reverse DEC" in INDI control panel.
- Slewed to Mizar - mount slewed West again.

To help you help me, I should provide logs - what specifically? Ekos "INDI" and "Mount"? Should I also include "Mount" driver?

Thanks

After slewing to Mizar twice (once with DEC reversed) I got some log data: Again, inverting DEC did nothing.

[2022-05-23T20:47:49.273 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Mount is unparked. "
[2022-05-23T20:47:50.012 MST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.mount] - Mount status changed from "Parked" to "Idle"
[2022-05-23T20:47:58.536 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Starting Goto RA=13.4141 DE=54.8124 (current RA=5.63907 DE=89.9557) "
[2022-05-23T20:47:58.541 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Aligned Eqmod Goto RA=13.4141 DE=54.8124 (target RA=13.4141 DE=54.8124) "
[2022-05-23T20:47:58.546 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Setting Eqmod Goto RA=13.4141 DE=54.8124 (target RA=13.4141 DE=54.8124) "
[2022-05-23T20:47:58.601 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Slewing mount: RA increment = 648967, DE increment = -360775 "
[2022-05-23T20:47:58.748 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Slewing to RA: 13:24:51 - DEC: 54:48:45 "
[2022-05-23T20:47:59.012 MST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.mount] - Mount status changed from "Idle" to "Slewing"
[2022-05-23T20:47:59.013 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.guide] - "Mount is moving. Resetting calibration..."
[2022-05-23T20:47:59.015 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.guide] - "Calibration is cleared."
[2022-05-23T20:48:25.548 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Iterative Goto (1): RA diff = 171.04 arcsecs DE diff = 2159.66 arcsecs "
[2022-05-23T20:48:25.552 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Iterative goto (1): slew mount to RA increment = 7300, DE increment = -6143 "
[2022-05-23T20:48:28.886 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Iterative Goto (2): RA diff = 3.27 arcsecs DE diff = 0.34 arcsecs "
[2022-05-23T20:48:28.947 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Telescope slew is complete. Tracking TRACK_SIDEREAL... "
[2022-05-23T20:48:29.013 MST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.mount] - Mount status changed from "Slewing" to "Tracking"
[2022-05-23T20:48:29.013 MST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.mount] - Slew finished, MFStatus "FLIP_NONE"
[2022-05-23T20:48:33.664 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Parking mount: RA increment = -656461, DE increment = 366918 "
[2022-05-23T20:48:33.852 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Mount park in progress... "
[2022-05-23T20:48:35.013 MST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.mount] - Mount status changed from "Tracking" to "Parking"
[2022-05-23T20:48:35.014 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.guide] - "Mount is moving. Resetting calibration..."
[2022-05-23T20:48:35.015 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.guide] - "Calibration is cleared."
[2022-05-23T20:48:59.907 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Inverting Declination Axis. "
[2022-05-23T20:49:00.399 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Mount is parked. "
[2022-05-23T20:49:01.015 MST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.mount] - Mount status changed from "Parking" to "Parked"
[2022-05-23T20:49:16.278 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Mount is unparked. "
[2022-05-23T20:49:17.013 MST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.mount] - Mount status changed from "Parked" to "Idle"
[2022-05-23T20:49:23.730 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Starting Goto RA=13.4141 DE=54.8124 (current RA=5.66278 DE=89.9557) "
[2022-05-23T20:49:23.734 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Aligned Eqmod Goto RA=13.4141 DE=54.8124 (target RA=13.4141 DE=54.8124) "
[2022-05-23T20:49:23.738 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Setting Eqmod Goto RA=13.4141 DE=54.8124 (target RA=13.4141 DE=54.8124) "
[2022-05-23T20:49:23.794 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Slewing mount: RA increment = 652610, DE increment = -360775 "
[2022-05-23T20:49:23.944 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Slewing to RA: 13:24:51 - DEC: 54:48:45 "
[2022-05-23T20:49:24.012 MST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.mount] - Mount status changed from "Idle" to "Slewing"
[2022-05-23T20:49:24.013 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.guide] - "Mount is moving. Resetting calibration..."
[2022-05-23T20:49:24.014 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.guide] - "Calibration is cleared."
[2022-05-23T20:49:50.714 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Iterative Goto (1): RA diff = 170.89 arcsecs DE diff = 2159.66 arcsecs "
[2022-05-23T20:49:50.717 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Iterative goto (1): slew mount to RA increment = 7294, DE increment = -6143 "
[2022-05-23T20:49:54.079 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Iterative Goto (2): RA diff = 3.27 arcsecs DE diff = 0.34 arcsecs "
[2022-05-23T20:49:54.131 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Telescope slew is complete. Tracking TRACK_SIDEREAL... "
[2022-05-23T20:49:55.015 MST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.mount] - Mount status changed from "Slewing" to "Tracking"
[2022-05-23T20:49:55.015 MST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.mount] - Slew finished, MFStatus "FLIP_NONE"
[2022-05-23T20:49:55.823 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Parking mount: RA increment = -659975, DE increment = 366918 "
[2022-05-23T20:49:56.028 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Mount park in progress... "
[2022-05-23T20:49:57.017 MST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.mount] - Mount status changed from "Tracking" to "Parking"
[2022-05-23T20:49:57.019 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.guide] - "Mount is moving. Resetting calibration..."
[2022-05-23T20:49:57.022 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.guide] - "Calibration is cleared."
[2022-05-23T20:50:23.507 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[INFO] Mount is parked. "
[2022-05-23T20:50:24.013 MST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.mount] - Mount status changed from "Parking" to "Parked"
Last edit: 1 year 10 months ago by Paul Nixon. Reason: additional information
1 year 10 months ago #83068

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probably totally irrelevant but what happens if you put 111° 49' 59.7612'' W as your longitude? Or are they in East format where you input them?
1 year 10 months ago #83080

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possibly more relevant have you configured your gps (the fake one if you’ve not got a real one) and is the gpsd panel in your ekos setup showing the correct values as I’m not sure if the kstars setting is actually used by ekos rather just being for the planetarium display.
Instructions for setting up gps are on the astroberry website.
1 year 10 months ago #83081

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One possible reason could be the wrong "pier side". In such a case I do plate solving several times, the first one in home position, then always moving a little (1-2 degrees) on RA axis. After the 3rd or 4th plate solving this problem is solved.
Of course, only if both the time and location coordinates are correct.
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Last edit: 1 year 10 months ago by Lupták Norbert.
1 year 10 months ago #83082

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Replied by Paul Nixon on topic Slewing wrong direction

Hi Nigel and thank you!

I don't think it irrelevant at all. In fact, I'm beginning to wonder if gps is the heart of the problem.

I do have a GPS dongle attached to the Pi, and *usually* it shows longitude as 248.x something or other. But it sometimes takes a long time to show a response, if at all. So, I thought I'd bypass it and tell Ekos I was in Mesa (which is where I am). I looked up the coordinates on my other mount (iOptron CEM25 w/gps), and it shows:
Lat - 33:26:56.8
Lon - -111:41:31.1

Which is what I used on the EQ5.

What's odd is after I removed the gps dongle from the configuration and restarted Ekos, the Lat/lon now show:
Lat - 33:26:56
Long - 248:18:29

Which are the values the gps dongle typically reports when it actually is working.

Unfortunately, when I attempted to slew to Dubhe, the mount still slewed the wrong direction.
1 year 10 months ago #83091

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Replied by Paul Nixon on topic Slewing wrong direction

Thanks Lupták. The EQ5 is indeed showing Pier side - East pointing West!

That's gotta be it!

I'll report back if and when I find how to change it.

Edit: not sure what's going on. After setting Polaris as the park position, I rebooted the pi and this time when I brought up Ekos and checked the mount, it showed Pier side - West pointing East, but it still was slewing the wrong direction. I sent it to park and it slewed well past the mark, and when it stopped, it showed Pier side East pointing West again. I loosened the clutches and moved the mount to its index marks. I then tried slewing using the Eqmod direction buttons and found DEC was inverted. When I clicked to enable reverse DEC, Pier side now changed to West pointing East. Yet the mount *still* slews in the wrong direction.

I think the pier side is a big clue here, but I am missing something. It's like there's some other place I have to purge data from.
Last edit: 1 year 10 months ago by Paul Nixon.
1 year 10 months ago #83092

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Replied by Paul Nixon on topic Slewing wrong direction

When Ekos comes up and connects to the scope, it shows it pointing basically at Polaris.

I told the scope to "Park" - it slewed where ever it was going, and when it stopped, I clicked "Current" and "Write Data". I've loosened the clutchs and realigned to the index marks. This should now be the park position.

But if I then right-clicked on Polaris and tell the mount to Goto and set park position, the mount slews quite a distance away.

I've tried power-cycling between tests, and it doesn't seem to make a difference.

FWIW, right now, it shows Pier side - West pointing East, but it still moves the wrong direction.

Surely this is some flaw in my powerup sequence? I need to purge data, write data, power cycle, etc. but in the right order?
1 year 10 months ago #83097

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So you’ve got a park position that’s not basically Polaris? What do you mean by “clicked current and write data”? Is that some feature built into your mount or an ekos thing? Are you sure you aren’t setting the mount to some position different to what ekos thinks it’s pointing to?

My mount being a simple aka very cheap one has where it starts up as the park position so I’m not entirely sure but isn’t there some configuration for park position in the ekos panel and an option to clear it? I would also check the indi driver settings as quite a few things seem to appear there as well plus I seem to remember something about a config file storing the park position.
Unfortunately I have a different mount so I’m rather guessing at this point.
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1 year 10 months ago #83112

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Replied by Paul Nixon on topic Slewing wrong direction

Hi Nigel,

The clicked current and write is an Ekos thing (Indi control panel, mount, site management, park position "Current" "Default" "Write Data" "Purge Data". I presumed you can move the mount to a park position, click current, then write data and it should make that the park position. I *think* this is actually for custom park positions.

When I connect to the mount, it shows up at Polaris. But there is a feature under Eqmod where you can right click anywhere on the screen, select Eqmod mount, then Goto & Set as Park Position. When I did this, the mount would slew to some place way way away from Polaris. I don't know why.

The good news, apparently, is that I reprogrammed the AstroEQ controller to invert DEC, and the mount now appears to be slewing in the correct direction. I had assumed inverting DEC in Indi control panel would have done this, but apparently not. Hopefully, skies will be clear for real testing!

Paul
1 year 10 months ago #83117

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