The automated meridian flip performed flawlessly except when guiding was resumed it was using the same calibration data instead of the flipped data (corrections were reversed of what they should have been). I'm using PHD2 for guiding, Ekos for everything else. I've noticed that PHD can connect to the INDI mount (iEQ 45 Pro Driver) AND can get DEC coordinates but it doesn't know what side of the pier the mount is on. Maybe this is why PHD didn't flip the calibration data? Is there any way for Ekos to tell PHD2 to flip the data? Or at least tell PHD more pointing information so PHD can guide correctly after the meridian flip?

Thanks, Wes

Hi!

There is an option in PHD2, in the "brain", the Guiding tab, called "Reverse Dec output after meridian flip" . Is it checked?

Magnus

I tried that but it didn't work. The only way to get PHD to flip the calibration data is to manually do it in the drop down menu in PHD. "Flip Calibration Now" I think it's called.

Hi
If the mount driver is not sending side of pier to PHD2 then you'll have to flip it manually..Or start the job in the scheduler and recalibrate after the flip:
settings > configure kstars > ekos > scheduler > always reset guide calibration
There's probably a fix. If nothing shows here, ask on the PHD2 forum:
groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups=#!forum/open-phd-guiding
HTH

I had no success with the DEC flipping neither. Additionally I don't think the Ekos PHD2 interface honors the calibration reset, which could be a fallback solution when guiding is failing. I don't know where the root cause is located yet.

-Eric

I'm leaning towards the fact that the iOptron iEQ45 Pro Indi Driver or the Mount firmware doesn't support side of pier reporting to PhD2. I haven't tried setting up imaging in the scheduler module in Ekos. I've just been using the capture module. Are you saying that the "Always Reset Guide Calibration" in the scheduler options doesn't work with PhD2?

From what I tested, no, option "always reset calibration" doesn't make PHD2 force a calibration when Ekos requests guiding to start on a job. But there are a few failure messages in the guiding tab when restarting guiding (although it works in the end) so a misconfigured state machine in Ekos (guider or scheduler) may be the root cause of the problem. I'm using phd2 2.6.5 from git.

-Eric

Hi
We had a similar problem with tthe eqmod driver a while back. Perhaps send the PHD2 debug log to the PHD2 devs with a link to this thread to determine whether this is an indi or PHD2 issue?

iOptron doesn't report pier side is definitely the major issue here. After meridian flip is completed and if "Always reset guiding calibration" is checked, then calibration should be cleared. In the logs it should say "Calibration is cleared."

I tracked my own issues as being related to two things: a bug in the state machine of the guider, which causes an issue when shifting from one scheduler job to another (cannot guide while guiding is in progress, although no guiding is in progress), and a bug in the Hour Angle calculation when kstars/indi-eqmod have been running for 24h+, which causes the mount to point at an object on the west of the meridian using the western side of the pier. This horrible pair is really problematic for automation.

-Eric

I have similar issue with IOptron CEM25P . I was trying to use the meridian calibration tool in PHD2 and it states side of Pier as Unknown . Also I have to manually flip the calibration in PHD2 if i am not using scheduler during capture.

I see GEP command actually gives the side of pier , can this be added?

www.ioptron.com/v/ASCOM/RS-232_Command_Language2014V3.pdf

it's already in the INDI iOptronv3 driver. so just use that driver (create an alias with Tools --> Devices --> Custom Drivers)